I hate pleated blinds.

[JohnD10]

Originally Posted by bareftn

never had this problem with opening or closing and to restring one why? just go to Lowes buy a new string less one cut to size and install a lot easier. I have them in my house for 15 years and never a problem

I believe that the problem with mine is that it is way too wide (72-inches)...

I've worked out a procedure where I slowly with two hands in just the right spots can raise them up with minimal scrunching up and I do have reflectix in that window already, so that shade is left up except when actually camping.

As for leaving them up all the time...not an option as I now keep it in a storage lot and don't want anyone looking inside.

I have another one of those shades that has come apart (ie.- the string covering/sheath wore through) and I thought about restringing it...but am just going to replace it with a different type of shade, and for now I have a towel hanging over that window (and is actually a very good shade for it).

That shade will be the first to get replaced with a different type of shade and all the rest will follow.

I will be getting reflectix for all of the windows over the winter so that I can block the hot Arizona summer desert sun out so will be able to leave them up once that is done.

[omahagirl]

I only have an issue with the one next to DH side of the bed. Sometimes he climbs it at night. I do agree a larger one must be raised with two hands or two people we have a long wide one next to our table.

[Big bird]

I had the pleated push/pull and found them only to be a pain. We looked all over for replacements and found a large selection at J.C. Penney. Cost was less than a third of Irvine Shade. Our rear window from Irvine was almost $300. We purchased faux wood shutters for $70. I installed and it was easy.

[Moosey1]

Get the 3M mirror tint. Does wonders. I don't like the pleated blinds too much either

[GerryReviea]

We replaced ours with mini blinds after having to re-string a couple times. What a pain.
The cost actually surprised us, we did the entire 5er for less than $300 from Home Depot. They cut to width and you have to adjust the length.

[CedarCreekWoody]

Here is a link to the thread where I replaced mine:

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ds-134035.html

[Upgradedrv]

We too had major problems with the pleated blinds in two different RVs. We took them off and made custom drapes out of black out curtains. They provide privacy and still provide insulation needed for the windows.

[jacques1543]

When we first started using our pleated blinds I will admit to being frustrated but we kept at it and now when we pull them up we need to put a hand on each side about 1/3 of the way from the ends and lift up at the same time with both hands and it works wonderfully and I love them now!

[Eleanor Morse]

I place my hands about three inches in On each side of the bottom of the bar and push up.

[Jim55]

Spray starch on them then leave in the up position. Make the material fold up much better.

[Rhonda S]

Originally Posted by dblr

they might need to be adjusted, loosen the round piece at the bottom then you release or add tension to the cord, hold the cord then retighten the round piece. Just wait until you have to restring one

🤣 🤣

[ADVtraveller]

We planned from the purchase date of Oct 2011, to replace the pleated blinds. 7 years later we still have the original pleated blinds with no other issues except having to adjust them to stay up as needed.
Maybe the Stealth model has 'better' quality blinds? I don't know. But they work great.
Honestly, if there weren't valances over all the windows (pain in the butt to remove), I would have put in different blinds just to keep the wife happy

[DandT-EVO]

Yes! I hate them, too. We had two of them that were always getting messed up. We replaced them with a similar pleated shade we got at Home Depot (had to custom order) but it has a button in the middle you press as you pull it down. Problem solved! Good luck...

D

Originally Posted by quicky06

So I have had my trailer for a year and a half now. Have gotten just about all the kinks worked out.

Next up on the list are the blinds. It has thicker pleated blinds that you push up. Think they are considered day/night.

The issue is that I cannot open them with out them bunching up in spots. They are supposed to fold back and forth as the bottom slides up but they won’t.

Am I doing something wrong or do I need to let my wife rip them off and make new ones?

Writing this as I sit in my recliner in a mo state park. They gave us a voucher for a free night as a Black Friday gift today.

[Ree]

Originally Posted by ProfChuck

We have a front kitchen Windjammer 3008 W. The shade I replaced was one of the long window shades by the kitchen table (free standing). I bought two more since there were 3 long windows. Luckily, I didn't have to trim them or have them trimmed. They fit right out of the package. They were the Bottom Up/Top Down Cordless light filtering shades that measured 23 width X 72 height. Color was Alabaster and the code above the UPC was 98-7100-20. the UPC code itself was 0-44294 19053-5. Another number on the box was 7918102 and the company that made them was Springs Window Fashions LLC, Middletown WI 6352 phone: 800-221-6352. These were purchased at Menard's Home improvement store.

