Varieties and do-it-yourself installation - Installation instructions + Video

Pleated blinds are the best choice for windows and balconies of an apartment and a private house. Pleated blinds came into our life relatively recently: the history of their appearance has been known since the second half of the 20th century in Germany. Everyone knows that the Germans give preference to comfortable and practical things, so such qualities were embodied in the curtains of German designers, which we call pleated blinds for windows.

Due to the quality, they have become common in Europe and other parts of the world. Despite the fact that at the moment roller blinds still do not leave positions and are competitors for pleated blinds, there are still more advantages in the second version.

What's their secret? Let's find out.

Features of blinds

On plastic windows, pleated blinds look original and add comfort, privacy to the room, as well as adjust the degree of lighting, protect from sunlight and make a room stylish. Probably, often in boring lessons or lectures, you at least once fold a sheet of paper into an accordion, create a fan or other shapes. Such an accordion is the basis of the design of the blinds, although they differ from the notebook in density and have a lifting and lowering system.

Interestingly, that from the technical side, pleats are blinds made of pleated material, which is fixed in a profile cornice on both sides.

Like all similar models, they have three components:

1. Profile made of wood, aluminum, plastic.
2. Canvas, most often paper, fabric or PVC.
3. Control mechanism, which can be remote, manual or mechanical.

On the glass, the models are fixed with guides, which are strings - they are pulled between the lower and upper planks and the cornice. The guides pass perfectly through every fold, which makes it convenient to close and open the blinds.

The depth of the folds differs depending on the model, and varies from 15 mm to 60 mm.

When the blinds are raised, the accordion is almost invisible, and the structure does not take up much space, and for the convenience of using pleated blinds on the attic windows or the glazed ceiling, the manufacturers have thought out an individual rod mechanism.

Important: when open, the pleat can block a window or even a doorway, but when it is compressed, the briquette will be no more than 50 mm thick.

Convenience lies in the fact that the pleated blinds on the plastic window can be fixed anywhere - from the bottom, in the middle or from the top, allowing the user to adjust the lighting as convenient. For example, when such blinds are used to protect against sunlight and drafts of flowers on the windowsill, you just need to lower the profile to the middle of the opening and open it down.

Thanks to this, you will also be bright in the room, and the lower part will be reliably covered.

The lifting mechanism can be either automatic or manual. Manual control is the use of clamps that fix the accordion at the required height, and the automation will help to adjust the lighting remotely using a remote control or a switch on the wall.

You can buy ready-made models of pleats in the store, which are made for standard sizes of plastic frames, or contact a company and make blinds to order in compliance with all sizes and shapes. The first is relevant only when it comes to attic, arched or triangular windows, which were not originally made according to the template.

The advantage is that such curtains can be used to decorate windows of any shape without hiding, but only emphasizing the beautiful shapes. When mounted on arched windows, they will also open and close. For such cases, pleated blinds are the only solution to all problems

.

Pros and cons of pleated blinds in comparison with other models

Varieties of pleats

As already mentioned, the assortment is incredibly huge.

You can choose pleated blinds different in width, shape, material, type of board, but design features remain the main thing when choosing. Let's find out how many are by type.

By construction

In this parameter, you can easily select the following types:

• Free hanging. They are not fixed at the bottom, so they will sag on the folding frames. They are perfect for installation on those windows that are not equipped with a tilt and turn mechanism for ventilation.

• Stretch. They can be fixed at the bottom, so they can also be used on hinged windows.
• Increased tension. Due to lateral guides, they adhere to the glass evenly over the entire surface area.Suitable for frames with a slope at a large angle, for example, in attic windows.

• Reinforced tension and cable. They are preferred in rooms with windows on ceilings or in conservatories.
• From bottom to top. This system has movable cornices both at the top and at the bottom. Thanks to this, it is fashionable to leave a gap anywhere, or in two at the same time.

• Day / Night. This is a paired structure, which consists of 2 canvases at once with varying degrees of light transmission. Usually it is a dense fabric for the night and translucent for daylight.

Please note, that the curtains with tension on the movable cornices must be turned upside down and installed so that when the blinds are closed, they can be lifted from below, and not closed from above. This solution will be ideal for ground floor installations.

The same can be done with the Day / Night blind system.

As you can see, you can choose any option in accordance with all your wishes.

According to the type of fastening

According to the methods of fastening, it is also possible to divide the pleated blinds into several subspecies:

• On the frame ...

• On the frame bead.
• Inside the opening.
• On the opening (to the wall).
• Ceiling.

