How to Put the Chain Back on a Roller Blind

Maybe your kids pulled on it, maybe the cat got to it, maybe it was just old and worn out. Whatever the reason, you need to put the chain back on your roller blind, but you don’t know how. In this guide, we walk you through replacing the chain or cord on a roller blind.

Preparing to Replace the Chain on a Roller Blind

Before beginning this repair, you will need to procure a replacement chain or cord for your solar roller shades. It needs to be thin enough you can insert it into the clutch, but thick enough it won’t slip out of place. Bead chain in size #10 is the standard size for roller blinds. However, you should always measure first before purchasing a replacement to ensure you have chosen a chain or cord width compatible with your existing roller blind hardware. You don’t want to go to all the work to replace the chain, only to find you can’t raise or lower the blind!

These steps are the same for either solar shades vs. roller shades. In addition to the new cord or chain, you might also need a screwdriver to assist with the next steps. First, you will need to remove the roller blinds from the bracket. If the blind is currently down, roll it up completely so there is no excess material hanging down from it.

If you have cassette blinds with a valance, remove them either by snapping it out of the fastenings or unscrewing the brackets from the wall. If the chain has a safety clip on it that attaches it to the wall—which it should, because blind cords pose a choking hazard to children—remove that, too. Basically, you want to remove anything that will keep you from removing the roller blinds from the brackets.

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Identify the brackets that hold the roller blind in place and remove any bracket covers. Determine which side has the safety clamp; one side usually has a post to hold the roller in place, while the other has the safety clasp. Open up the clasp and lift the roller blind out of the brackets.

How to Put the Chain Back on a Roller Blind

You are now ready to fix the roller blind chain. Remove the clutch—the round plastic on the end which holds the chain—using your hands or a screwdriver. Some clutch models require you to pop open the cap in order to create enough room to remove and replace the cord. First, flip the clutch over to examine the back. If there is no back piece—i.e., you can see the gears of the side controller—proceed to the next step. If there is a back piece blocking you from accessing the gears, there are three ways to remove it, depending on what type of clutch you have:

• If you look down at the front of your clutch and notice a hole with a screw in it, removing that screw should cause the cap of the side controller to pop up far enough to access the chain.
• If there is a rectangular tab on the back of the clutch’s pointy end, lift that in order to make the cap pop up so you can access the gears of the side controller.
• If the bottom end of the clutch is split down the middle instead of one continuous plastic ring, squeezing the two halves together should cause the top of the side controller to pop up.

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Once you can access the gears of the clutch, remove the broken cord and discard. Next, you will need to take your new chain or cord and thread it into the clutch. If you did not have to open the side controller in order to access the gears, pop the ball chain into the little holes on the gear until the chain moves through the clutch freely. If you did have to open the clutch, simply lay the chain or cord inside the channel, and then close the clutch by reversing the process you did in the previous step.

Reassemble the roller blind and place it back in the brackets. Close the safety clasp on the bracket and test the blind cord by raising and lowering it. Once you have confirmed the replacement cord works, replace any valances and/or safety clips you removed at the beginning of the process.

At Factory Direct Blinds, we offer a wide range of roller shades and blinds to fit all needs or budgets. If you need to outfit a large building with many windows, check out our commercial blinds program for our most competitive pricing.