Inspire Carbon Faux Wood

Free Samples?

Free samples are available on all of our fabrics and slats. Simply click the ‘order free sample’ button.

Your free sample will be added to the basket ready for you to checkout. You can carry on browsing, adding as many samples to your basket as you like. When you’re ready, checkout – delivery is free too – and relax, our samples will be on their way to you in no time.

Why order samples?

We always recommend ordering samples to ensure you fall in love with the fabric or slat. Screen resolution and brightness settings vary and you may find some fabrics look a little different in real life to how they appear on a screen. You can hold a sample in your hands, feel the fabrics, the weave and see the opacity before your very eyes, something you can’t recreate online.

We’ve made every effort to accurately portray the fabric realistically, but you can never be too careful.

Quick Turnaround

We pride ourselves on the speed with which we can get your free fabric samples to you. We send your samples with first class delivery to be with you the very next day. We often dispatch them the same day you place your order (and most certainly by the next working day if you order after hours or on the weekend). With our fast free fabric sample delivery you’ll be one step closer to shading your home with some of our fabulous blinds in no time at all!

How to Measure

Now, you can’t mess this one up. It’s what we call ‘easy’ here at DotcomBlinds. But just in case you need some help, follow this quick guide.

First thing's first, identify whether your blind is going inside or outside of a recess. 

Inside the recess

A recess fit blind means you supply us with the width and drop of your recess – from top to bottom and wall to wall. We make deductions to account for the brackets to ensure your blind fits within the recess perfectly.

To measure a roller blind to fit inside the recess of your standard window, simply measure the full width and the height of the recess. Then input those measurements into the product page with your order selecting the ‘recess’ option. We’ll do the rest, leaving you the well-deserved excuse to put your feet up, you worked hard for it after all!

Don’t be tempted to deduct any measurements, we do this for you. Make sure you use a metal tape measure; a cloth one can stretch and give you more millimetres per centimetre than a pound-shop ruler. Also, take your measurements in three places and give us the smallest (if there is a smallest). You will find that some recesses shift and settle over time.

Outside the recess

A blind going outside of a recess is usually called an exact fit blind. An exact fit blind means we won’t make any deductions to the width or drop measurements. Exact fit is the bracket to bracket measurement and is commonly found installed outside of a recess. The size you give us is the size your blind is made to.

If you want your blind to hang outside the recess, measure the height and width but be sure to add some overlap to reduce light leakage. This overlap should be about 70mm at the top and bottom and 50mm each side, ensuring you suffer no dazzling strips of sunlight once your blind is happily installed. Please select the ‘exact’ size option when ordering. 

Child Safety

Ensuring our products are child safe is a priority for all of us at DotcomBlinds. As a result, our blinds are child safe by design, with built-in safety mechanisms to help reduce the risk of an accident.

These mechanisms specific to wooden venetian blinds are:
• All cords provided with our products are made at a maximum length of one metre
• A cleat is provided with every cord operated blind.

The cord needs to be wrapped tightly around the cleat in a figure-of-eight after every use.
If you have any questions around child safety and our blinds, please do not hesitate to get in touch, we're always happy to help.

Our wooden venetian blinds come with the tilt control on the left side of the blind and the raise/lower control on the right side of the blind as standard. Unfortunately, we are unable to change the sides of these controls. The cords come with a plastic toggle at the end in the same colour as the slats.

The slats are available in a 50mm, 35mm and 25mm width and often come with a choice of fabric privacy tape. We sell real wood blinds with the option of fabric privacy tape, and these are sold separately to real wood blinds that have simple a cord ladder and no tapes. Fabric privacy tape is generally for aesthetic purposes, although it can cover the small holes made for the ladder cord to run through the slats. The ladder (the cord that the slats sit on and is what rotates and lowers them) is matched to the colour of the blind.

The headrail measures 4.2cm from back to front and is 3.8cm from top to bottom. Our blinds come with a valance that matches the slat colour and sits in front of the headrail, covering it.

