No-Drill Blinds for Bay Windows: The “1.5-Inch Rule” & The Wood Strip Hack
The Bay Window Challenge
Bay windows are the crown jewel of many living rooms. They add architectural interest, light, and extra space. But when it comes to covering them, they are a nightmare.
The angles are tricky. The frames are often shallow. And drilling into the reinforced lintel above a bay window is risky and difficult.
We recently received a survey response from a customer who loved the LazBlinds concept but faced this exact problem:
“Love the concept but to work on my bay window I need to install wood strips for the brackets to attach to. How big are the brackets?”
This customer actually stumbled upon a Genius DIY Solution that we want to share with everyone. Here is how to make No-Drill shades work for your bay window.
Part 1: The “1.5-Inch” Requirement
First, let’s answer the customer’s question: “How big are the brackets?”
Since LazBlinds uses an internal tension mechanism (not external metal L-brackets), the “bracket” is the end-cap of the shade itself.
- The Magic Number: You need a minimum flat depth of 1 1/2 inches (approx. 3.8 cm).
- Why: The rubber silicone pads that grip your wall are roughly 1.5 inches deep. For the blind to hold securely without slipping, these pads need full contact with a flat surface.
Part 2: The Problem with Bay Windows
Many modern bay windows have very shallow frames—sometimes less than 1 inch deep—before the glass angles away. If you try to install a tension shade here, the mechanism will stick out too far, and it won’t be able to generate enough friction to hold the weight.
Part 3: The “Wood Strip” Hack
If your bay window is too shallow (less than 1.5 inches deep), you don’t have to go back to drilling holes. You just need to create a landing pad.
Here is the strategy mentioned by our smart customer:
- Measure the Gap: Determine how much extra depth you need to reach 1.5 inches. (e.g., If your frame is 1 inch, you need 0.5 inches more).
- Get a Wood Strip: Buy a simple piece of 1×2 or 1×3 trim lumber from a hardware store.
- Mount the Strip: Secure this wood strip to the ceiling or header of your bay window recess. You can use strong construction adhesive (like Liquid Nails) or a few small finishing nails.
- Paint it: Paint the wood strip white (or match your trim color). It will look like part of the original molding.
- Install the Blind: Now, you have a perfect, flat 1.5-inch surface. Install your LazBlinds No-Drill shade onto this new wood strip.
The Result?
You get the clean, cordless look of a custom roller shade, without drilling into the structural steel or concrete often found above bay windows.
Ready to transform your Bay Window? Grab your tape measure, check for that 1.5-inch depth, and get started.
