cloth tapes
An option available to horizontal blinds, cloth tapes can be used in place of
standard string ladders. These increase privacy and allow less light through
when closed.

cord
A string that you pull on to control the tilt.

cord cleat
A cord cleat is a small bracket which affixes to the wall near the headrail and
allows the cord to be hung up on it, preventing children and pets from
becoming entangled in dangling cord.

extension brackets
Extension Brackets are metal pieces that are used in installing blinds that need
to be extended out over the sill (usually over 1/2"). These are only needed for
outside mounts.

headrail
The hardware on the very top of the blind where the tracks are
located. To a great extent, the headrail's quality determines the blind's durability.

height
Measure the height (top to bottom) inside the window opening at the left,
center and right. Then take the longest measurement.

hold downs
Brackets used to hold the bottom rail of a blind or shade in place in its fully
lowered position. Primarily used for doors to keep the blind or shade from
swinging.

inside mount
An inside mount fits within the window frame. To measure on inside mounts
do not add any width to reduce the side light gaps. The inside mount
deductions are taken for operating clearance. Without these deductions your
blind/shade may not fit or operate correctly. For more information, go to our
Measuring Guide

ladder
Standard ladders are thin cords that are threaded through each slat. In some cases, you may be able to substitute a cloth tape for a ladder.

mount
An inside mount fits within the window frame, an outside mount overlaps the
window opening. For more information, go to our Measuring Guide

no holes
This feature prevents any light from sneaking in through the slats as the cord
is not routed through them, but over them. This prevents light spots and
allows for total privacy.

one on one headrail
This is the default option for all blinds and shades, which means that the blind
or shade is the same width as the headrail. Size constraints may force some
products to be split as 2 or 3 on one headrail.

outside mount
An outside mount overlaps the window opening. For more information, go to
our Measuring Guide

routed
The cord is routed through the slats.

routless
This feature reduces light leakage by eliminating the traditional rout hole through the center of the slat and replaces it with a notch on the side of each slat
through which the cording controlling the tilting and lifting of the blind runs.

slats
The strips of wood, vinyl, aluminum, etc, that make up the blind.

tilt
The control, usually a cord or a wand, that tilts the slats of a blind open and closed.

two or more blinds on one headrail
Provides the flexibility of raising one blind while keeping the other lowered on extra wide windows, such as patio doors. This option is usually only available
up to a total maximum width (the total length of the headrail), often around 96".
 

valance
This covers the headrail from the outside and generally matches the color of
the blinds. Valances can be made of fabric, wood, aluminum, or vinyl. Cornices may be purchased separately. A cornice is wood molding that you mount on the wall around the window. Cornices can be used to add architectural detailing to your room and are available in a variety of painted and stained finishes.

wand
A long plastic cylinder that you twist.

width
The horizontal measurement of your blind, taken to the nearest 1/8 of an inch. For measuring instructions, click here.