DIY Guide: Getting Your Levolor Cellular Shades Up Without a Headache

There is a specific kind of anxiety that comes with staring at a long, rectangular box from Levolor, knowing you have to drill holes into your home to make what’s inside work. You aren't alone in feeling this. While window treatments often look effortless once they are up, the instructions included in the packaging can sometimes feel like they were written for someone who installs blinds for a living. The good news is that installing these shades is actually quite mechanical and forgiving, provided you get the bracket placement right.

Most installation failures happen before the drill even touches the wall. The process relies almost entirely on accurate measuring and understanding the specific physics of the mounting brackets. Whether you are trying to fit the shades snugly inside the window frame or mounting them on the wall above, the mechanism remains largely the same, but the margin for error changes.

I learned this the hard way a few years ago when updating the window treatments in a guest bedroom. I was confident—perhaps too confident—and didn't double-check the depth of my window casing. I drilled the pilot holes for an inside mount, only to realize the handle for the window crank protruded just enough to hit the back of the honeycomb fabric. I had to fill those holes, repaint, and switch to an outside mount setup. It was a frustrating afternoon that taught me to check for obstructions like cranks, alarm sensors, and handles before even picking up a pencil.

Gathering the Right Tools

You can technically get by with a manual screwdriver, but you will likely regret it. The screws provided by Levolor are often long to ensure stability, and driving them into a header by hand is exhausting. A power drill is your best friend here. Beyond that, you need a 1/16-inch drill bit for pilot holes, a steel tape measure, a pencil, and a level. If you are mounting into drywall rather than wood studs, make sure you have sturdy drywall anchors, though catching a stud is always preferable for longevity.

Setting Up for an Inside Mount

The inside mount is the cleaner, more custom look, but it requires precision. When figuring out how to install levolor cellular shades inside mount, your primary concern is depth. The brackets need a flat surface to sit on. Hold the bracket up to the top inside corner of your window frame. You want to position it so the front of the shade will be flush with the wall, or slightly recessed.

Mark the screw holes with your pencil. A crucial tip here is to ensure the brackets are not placed too close to the ends of the headrail. You generally want them about 2 to 3 inches in from the sides. If your shade is wide and came with support brackets, space those evenly between the two end brackets. Once marked, drill your pilot holes. This prevents the wood from splitting and ensures the screw goes in straight. Secure the brackets with the provided screws, ensuring they are tight but not so tight that they warp the bracket metal.

Tackling the Outside Mount

Sometimes the window frame is too shallow, or you simply want to block out more light by covering the gaps. This is where you opt for levolor cellular shades outside mount configurations. The goal here is to center the shade over the window opening. Usually, you want the shade to overlap the window trim by at least an inch or two on each side for privacy and light control.

Hold the headrail (or use a template if one was provided) above the window frame at your desired height. Use your level here. This is non-negotiable. If your ceiling or floor is slanted, an unlevel blind will make the whole room look off-kilter. Mark the top of the headrail lightly with a pencil, then measure down to where the brackets should sit.

When installing outside mount levolor blinds, you are often drilling into the wall surface above the trim or directly into the trim itself. If you go into the wall, use anchors if you aren't hitting a header beam. Secure the brackets at the marked locations, ensuring they are perfectly aligned horizontally. If they aren't level, the cellular fabric will bunch up on one side when you raise it.

The Moment of Truth: Attaching the Shade

Once the brackets are secure, you are ready for the final step. This is the part that frustrates people the most: getting the headrail to click into place. It requires a specific motion that isn't always intuitive. You might feel like you are going to break it, but the hardware is designed to withstand some pressure.

To understand how to snap in levolor blinds, visualize the bracket as a hook. The front of the bracket usually has a small lip, and the back has a flexible tab. You need to hook the front groove of the headrail onto the front lip of the bracket first. The headrail should be angled slightly downward toward you.

Once the front is hooked, rotate the back of the headrail upward toward the window. You are pushing the rail back and up simultaneously. You should hear a distinct "snap" or "click" sound. That sound is the rear tab of the bracket locking into the channel on the back of the headrail. If you don't hear it, or if the shade falls forward when you let go, it didn't seat correctly. Check to make sure the fabric isn't getting pinched in the bracket, and try again with a bit more firm, upward pressure.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

If the shade is up but looks uneven, check the bottom rail. Many Levolor models allow you to adjust the length of the cords slightly. There is usually a mechanism on the bottom rail (often covered by a plastic cap) that lets you lengthen or shorten the string to level out the shade. If the shade is difficult to raise or lower, inspect the brackets. Sometimes, if a bracket was installed slightly crooked, it torques the headrail, causing friction in the internal mechanism. Loosening the mounting screws just a quarter turn can sometimes relieve this tension and smooth out the operation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I shorten the width of my cellular shades if I measured wrong?
Generally, no. Levolor cellular shades are cut to precise factory specifications. While some big-box stores have machines to cut stock blinds, attempting to cut a custom-ordered shade at home usually results in frayed fabric and damaged mechanisms.

Why won't my shade stay up when I lift it?
This usually happens with cordless models when the tension needs resetting or the shade is brand new. Try fully lowering the shade and then raising it slowly to re-engage the internal spring or friction clips. If it persists, the internal tensioner may be defective.

How do I remove the blinds if I need to paint?
To remove them, you essentially reverse the installation motion. Insert a flathead screwdriver behind the shade where the bracket is (there is usually a small tab). Push the tab up or in to release the back of the headrail, then rotate the shade down and forward to unhook it from the front lip.