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Fake Vanshades Blinds

11K views 6 replies 5 participants last post by  martin7ski 
#1 ·
Who's made their own "vanshades" style blinds?
I've heard of people doing this using Ikea blinds but which ones? How do you fix the blinds behind? Do you have runners or frame down the sides? Do you build a frame on the back of the window frame, if so how deep??
Any pics or tips on any of above most appreciated!! :)
 
#2 ·
I made my own from IKEA Hoppvals blinds.
I took them apart to shorten the drop (quite fiddly but do-able), then used a dremel to profile the corners of the top rail to sit flush with the van window frame.
The blinds have two small spring-loaded plastic clips which screw into the top of the window frame - again I had to cut these down so I could fit them as flush as possible.


Then I simply made a plywood window surround and trimmed to match. To be fair I could've made the window aperture a bit smaller but I wanted to maximise the amount of light.
I initially just had a foam strip down the back on each side of the surround to cushion the lower rail on the blind but then made up a couple of plywood U-shaped tracks to hold the bottom rail in.

The blinds are softly sprung-loaded so they stay in position by themselves - even when driving, so you can drop them to whatever level you want and they stay there.

 
#6 ·
Not without a lot of messing about - the mechanism that holds the blind in it's vertical position is pretty fiddly and complex with springs and tiny plastic wheels.
If you could relocate these wheel mechanisms closer together in the metal top rail, then yes you could cut them down.
I don't know if IKEA do narrower versions but that's where I'd look first.
 
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