Does roller blind tube size matter?
Updated
Yes, but you do not have to choose it. The tube a roller blind winds onto is chosen by the width of the blind and by whether it is chain operated or motorised. Wider blinds go on a bigger tube. Your retailer enters the width and the operating system on the order, and the tube follows from them.
The tube, also called the roller, is the cylinder the fabric winds around at the top of a roller blind. At Speedy Blinds the tube is chosen by two things: the width of the blind, and whether it is chain operated or motorised. Both come from the order, so there is no separate tube for you to pick.
What changes the tube
- Width. A wider blind goes on a bigger tube than a narrow one.
- Chain or motor. A motorised blind starts on a bigger tube than a chain operated blind. A chain blind starts on a smaller tube and moves up to a larger one as it gets wider.
- Your order. Your retailer enters the width and the operating system, and the tube follows from them. You do not need to know tube sizes or ask for one by name.
Wide blinds and the tube
A roller tube is supported at both ends and carries the fabric across the span between them. Like any beam, it bows slightly in the middle, and the tension of the fabric adds to that. This is called tube deflection. The wider the blind, the more of it there is, and it can show as V shaped shadowing or faint diagonal lines. It is a normal characteristic of roller blinds.
If the look matters to you on a very wide window, ask your retailer whether two narrower blinds side by side would suit it better than one wide one.
If a blind rolls to one side
Roller blinds are not balanced at the factory. When the blind is fitted, the brackets are levelled and the blind is balanced so that the tube sits square and the fabric runs centrally, and a blind that wanders to one side can often be adjusted.
For a motorised blind, the installer also sets up and programs the motor and confirms it works correctly, including its limits. If your blind is not rolling straight, tell your retailer. Speedy Blinds makes roller blinds for retailers.
Other ways people ask this
Does a bigger tube always mean a better roller blind?
No. The tube is chosen to suit the width of the blind and whether it is chain operated or motorised, not simply the biggest one available.
Does a motorised roller blind need a different tube to a chain blind?
For narrower blinds, yes: a motorised blind starts on a bigger tube than a chain blind. Your retailer enters the width and the operating system on the order.
Do I need to choose the tube size?
No. The tube follows from the width and the chain or motor on your order. Tell your retailer the width you need and how you want to operate the blind.
This answer is general information. For your own windows, your retailer's advice and your order with them come first.