WI ................ DE  Blinds!
Well! All our customers would like to purchase 1 mile long blinds! for their porches!
We strongly discourage purchase such large blinds....... especially for outside Installations. We have found that more than 70% of blinds wider then 96" breakdown in less than 3 years. After continuous exposure to sun, rain, heat, cold, fungus....... the larger the blinds, the quicker they fall!.

If you have blinds wider than 96", we strongly recommend breaking down the blinds into 2 separate blinds. You can butt two blinds flush against each other to form a wider blind. This is especially important for the bamboo blinds, because of their weight.
Shipping is also substantially more costly when the widths exceed 96". For example a 120" wide blind cost $81.00 for shipping by ground freight.

Normal prefabricated blinds do not exceed 72" or 96" in length. If you require a longer blinds there are other options like the oversized reed/bamboo rollups (180"). However, also consider if you really need the full length of the window to be covered to cut down on the sunlight. In many instances, only the evening or morning sun needs to be blocked, this will not require the entire window to be covered by a blind, a shorter blind would work equally well.

 

 

Color of the blinds
Prefabricated blinds are made quantities of 1000's in a batch of shipment. There is no way to control the exact color of each blind. (oddly, this is the same problem with the more expensive custom blinds!!). When batches change, so do the colors ......not always but it happens.
The most common color change is that the blind is greener. (happens 1 in every 350 blinds) This happens when the blind is not fully dried out. This is the "chlorophyll" in the bamboo (chlorophyll is why plants are green!) and this natural pigment changes color to a normal yellow when it dries. A "greener" bamboo blind can dry with a couple of weeks when exposed to direct sunlight. So if you see a blind that is "greener" than the rest, do not panic!, it will dry out in the sun and turn yellow like the rest of the blinds.

We always recommend getting samples before purchasing, this way you get to see the color variations prior to purchase.

Please see this link on our warranty page, it explain in detail how color variation can occur in a natural product. Bamboo blinds is not an artificially altered product like wood blinds, it has variations in color and we cannot guarantee exact color matches. (Oddly, even though its more expensive, our custom blinds have the same restriction!)

 

 

Pull Cords
Pull cords are intentionally left long. They can be adjust to your proper height by cutting and reknotting the cord at the proper hand height. Please see this link on more information on how to readjust your pull cord lengths. Its a simple procedure.
Pull cords are always on the right side. All our blinds come with cord cleats. Please tie back the pull cords on the cord cleats when not in use.
The cord cleat serves 2 purposes:
(1) This maintains tension on the cords and relieves the strain from the cordlock. (continuous use of the cord lock will cause it fail sooner). Cord cleats are especially useful in windy situations.
(2) Cord Cleats are an integral part of the small children protection system. Please be extra careful when using rollup blinds with small children.

 

 

Matchstick Breakage or Bruising
During shipping is quite common for some matchstick to break. This is to be expected at the ends. If a large number of matchsticks is broken during shipment, please inform us and UPS immediately. Do not throw away the blind packaging, It must be inspected by UPS for insurance purposes. Currently according to our records we have had 4 damaged shipment is the last 1500 orders, this is 0.3% of our total shipment, ie damaged blinds do not occur often. (10/01/01)

Vinyl blinds are susceptible to bruising/dents during shipping, this is common. Normally the bruising will disappear when the blind get hot under the sunlight. The bruises can also be removed by gently readjusting the shape with your fingertips.
 

 

 

Outside Installation
A large portion of the economy collection are used for outside installation. These are installation when the blinds are exposed to the environment, IE verandah's, porches, decks, Gazebos, Spa's etc....
If the blinds are exposed to strong winds, they must either be tied down or rolluped up during windy conditions, We do not recommend tying down the blinds during windy conditions, rolling up the blinds is preferable.

Vinyl blinds are well suited for outside conditions. They will eventually fade and change color after long term sun exposure. This is normal. Depending on the geographical location, some vinyls are also prone to fungus after long term use. The fungus/mold can be easily removed with a solution of bleach and water. Unroll the blinds and dry them out in the sun. In winter, take them down and store them in a dry warm place. 

ALL  prefabricated Bamboo blinds MUST be treated before using on an outside installation. Untreated blinds will grow mildew and fungus if not properly taken care off, please weatherproof them. We can give you the necessary instructions on how to do this OR we can weatherproof the blinds for you for $20.00 per blind. We do not recommend roman shades for outside installations, it is a weaker design the the rollup shades.

 

 

Growth and Shrinking of your blinds
Bamboo blinds tend to "grow" in length over time. This is because the material will stretch with heat and loses its elasticity. In the winter time, it may shrink. This is normal for bamboo blinds. When you get your blinds, You can actually "pull" the blinds longer in length and teach the blind to be longer. Now try that with a wood blind!

 

 

Ordering custom cut blinds
Once the blinds are custom cut to your dimensions, they are non returnable. If there are physical defects or damage to the blinds, we will replace them or repair them.
Please make sure this is the blinds you want. If in doubt, order samples.
If the blinds are uncut, we will refund you the cost of the blinds less shipping.

No Whining! :) We are all grownups!.
We will help you in every way possible to make your selection correct but cannot be responsible for your design selection. We will gladly give you advise and help in your selection but ultimately you much choose the style that suits your decor.

Please Note: Due to recent credit card restrictions, we will only ship to your credit card address. We cannot ship to your new address is your credit card does not reflect the new address.