Number 84 | December 14, 2001
© 2001 Designer Blinds

NOTE: Information below applies only to Vertiglide Shades manufactured BEFORE September 2004. For complete current installation details including video go to Tip # 227 for Outside Mount or Tip # 228 for Inside Mount

How To Have A
Trouble-Free Installation
of Vertiglide^® Every Time!

Vertiglide is, without a doubt, the most unique application of Honeycomb Shades. Now available in both Duette^® and Applause^®, with a basic understanding of the product you can ensure quick and painless installations of Vertiglide every time by avoiding some of the more common mistakes. These are some hints many have learned the hard way!

In this picture, two Vertiglides are being used as a room divider, a great, but often forgotten application for Vertiglide. With the ability to stack each section into just six inches, it's just as easy to take both shades out of the way when you don't want the room divided.

About Vertiglide brackets...

Outside Mount
The Outside Mount bracket for Vertiglide is made out of aluminum. It is simple to understand and easy to use. Always install the bracket on a flat surface. The bracket requires just an inch and a half of flat surface wall for installation. If you attempt to install on the trim around the door, it is likely that you will have trouble with the operation of the Vertiglide due to the headrail being installed at a slope. Designer Blinds always provides one set of spacer blocks for outside mount installations.

When you install above the trim, be sure to use the spacer blocks —even though you may not have requested them. This is for two reasons. First, the standard bracket does not have enough projection to allow the product to operate without the interference, causing the moving rail to drag —and damaging the trim. Secondly, without the spacer blocks you will not have enough room to tighten the screws on the bracket tab unless you are at least four inches above the trim.

When using spacer blocks, put the flat, closed side of the spacer block against the wall surface and place the bracket against the open side. This way the bracket will nest into the spacer block as shown above and can be slid in any direction to be easily repositioned as needed. NOTE: This is also true of the spacer blocks used with standard Duette or Applause honeycomb shades, Silhouette^®, Nantucket™ and Vignette^® window shadings and Brilliance™ pleated shades.

Inside Mount
The inside mount bracket is made of a white, durable plastic. It does not have the metallic appearance or the inch and a half drop of the outside mount bracket, thus providing a discrete and cleaner look from the outside of the house or when Vertiglide is used as a room divider (as shown in the picture at the top of this page). Other than that it works the same as the metal bracket. If you prefer to use the metal bracket for inside mount applications, it will work just fine in many situations. Just request it when placing your order with Designer Blinds.

The tab screws are preset for the inside mount bracket. Don't loosen them before installing the Vertiglide. If it gets loosened, or if you've loosened them to take the headrail down, the tab can get turned around as shown at left. If the tab gets turned around like this, you will not be able to get the headrail engaged into the bracket properly. By putting the tab in the proper position, the problem is easily solved.

Putting It All Together

When assembling the Vertiglide, there are a few things to be aware of, too. First thing to do is check to see that the cord is coming out of the groove correctly through the slot on the end cap at the top of the vertical rail that moves. This cord is key to the operation of the Vertiglide. Click on the thumbnail diagram at right to see a full skeletal diagram of how a vertiglide is assembled. This will give you a fuller understanding of how important the cord is to the operation of the shade. Often, during the unpacking process as you are preparing for the installation this cord is shifted to an incorrect position. It will wrap around and underneath the magnet, or even under the cord guide itself as seen in the pictures below.


WRONG! This cord is wrapped around the magnet assembly. If you try to install with the cord in this position, the shade will not operate properly.	WRONG! This cord is stuck underneath the cord guide. If you try to install with the cord in this position, the shade will not operate properly.	RIGHT! This cord is coming through the slot on the cord guide. If you pull the cord lightly, you will feel the spring on the other end. A Vertiglide shade will only function properly when the cord is in this position.

Getting On Track!

Now you're almost there. Now it's time to get the shade assembly attached to the headrail. First, make sure to put the tensioner into the groove at the front of the headrail. It will only fit one way. This little device locks the cord in place to set the spring tension. Many installers —even experienced installers— have to take the end plate back off just to put the tensioner in, which adds unnecessary time to the installation.

When you are inserting the track and fabric carriers, be especially careful to ensure that BOTH of the metal rollers the moving rail bracket assembly go in —and stay in the raceway of the track designed to hold them. It is possible to install this with one roller wheel out. The shade will not operate properly. This is among the most common problems installers can have with a Vertiglide. Note that in earlier versions, the roller could be knocked out of whack —even after assembly, but this is no longer true. Save yourself the trouble of having to take it all down and reworking the shade by making sure that the rollers are in place at the start. What can easily happen is that while you're paying attention to getting the fabric rollers in place, this roller "sneaks" back out before the stationary rail is put on. To avoid this, take it in a foot or so as soon as you put both rollers into the track.


WRONG! In this picture the roller is out of the raceway. No amount of silicone spray can make this shade operate smoothly.	RIGHT! In this picture the roller is properly placed in the raceway and the shade will operate properly.