One of the most popular options for curtains for windows are blinds. There are many varieties of such products. They help protect the room from excessive light, as well as hide the interior of the home from the prying eyes of passers-by. One option is paper blinds. They are easy to make yourself. To do this, study the step-by-step instructions. How to make paper blinds with your own hands will be discussed later.
Operational Features
Before you consider the technology of making paper blinds with your own hands from wallpaper step by step (a photo of the finished work is presented below), you should learn about the features of the operation of the presented product. It can be a full-fledged element of the interior, which will be combined with different design styles.
Paper blinds can be permanent or temporary. It depends on the type of material chosen for the manufacture of the curtains. They can be used to shade windows in a children's room, bedroom, loggia, kitchen, etc. Temporary blinds are often made in the repair process. After its completion, such curtains are simply thrown away.
Owners of country houses and cottages also often choose this type of blinds to create shading in the room. Often such products are fixed on the windows of the veranda. In urban apartments, such curtains will also be appropriate. They are often mounted on a loggia, balcony, as well as in residential premises. Replacing the blinds in this case is not difficult. You can create a new product with your own hands in just an hour.
Quality blinds
Almost everyone can make paper blinds with their own hands . This is a very simple procedure. However, during its implementation, a number of nuances must be taken into account. First of all, it is necessary to take into account the basic qualities of the materials that will be used in the course of work.
The paper from which the curtains are made may have different weights. Also, its appearance may vary significantly. Most often, blinds are created from wallpaper. If you just need to do temporary sun protection during repairs, even newspapers will do. Paper is afraid of moisture. It is almost impossible to make durable curtains from it. However, from the wallpaper it is quite possible to create a product that will become a spectacular addition to the existing interior. At the same time, waterproof varieties of wallpaper are suitable for creating curtains even in wet rooms. Depending on the operating conditions of the blinds, the material for their manufacture is also chosen.
Varieties of materials
Most often, do-it-yourself paper blinds from wallpaper. This is the most suitable option. You can choose any material design. It can be ordinary plain paper wallpaper. The blinds with a pattern look spectacular. If you want to make durable durable curtains, it is better to purchase non-woven wallpaper.
The cost of such blinds will be minimal. However, it is worth considering that all paper wallpapers are afraid of moisture. When water gets on their surface, ugly stains and spots remain. Therefore, it is better to use vinyl wallpaper for wet rooms. They are not afraid of moisture. If after repair a certain amount of textile, fiberglass or other types of wallpaper remains, they will also be suitable for creating blinds.
Newspaper tubes
One possible design option is paper tube blinds. It’s not difficult to make such a curtain with your own hands. This is an exciting process. Various items can be made of such tubes, for example, weaving baskets, etc. From paper tubes, you can create full-fledged blinds that will be raised and lowered using a simple mechanism.
It is worth considering this technology in more detail. To create curtains, you need to prepare a sufficient number of tubes from the newspaper. Their length should be equal to the width of the window. To determine the size, you need to measure the width of the glass and add 4 cm to the result. You can make a single canvas for the entire window. To do this, it is not glass that is measured, but the entire window unit.
In addition to the tubes themselves, from paper or newspaper you will need to prepare a bar, the length of which will correspond to the size of the future blinds. You will need thin ropes, a pencil, scissors and a ruler, as well as paint and acrylic varnish. Need to cook 3 metal loops. Any universal glue is sure to come in handy.
Making newspaper blinds
How can I make paper blinds with my own hands from newspaper tubes? A certain sequence of actions should be followed:
- First, they create many long tubes of newspaper or paper (the material is wrapped around its axis).
- The blanks must be coated with a layer of paint of the selected color.
- When it dries, the tubes are additionally treated with acrylic varnish (water-based).
- After the layer has completely dried, a wooden plank is applied to one edge of the tubes. This will align the workpieces in one line.
- The tubes are stacked tightly one to the other, creating a uniform layer.
- The edge is aligned with the bar. Next, at a distance of 10 cm from the bar, you need to draw a line on the surface of the tubes.
- Next, the tubes are braided with twine. This must be done strictly along the drawn line. First, one tube is wrapped with a rope. Its free end is threaded into the resulting ring. The tubes should fit snugly together. To do this, you need to make the rings tight. Having reached the edge, you need to turn the rope and continue weaving down next to the first line created.
- The same procedure is performed from the other end of the tubes.
- The twine and plank are painted the same color as the straws.
- To the ends of the plank and in its center you need to fasten the metal loops.
- Then it is glued to the edge of the resulting web of tubes.
Shutdown
Creating paper blinds on the windows with your own hands, you need to try to create an even canvas. So that the tubes do not bend during operation, and you need to further strengthen them. To do this, you need to create weaving in the center of the canvas. Rope is wrapped in 3 tubes. She must make 4 full turns around each group.