The other replacement shade was for the Living room window which I ordered through Home Depot. Since that window is much shorter, I was able to find a 60" wide X 48" high shade for that one. This one was only a standard cordless shade with only a bottom up since I didn't need the top down feature for that particular shade. That one was from the "Home Decorator's Collection" and the color was "Parchment" and it was a cordless model. The number on the box was 1000 029 466. I ordered it on line and had it delivered to our Home Depot store. Actually, I don't remember if I had it cut to size or it just fit, but, I did fit both shades in the old valences and tried to have a little more overlap of the windows just for privacy. The shade was a "light filtering" shade. I plan to go to a custom shade with the Top down/Bottom up feature for the bedroom shade when I order it (maybe in the spring).

Both shades work very well and do a much better job of blocking out the view from the outside than the original string shades. One thing, though, since it was hard to reach the living room shade to pull it down, I glued a small drawer pull (ceramic about 1/2" size) to the center bottom of the bottom plastic bar shade pull. It has worked perfectly and looks like it belongs there. The Home Depot Parchment matches very well with the Menard's Alabaster even though they were bought at different times. The hardest part is making sure the clips are level and then getting the top of the shade securely in the clips. Also, keep them level because there is no bottom fastener to keep them from going sidewise. In use it has not been a problem and the shades hang like they do in a house. You have to take the valences down to access the screws on the old shades, but, the new ones cover up the screw holes just fine. Both shades pull up and down beautifully and have not dropped when in the up position for transit (the old string ones quite often fall down and are crooked when they do - and look aweful).

Good luck with the project. I'm doing mine a little at a time since I just wait for the old ones to break before I replace them, although I may do the last two "dining room" shades at the same time, and the bedroom shade will have to be custom since it is so short, but it can be ordered through Home Depot.

Thank you for your reply and great information. Ours will be a little at a time and probably on a need basis
Enjoy your home away from home. Our happy home is where we park it. God bless

[SLU2]

We have the same issue, If we try to put them up, they bunch up and get messy. I've found that leaving them down is the best solution!

[fastfreddie]

I don't understand the appeal of pleated shades. During the day, I'd like to see out the windows while still providing a barrier from direct sunlight. Slats/mini-blinds allow for a shaded view; pleated shades, being opaque, do not. Conversely, blinds can block the view while still allowing sunshine.

Give me wooden slats or mini-blinds. If the sun is truly glaring, I wouldn't mind having roller shades as back-ups, especially considering the comments about them acting as an insulator. ("Solar" roller shades can be expensive.)

The mirrored 3M is an intriguing take on the subject.

Any decent department store likely offers custom blinds, perhaps rollers, too. I used JCPenney's blind service for a previously owned home...every window. The price was reasonable and definitely a better quality than the flimsy blinds that came with my camper.

A specialty/dedicated blind/shade provider will cost you, and the result may appear too upscale for our humble abodes on the roads. Then again, it might be just the right touch to set everything just right.

[A2pfunk]

Wow, I guess the grass IS always greener... Whenever I walk around campgrounds, I see pleated shades and think they look so nice and wish I had them. Although now that I see the many complaints, I guess I am glad I don't have them. As somebody else pointed out, I like that I can open my venetian blinds a little bit to have some view and block the sun or vice versa. And the idea of having to store my blinds up sounds crazy. Sort of defeats the whole purpose of having window coverings if I can't use them to prevent sun fade, excessive heat, or nosey people when the camper is being towed or in storage.

I AM super curious about the 3M film. I'd love to know more about which styles you used and where you got it. Their site is a little overwhelming with all the different types of film. How was the install process? Does it make the camper a lot darker or make it harder to see out at night?

[OcalaGuy]

I purchased a new 2018 Salem TT and it came with the pleated blinds. They were a real pain.

I ordered replacement blinds for the entire TT from https://www.blindsgalore.com .The blinds were made to order and were priced right. They made a big difference.

[CedarCreekWoody]

"I don't understand the appeal of pleated shades. During the day, I'd like to see out the windows while still providing a barrier from direct sunlight. Slats/mini-blinds allow for a shaded view; pleated shades, being opaque, do not. Conversely, blinds can block the view while still allowing sunshine."

Yes ,the above. That was our issue, we didn't like not being able see out unless fully open. Love our wood blinds now!

[nomad297]

Pleated blinds are great until they aren’t pleated blinds.

Bruce