Features

Moisture Resistant
Moisture resistant blinds do not absorb or retain water, meaning they will not rot when exposed to damp conditions. Ideal for kitchens and bathrooms.

Wipe Clean
Super easy to clean and perfect for busy households, simply wipe with a cloth to keep these blinds look spick-and-span!

Fire Retardant
A fire retardant blind will only smoulder when presented with a flame and will self-extinguish once the heat source has been removed.

Faux Wood Venetian
Faux wood venetian blinds are made using composite materials such as vinyl and PVC. Faux wood is very durable and moisture resistant and looks virtually indistinguishable from real wood.

50mm Slat
50mm slat venetian blinds are ideal for shading large windows. They give a similar effect of large plantation style shutters but with greater manoeuvrability and control.

How to Install

Step 1

Once you’ve unpacked the blind put it up against the window. Put the spirit level on top of the blind and… you guessed it: make sure it’s level. This is particularly important if it’s going outside a recess where it is hard to gauge a straight line up close. Nobody wants a wonky blind. At this moment it would be a good idea to utilise those extra pair of hands to help hold up the blind if it is quite long. Mark the end of the blind on the wall with a pencil. If you haven’t got a pal who can help, measure the blind on the floor and put the tape measure against the wall and mark it.

Step 2

Grab the brackets and give them a quick once over: one is made to go on the left and one is made to go on the right, so figure out which is which. Make sure the doors opens out and up into the room.
Our brackets can be fixed by either A: Top Fix, B: Face Fix or C: Side Fixed, just choose the one that suits your window best.
Fix the brackets in place using the pencil markings for guidance. Screw the bracket to the wall using the appropriate screws in the right holes. Keep the doors of the brackets open.

 

If your blind is over 1000mm wide you’ll receive Intermediate Bracket(s). These will need to be spaced evenly along the headrail.

Step 3

Attach the valance clips to the headrail of the blind and space them out evenly. Don’t attach the valance itself yet, but slide the headrail into the bracket (psst… make sure the blind is round the right way with the cords and wand facing you.) Close the door on the bracket and make sure it is locked shut.

Step 4

Offer up the valance to the headrail. You’ll notice the rivet running through the back of the valance; this is what the clip attaches to. Pop the valance onto the clips, bottom first, holding it securely in place. Make sure the edges are attached before you do this if the blind is going outside the recess. The edges are attached using the plastic cornering clip that slides into the rivet.

Step 5

Find the child safety device supplied. Fit the cleat at least 1.5m (60”) above the floor. Keep excess cord out of reach of children. Keep out of reach of children. The cord should be tied around the cleat in full when not in use and never knotted, tied together or looped. Never modify the breakaway device on the cords as it will breakaway if pressure is applied.

1 Year Warranty

A blind from DotcomBlinds is made to the highest standards, designed to provide you with years of service and shade.
In fact, we’re so confident and proud of our blinds, we offer a 1 year warranty on our blinds.

Obviously, there are a few exclusions:
✖ Damage caused by poor installation/not following fitting instructions (don’t worry, installation is easy, read this.)
✖ Misuse or Failing to maintain the blind
✖ General wear and tear and fading (these blinds are exposed to very intense UV rays)
✖ Alteration to the blind
✖ Exposure to the elements or fitted in an unsuitable location (these are indoor blinds!)

However, if your blind stops functioning for any reasons other than those listed above, get in touch. Our warranty covers:
✔ Manufacturing defects
✔ Fabric/slat colour fading within a year
✔ Mechanical malfunction
✔ 2 year warranty on battery motors used in electric roller blinds

So, in summary, avoid grossly mistreating your blind, show it a little TLC every so often and don’t use it in ways it wasn’t intended. If you do all those things and something goes wrong with the blind, you’re golden – we’ve got you covered and we’ll and repair or replace it free of charge.