Double Roller Blinds Review & Installation

Here's my double roller blinds review with installation tips. It's a dual roller blinds system that replaces ugly nets while offering blackout privacy. I also add to the mix of unbiased Blinds to Go reviews online and include tips and tricks if you measure wrong.

I've fitted and written about many blinds in my houses, such as:

• Perfect fit blinds installation
• DIY sloping Venetian blinds without sewing
• Blackout roller blinds for bay window roller blinds
• Standard vertical blinds as a bathroom blind
• Fitting Venetian Blinds with universal brackets
• Replacement fabric for roller blinds
• DIY conservatory roof blinds
• Even campervan blinds

There seems to be many new styles and designs of blinds coming to the market regularly, which is great. Especially as they can drastically change and maintain privacy.

But the house we've recently been renovating, it was a toss up between these dual blinds and day night roller blinds.

However, the main reason I picked a double roller blind, they weren't patterned roller blinds, which day night blinds technically are. (That's because they are stripy).

With double roller shades now available on the market, I could opt for stylish roller blinds, grey coloured and not have a cluttered home look.

My Blinds2go Review

Now, instantly, it will come as no surprise that I love these Blinds2go double roller blinds. But what I must stress is that, this Blinds to go review is not sponsored in anyway and we bought a series of blinds from them with our own money and not discounted.

In fact, they don't know I'm writing this, so I'll be sharing my experience as any other customer and what I don't like about them. Because there certainly are things I dislike about Blinds2go regarding delivery and customer service, but not about these blinds.

Blinds2go Don't Offer An Additional Insurance Option

My main beef with Blinds2go is that they don't offer a paid add on for mis-measure. Many blind companies do these days, such as Swift Direct Blinds' SizeSure Exact Fit Guarantee.

However, I have noticed their draw is that they offer cheap roller blinds and in some cases, are the cheapest. But if you're buying over £2000 of roller blind kits, then you have more chances of making a mistake.

So, I can only advise that you triple check your measurements when ordering made to measure roller blinds. And measure windows with a metal tape measure.

NOTE: I was informed that if I did order the wrong size ready made roller blinds, I could buy a replacement at, from memory, 50% off. *This could be wrong, but is still a cost you want to avoid.

Blinds2go Telephone Customer Service

Now, obviously this depends on the type of person you're talking to. But when I called Blinds2go on the phone the first time enquiring about any type of additional insurance and more specifically, Perfect Fit Blinds, I found the person irritating.

She was insistent that Perfect Fit Blinds couldn't be installed on windows if you could see any black seal, even if the UPVC beading was on the inside. This is actually the reverse. If you're beading is on the outside, then no, you can't fit them.

I will, however, praise them partially on their efficiency in attempting to correct issues, with, for example, when I mismeasured the depth of my beading for Perfect Fit Blinds, they kindly sent the next size down brackets via next day delivery. BUT, I'd also experienced a broken Perfect Fit Blind which required a piece replacing and they sent the wrong piece out, despite double checking they knew which piece I was talking about.

Sadly, I was wrong to listen to their assurance, despite me suggesting sending a photo. But they did kindly send me £8 worth of smaller brackets without the need for me to return the 20-24mm ones.

How My Blinds2go Double Roller Blinds Arrived

First, after ordering, my double roller blinds took just over a week to be delivered which I thought was pretty decent. And all were were dispatched using UPS. But one of the key things I asked very early on was, would I be informed of a delivery window slot?

And that's because these blinds were being delivered to a house 75 miles away from what was home at the time. Unfortunately, when emailed about a dispatch, the estimated delivery was, in fact, an inconvenient all day slot. I wasn't able to call UPS for a specific time.

However, fortunately, they arrived when my Mum was at the property with the carpet fitter. But, when it came to the delivery of more black out roller blind, I wasn't able to attend.

Instead, I felt assured from the UPS website that, if someone wasn't in, I would be able to book a redelivery date after their first attempt. Unfortunately, instead, the UPS delivery driver just left them outside the front door, which my Mum discovered them the next day. I feel this is totally unacceptable. Especially when it was £134 in value.

Double Roller Blinds Price

While we're on the topic of these double roller blinds' price, let's make a comparison.

The last blind I bought was size Width 235.5cm x Drop 140cm.

• For grey double roller blinds- roller blind cost as of Sept 2020: £134.32
• For Blind2go's Stockhome Tropez Grey roller blinds - cost as of Sept 2020: £42.89

In this case, the double roller blinds are around 214% more expensive. Of course, you could buy the cheaper roller blinds and install window nets, but we think they're dated. Plus, paying that bit extra means less hassle fitting nets for windows.

What Tools Do I Need?

• Pencil
• SDS hammer drill
• Combi drill
• Masonry drill bit *if screwing to brickwork
• Screwdriver bit
• A scrap piece of batten or card to the depth of your window's handles or a tape measure

Will These Double Roller Blind Brackets Fit in My Window Recess?

Note, these Blinds2Go double roller blind brackets measure 10cm deep. BUT, once the roller blinds are attached, it actually adds another 1cm.

So in theory, you need your window recess to be a minimum of 11cm.

If you need narrower ones, then you might find these slim double roller blind brackets on Amazon a suitable option.

How to Install Double Roller Blinds

Firstly, I need to point out that when you buy roller blinds of any kind double roller and especially a dual roller blind, the fixings can differ.

You can't rely on a quick search with "double roller blinds youtube", which I did too. Or even rely on my photo above. The roller blinds double brackets above are from Blinds2go. That's because they're double layer blinds.

