Why does a roller blind roll to one side?
Updated
A roller blind rolls to one side, called tracking or telescoping, when the fabric does not wind onto the tube evenly. A common cause is a blind that is not level, because the brackets are not at the same height or in line. An installer can level and balance it.
A roller blind should wind onto its tube in a flat, even roll. When the fabric starts to creep toward one end, the roll becomes uneven. The edge may stack up against one bracket, and the blind looks crooked when it is pulled down. This is called tracking or telescoping.
The usual causes
- Brackets that are not level or in line. If one end sits higher or further forward, the fabric tends to walk toward one side. Fixing the brackets level is a common cure.
- A tube that is not level, even if the brackets look level.
- A blind that has jammed or been wound unevenly after being pulled hard, so the roll has shifted.
- A window or reveal that is out of square, which makes brackets hard to line up.
Why it is adjusted on site
Roller blinds are not balanced at the factory. They are levelled and balanced on site when they are fitted, so putting it right is usually an adjustment where the blind hangs. Your retailer can arrange it.
What can be done
- Tell the retailer who supplied the blind as soon as you notice it drifting, with a photo if you can.
- Ask the installer to check that both brackets are fixed at the same height and in line.
- Ask the installer to level the brackets and balance the blind.
A blind can be damaged if it is forced, so leave the adjusting to the installer, especially for a blind that is out of reach, heavy or motorised.
| What you see | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Fabric creeps toward one side every time | Brackets not level or not in line |
| Roll is uneven after a jam | Fabric wound unevenly. Ask the installer to look at it |
| Faint diagonal lines or shadows on a wide blind | The tube bows a little across a wide span. Ask about two narrower blinds |
Speedy Blinds makes roller blinds for retailers. If your blind drifts, go back to the retailer who supplied and fitted it. They hold your order and can raise a manufacturing question with their workroom if it turns out to be one.
Other ways people ask this
What is roller blind telescoping?
The roll winds unevenly so one edge stacks up, like a telescope.
How do I fix a roller blind that rolls crooked?
Ask an installer to check the brackets are level and in line, and tell your retailer as soon as you notice it.
Why does my new roller blind not roll straight?
A common cause is brackets that are not level. Ask your retailer or installer to look at them.
Does a motorised roller blind roll to one side?
It can, for the same reasons. The brackets and the tube need to be level.
This answer is general information. For your own windows, your retailer's advice and your order with them come first.