After that, you need to thread the rope into the central loop on the lower bar. Its size should correspond to two lengths of blinds plus a few centimeters for stock. A latch is attached to the end of the rope.
After that, you need to attach the bar to the window. If you pull the rope, the structure will rise up. So, if necessary, you can open the window. The latch will allow you to fix the curtain in this position.
Wallpaper blinds design
The technology of folding paper blinds deserves special attention. With your own hands you can create different versions of such curtains. However, many varieties of blinds require the use of a complex mechanism for opening and closing the canvas. If the curtains are made of paper, you can do without such rotary mechanisms.
Most often, designs of blinds with a vertical orientation are created. In this case, the strips will be parallel to the windowsill line. The design should include a special cord. Pulling it, you can raise the canvas, opening the window. So sunlight can penetrate the room.
Tools and materials
Before starting work, it is necessary to prepare the necessary materials and improvised tool. Some of them are at hand with every housewife. Missing components are worth buying. To cut the wallpaper, use ordinary scissors. It is also advisable to purchase a hole punch. Otherwise, the holes will have to be done with an awl (so the curtain will look less neat). Also useful in the work meter, ruler or tape measure.
Most often, do it yourself do paper blinds with Velcro. It could just be a clerical double-sided tape. Be sure to purchase glue. As a cord, you can use twine or tape. The second option looks spectacular. It is necessary to select its color in accordance with the shade of wallpaper. A latch is also useful.
Beginning of work
You need to consider in detail the procedure for creating paper blinds with your own hands from wallpaper. Step by step you should follow some simple steps.
- First, the window is measured. To do this, determine the length and width of the glass or the entire window unit. It is better to make a separate curtain for each leaf. So the design looks more harmonious.
- An additional 25% is added to the obtained length indicator. This is the stock that is required to create a paper product that matches the length of the window. After all, it will need to be bent in the form of an accordion. A short curtain will look unaesthetic. Also, it cannot be functional.
- It is enough to add 1 cm to the width indicator obtained during the measurements.
- When choosing a braid to raise the structure, a stock should be considered. So it will be possible to tie the required number of knots and bows. Measurements are best done several times. Otherwise, you can make a mistake.
- Next, from the roll of wallpaper cut out a strip corresponding to the dimensions of the window (including the margin of length and width).
The manufacture of blinds
How to make paper blinds with your own hands? This is a simple procedure. The rectangle cut from a piece of wallpaper must be folded in the form of an accordion, the stripes of which will be directed horizontally (parallel to the window sill). Such blinds are created from paper in the vast majority of cases.
When fanning the wallpaper, you need to ensure that the stripes are the same, even. Each of them should be about 4 cm wide (± 1 cm). If you make the strips too wide or too narrow, the curtain looks less impressive. The bottom edge should bend towards the room, not the window. Otherwise, moving the canvas will be inconvenient.
Next, on the folded piece of wallpaper, they find the center. This is a line perpendicular to the windowsill. She delimits the curtain into two equal parts. On it you need to make holes with a hole punch. An awl can also be made perforation. But after the hole punch there are even, round holes in which the tape will be easy to pass through.
Tape installation
In the process of creating paper blinds from wallpaper with your own hands, you will need to strengthen the perforation line. A tape will pass through it. Due to the constant movement of wallpaper in this place will quickly wear out. To prevent this process, from the wrong side of the curtain, a strip of ordinary adhesive tape is glued along the perforation line. Then holes are punched again.
Carefully thread the tape into the holes. The canvas is straightened. So you can measure the desired length of the tape. Above it needs to be fixed. To do this, a knot is created here.
At the top of the blinds, a strip of double-sided tape must be glued from the wrong side. It will additionally lock the cord in place. Using this adhesive backing, the curtain will be attached to the window frame. You can glue another strip of tape to the lower edge of the blinds. It can be bent in the center and glued two halves. The bottom of the curtain will turn out semicircular.
Completion
DIY paper blinds are easy to make. You can leave the bottom of the canvas even. However, the semicircular “peacock tail” looks original. To create it you need to count 5 lower folds. They are glued with double-sided tape.
Next, you need to bring the tape to the back of the canvas. It is also fixed with adhesive tape. The excess is cut with scissors. A prepared retainer is put on the bottom of the braid. It is pulled up, lowering or lifting the canvas. You can make a decor for the edge of the string of beads or a bow.
Having considered how to make paper blinds with your own hands, you can make a spectacular decor for windows in a short time. If necessary, such curtains can be quickly replaced by making new paintings. Work does not take much time. It can be completed in just an hour.