Fitting a blind is a four-screw job wrapped in one genuinely important skill: putting a strong fixing into whatever your wall happens to be made of. This guide walks the whole job, worst cases included. Measured yet? Do that first — the measuring guide — because no amount of neat drilling fixes a blind cut to the wrong size.

Tools

  • Drill — with hammer function for masonry, plus drill bits to match the surface (HSS for metal/uPVC, masonry bit for brick and concrete)
  • Screwdriver (drills chew visible screw heads)
  • Metal tape measure and pencil
  • Spirit level, laser level or a decent level app
  • Step ladder
  • The fixings that suit your wall — not necessarily the ones in the box

Step 1: Know what you’re drilling into

Above almost every window sits a lintel — and its material dictates the job:

  • Concrete (most post-war housing): masonry bit, hammer setting, patience. Mark the hole, start slow, let the drill work.
  • Steel (common over uPVC-era openings and in modern builds): a masonry bit skates and smokes on it. Switch to self-drilling metal screws, or move the brackets to top-fix into the recess head or the window frame.
  • Timber (older properties): easiest of all — wood screws, no plugs.

Tap-test and drill a small pilot hole to find out which you have. A test hole behind where the bracket will sit is invisible later.

Elsewhere, match the fixing to the surface: plugs sized to the screw for brick and block; rated hollow-wall fixings for plasterboard (the plastic plugs supplied in most blind boxes are not plasterboard fixings); straight wood screws into timber frames.

Step 2: Mark the bracket positions

  1. Offer up the blind (or measure its headrail) and mark where the two end brackets sit. Keep both ends an equal distance from the recess sides.
  2. For blinds over ~1.2 m or heavy materials, fit the middle bracket(s) supplied — spaced evenly, clear of the mechanism.
  3. Draw a light level line through the marks. Check with the level. The sill is not a reference — sills are frequently not level; your line must be.
  4. Hold the drill bit against each mark before drilling and check what the screw will enter (Step 1’s homework pays off here).

Step 3: Drill and fix

  • Drill perpendicular to the wall, to the depth of the plug (tape flag on the bit as a depth gauge).
  • Insert plugs flush; drive screws until the bracket is snug — not gorilla-tight, which cracks plaster and strips plugs.
  • Wobbly bracket? Stop. A bigger plug, a longer screw or a fresh hole 50 mm along beats a blind on the floor next month.

Drilling into uPVC: self-drilling screws, into the fixed frame only, well away from the glass edge seals. Never drill the opening sash, and in a rented home agree it with the landlord first.

Drilling into tiles: masking tape over the mark, tile bit, hammer function off until you’re through the tile. Cracked tiles are the most expensive mistake in this whole job — bathrooms raise the stakes, see blinds for bathrooms.

Step 4: Hang the blind and finish

  1. Click or slide the headrail into the brackets until every bracket engages with a positive click. Tug gently to confirm.
  2. Operate the blind fully down and up. It should run smoothly and hang parallel to the sill line. If it climbs to one side, a bracket is off level — fix it now, it won’t improve.
  3. Fit the child-safety device. Chain or cord tensioners must be screwed to the wall taut, at the height the instructions specify. This is a legal requirement on UK-supplied corded blinds, not packaging — the full rules are in child-safe blinds.
  4. Fit any cassette end caps and the fascia, and you’re done.

When to stop and call someone

Steel lintel you can’t get a bite on, tiles you can’t risk, a bay that needs four blinds in visual alignment, or a stairwell window above ladder height — these are the points where a professional fitter earns the fee. Typical charges are in the cost guide; fitting-only visits for blinds you bought online are a service many independents happily provide.

Frequently asked questions

Can I drill into my uPVC window frame?

Yes, for top-fixing inside a recess it's common practice: use small self-drilling screws into the frame, not the opening sash, and stay well clear of the glass unit edge — drilling into the sealed unit spacer ruins the window. In rentals, ask first: it's still a permanent alteration.

What screws and plugs do blinds need?

Most blinds ship with generic screws and plugs that suit brick reasonably well and nothing else perfectly. Match the fixing to the wall: masonry plugs for brick/block/concrete, proper rated plasterboard fixings for hollow board, and wood screws straight into timber.

Do I need a hammer drill?

For brick and lightweight block, an ordinary drill with a masonry bit usually copes. For concrete lintels — which is where many blind brackets go — a hammer function makes the difference between a two-minute hole and a ruined bit. If your drill has the setting, use it.