As a rule, even one model can be fixed in several ways convenient for you, the only task is to choose the method that will be convenient for you.

Fix the strips with self-tapping screws, hanging brackets or on an adhesive base. Paper products can be fastened without a curtain rod, with double-sided tape.

In the direction of the folds

In the direction of the folds and the mechanism for opening the pleated blinds, we can divide into two more categories:

1. Horizontal layout.
2. Vertical layout.

If there are no questions with the first option, since it is ubiquitous, then vertical blinds are still conquering the market and are not so often found on sale.

Such blinds cannot be installed on semicircular windows. They are commonly used for standard shapes and as pull-out, assembled baffles that move into the lower and upper skids. There is only one limitation in use - dimensions that should be agreed upon when ordering.

Another use of the vertical models is as a mosquito net. This partition perfectly protects from midges and mosquitoes, which is very important in a private sector or an open gazebo.

By material

If the curtain rods for such curtains in the form of blinds are made of aluminum and plastic, then the curtains themselves are made of paper or fabric. The fabric option is the most common, as its range has already expanded over the past 5 years. There are darkening, almost transparent, translucent views. A huge selection of textures and colors makes it possible to choose the best solution for your home.Thanks to the impregnations in the kit, you get such properties as moisture resistance, fire resistance, antistatic properties, and can be used for any premises.

Fabrics can be of various origins: bottom of artificial or natural fibers, silk, polyester, cotton and even bamboo. Recently, pleated blinds with blackout have become popular. As a budget option, you can buy polyester blinds at IKEA - it will be inexpensive, practical and beautiful. Thanks to the fabric, they are fashionable to use in any room, but they are more appropriate in the bathroom and kitchen.

Sometimes pleated blinds for plastic windows are made of thick paper.

These curtains look just as good, but they are not suitable for places with high humidity and are not durable. Their advantage is their affordable price. As a bonus, you don't need a drill or screws to mount it.

The trend in the pleated market has become corrugated curtains, which can also be made of fabric, paper, have several layers and are suitable for non-standard windows. The main difference lies in the structure, which has the shape of a honeycomb.

Thanks to this, the threads are always hidden from the inside, and the blinds look elegant.

This structure gives good thermal insulation properties - they perfectly keep the air inside themselves, thereby creating a heat-conducting membrane. Along the fold lines, 2 canvases are connected, creating 2 identical compartments. Since the corrugation is also made of two layers, the structural shape allows you to 2 times better protect you from light and keep the temperature in the room slightly lower than outside.

By control type

Although the pleated control is the same type, the lifting mechanism can be equipped with handles, laces and chains for control, in some cases with an electric drive.

1. Cord. It is produced by cords (cord), which can be seen from the top profile from the front and from the side. Such control is often done in combination: one lace can lift everything up, and the second down. The "Day-Night" model has different cords for different canvases.
2. Electric actuator.

   Electromotive models are expensive, but the choice is justified when there will be a lot of canvases or they are installed in a hard-to-reach place, for example, very high. Thanks to the mechanism, you can perform actions both separately with each canvas, and in groups. The most expensive models also have a timer that works at the set time, and the curtains rise (very convenient in the morning).

3. Leash. This option is practiced only in the tensioning system and is recommended when installing pleated blinds on opening sashes.

   The leash can be attached to the bottom profile. When installed in a hard-to-reach place, a control bar is also used - this is an extension with an access angle that can be adjusted and has a length of 1 m, 1.5 m and 2 m. It works the same way as a handle.

4. Crank.

   The method is convenient for structures that are installed on the ceiling or very high.It is an aluminum or plastic handle in 1m, 1.5m and 2m lengths. The principle of operation is the same as with the handle.

Proper care of pleated blinds

• For the curtains to serve you faithfully, take care of proper and regular maintenance of the material and mechanism.

• The fabric should be handled according to its type. The easiest way to take care of pleats is in the kitchen, since curtains with antiseptic and moisture-resistant impregnation are used for kitchens. There is nothing special about caring for them - just wipe them down with a damp cloth more often.
• Reflective products should be cleaned as follows: remove the cloth and soak in a cleaning solution at a water temperature of 30 degrees for an hour, and then rinse from the shower head.
• To wick excess moisture from the curtains, fold and unfold them several times in a row.

  It is forbidden to iron such curtains!

• Drying is best done not in direct sunlight, and not near fire, it is better to do it when folded. To prevent the folds from sticking together, periodically open the curtains until they are dry.