It's also important that, if fitting into a recess (inside the wall space), that you have enough space as they are are 10cm wide. Also, we have a batten here (any scrap piece of wood would do which is deeper than the window handles protruding.

Marking Where to Position Your Double Roller Blinds

So below, the first thing I did was hold a batten against the wall and marked with a pencil.

This gave me my starting position to place my roller blind bracket.

Of course, you could measure it, but a scrap for reference means not using a tape measure all the time.

Fixing Blinds2go Double Roller Blinds Brackets

After lining up the roller blind bracket with my pencil mark, I then drew inside the screw holes before drilling through masonry.

But what it very useful with these brackets is that you can screw from the top or side.

Note, I avoided mounting towards the top, knowing the lintel was there, which sometimes requires an SDS hammer drill (in my pic below) as opposed to a more common combi drill.

Once I'd drilled my holes and added rawl plugs, I then screwed the brackets to the wall.

Note that rawl plugs are needed for masonry, unless you're bypassing these by using masonry screws.

For plasterboard and dot and dab:

If mounting to plasterboard on the wall, then you will require special plasterboard plugs. But do your research for the best type as there's many rubbish ones around. I do highly recommend Gripit plasterboard fixings kit which I use here, providing you don't hit stud work.

For dot and dab, I recommend drilling slightly deeper, by bypassing the dot and dab and using longer rawl plugs and screws into the brickwork which I do here. Or the slightly more expensive way that also works, is using Corefix fittings which you can see in Skill Builder's demo here. Note, I have been gifted some, but never needed to try them out yet.

Hanging Double Roller Blinds

After repeating with the opposite blackout roller blinds bracket, the double layer blinds are now ready to hang.

The first semi-transparent white roller blinds layer (instead of nets), which hooks on to either bracket.

For the grey blackout blinds double roller layer, it hangs exactly the same way as the first. But this one is fitted last on the outside.

I think these are incredibly stylish and smart.

Also, if you want to make them more homely, you could add a curtain for warmth.

Note, we bought the cheapest grey double roller blinds which we are very happy with. You can order samples, but time wasn't on our side. Especially due to ordering during a pandemic.

What Does the White Roller Blind Layer Feel Like?

The white sheer roller blinds layer is like stiff linen canvas. However, there are many different fabrics for roller blinds to choose from. So if you're not in a rush, then it is probably wise to request a few samples.

Can You See Through It During the Day?

When looking out through the white layer, we can still see through to the garden in the day. We love this as it let's lots of light in for a brighter home. Also, it's extremely difficult to look in from the outside.

When very close to the window, I can only see vague sillouhettes of people and objects. At night with the lights on, however, it's the same as looking through a net. You can see everything until the blackout layer is closed.

How to Measure Your Window Recess For Double Roller Blinds

Apart from ensuring you have enough space for your fixings (see above), you'll need to:

• Take 3 measurements of the width at the top middle and bottom and note the smallest one. But, one thing I've learnt is, make sure you note it closer to the window incase the plastering is out. See below
• Take 3 measurements of the drop to the windowsill and again, note the shortest one

When clicking recess, blind companies usually deduct a little bit to allow for thieir fixings.

WARNING: if you click exact, but you're fitting them in a recess, then it's not likely to fit. If in doubt, ALWAYS call the company you plan to order from.

For exact sizes, these tend to be fitted flat against a wall.

What If My Blind Is Slightly Too Small?

Now, one thing I discovered for the very first time, wast that the wall tapered slightly where the recess had originally been plastered.

The difference was an inconvenient 4mm, meaning either needed to bend our fitting inwards, or do the following.

Remove a fitting and screw through a wood packer which will be painted the same colour as the wall.

What If My Double Roller Blind Is Too Big?

Another issue we faced was a measurement my husband and I took together. This is why you need to triple check measurements - even with a fresh pair of eyes. And we needed to reduce two poles by about 3mm.

AT OUR OWN RISK: We removed one of the attachments carefully and cut the pole with a hacksaw. This saved us from having to buy another replacement blind. But when you order lots of blinds, I suppose it can be easy to make mistakes.

I know triple checking all of your window measurements is a very painstaking task and can take hours, but it can save both you and customer service lots of time.

What If I'm Not Confident to Measure For My Own Fitted Roller Blinds?

I consider ordering from online companies, such as Blinds 2 go and Swift Direct Blinds as a DIY roller blinds experience. You can save a lot of money by cutting the middle man out.

But if you don't have the time, or don't feel confident, then look for a company that sell insurance to the order. However, always read the terms and conditions as insurance often only insures around 3 blinds and sometimes can't be redeemed again if you want to buy more blinds with insurance later in the year.

Or, you could look for a local blind fitter who will come and measure for you. But remember, even experienced people can get things wrong, so again, make sure you check their policies.

Other Places That Sell Double Roller Blinds in UK are:

• Blinds Direct
• 247 Blinds
• Roller Blinds Direct
• Order Electric Blinds
• Amazon
• John Lewis
• Double Roller Blinds Ikea

You can even buy remote controlled roller blinds, but I think that's just a step too far for me. I've only just settled with turning off my light bulbs through HIVE.

You Might Also Like

• How to measure and fit perfect fit blinds, which I did for these windows
• Fitting conservatory blinds
• How to measure and install bay window blinds
• Adjusting sloping window vertical blinds
• DIY conservatory roof blinds
• How to recycle DIY roller blinds
• Installing one way privacy window film