Pleated window shade re-stringing

[shamrock481]

I have a 2003 CC Allure and several of my pleated window shades need to be restrung. Problem is how do you take the Valance off? I've watched video's on you-tube, but no one really shows how to take one down, where there's a counter under the window shade. Thanks John

[450Donn]

Typically if you look up you will probably find a couple of screws. Take them out and the valance should come down.

[pumper9x9]

I found the easiest way to get those things out and in is to pull the whole frame and valance off of the wall. That cuts down on bloody knuckles and running through all your golf words at high decibels. Look on the inside of the frame to find the screws that you need to remove. Also instead of restring the shades consider going to a big box store and buying new shades. It will cost more but restringing is a major pain in the butt. Good luck and watch the golf words.
(2002 Intrigue)

[gnvrvin]

John,
Our 04 Intrigue the valances were screwed into the corian counter top and then there were screws into the cupboard above. If no cupboard an angle bracket into the wall.
Then valance and shade lifted off as one.
As far as removing just the shade.

Shade just snaps into a bracket in the valance at top and at the bottom a couple screws.
I have not restrung any shades but in the midst of some cabinetry work.
Let us know how it goes,
greg

[deandec]

My Day-Night pleated shade metal frames are pressure fitted into a clamp at each end of the top of the window and screwed through the metal frame to the bottom wood window sill.

I can remove them without removing the window valance.

The pressure fitting process is an art that I have to re-learn at each re-stringing event. Yes, those "golf" words do help....

Yours may be different.

[znt1186]

Have restrung some and replaced some with a big box store shade. Restringing is just tedious and time consuming. We were looking at MCD shades, but DW says she likes the pleated ones, so I guess we will continue restringing. I will say that the new cellular shade from Lowes requires about 1/2" more clearance than the pleated shades do. Same is true with MCD shades. I had to move the valance out with new brackets to accommodate it the new cellular shade. Kind of a pain by itself.

[shamrock481]

So, how do I attempt to remove the shade, just pull down on the shade at the top?

[scrapperjohn]

Should be L brackets , 2 on side & 2 at top.
Top should be between blind & wall.
A pain, have someone hold blind up & look with flashlight.
On my Lance, needed long screwdriver & a headlamp is almost needed so you have free hands.
Once you figure it out, not bad.
First one took us almost an hour, second one 20 minutes.

[znt1186]

On mine, the brackets are C shaped with the legs point downward and screws in the top. Reach up to the top rail with the shade down. Grab the rail and rotate the front side down to release the clips. You do have to grip through the fabric. It is not easy and will require some force to release the clips. When the clips holding the shade releases, it can be removed. Reinstalling is the opposite and also requires some force to rotate the top rail into the clips. They have to be strong enough to hold the shade up while driving down the super smooth highways we have.

[CountryFit]

If you know how it works inside, you don't necessarily need to take the valance down.

On my first time I took the whole frame down and did the restring. The second time I left the frame/valance in place but took the shade off to restring. The 3rd time the up and down were very hard and only went half way I believed the strings inside the mid channel were interlaced so I loosed the lower half of the shade and got it done. YMMV.

[mike brez]

I have had my shades down and valances down.
On mine I can take the shades out without removing the valance and found it easier with the shade up,
I don’t golf but I can swear like a drunken sailor and did so removing them.

[srogers]

We restrung one of our day/night shades and did not remove the valance, we popped the shade off its l-bracket. As for the restringing, I got 2 kits and this United Shade one was far better. I also watched this video

Mark Polk's video

which helped a lot, as well as the instructions in the restringing kit.

I recommend taking photos of your shade(s) as you disassemble, will make it easier to remember which little plastic part goes where and string pattern when you're reassembling. What you're doing, basically, is replicating the way your shade was strung with new string - and the length is important to replicate, for appropriate tension (unless yours had the wrong tension). The tension is micro-adjustable once the shades go back up, too.

Once you've done the one, the next will be far easier. It seems more complicated than it really is. We have more to tackle, but they're still working (albeit a little wonky/tight), so I've been dragging my feet.

[shamrock481]

Thank you for the video. A picture is worth a thousand words. And taking pics as you take something apart is something I've done often in the past. Thanks again, John