How to Restring a Bali and Graber Cellular Honeycomb Shade 

Excellent video. Provided the information needed for me to restring two 19+ year old shades. Saved me hundreds of $.

This video enabled me (73 yr old woman) to repair my honeycomb shade. It was pretty simple thanks to the video which demonstrated the various parts and functions. It was very very well done and slow enough to follow. Thank you.

I don't have Graber/Bali blinds. One end cap on my blinds is actually the cord lock. These instructions were great and I found restringing the blinds very easy. I'm actually kind of mad at myself for paying to have my other blinds restrung several years ago. I would rate myself as a long-time homeowner who has done many repairs over the years, but I think these instructions are simple enough that if you are at all handy, you can repair your blinds successfully. If your blinds are different and you are unsure of yourself, simply take photos with your phone as you take things apart so you will remember how to put it back together. Thank you very much for this excellent video!

Great Video saved me a lot of money being a 73 yr old woman I did it twice to the same Balli shade 74" long x 44" wide. The video says to measure twice the length plus once the width. I followed the directions with doubts. After hanging them realized the width of the string was not long enough. In my case, it is twice the length and twice the width. Great satisfaction though finally getting it hung and functional for little cost, just wish I didn't have to do it twice. Hope this saves time for someone else.

Thank you for this video! We were going to replace all of our blinds because one had a broken string and we wanted them all to match. This video saved us $650.00! A little patience, $9.00 of string and needles, and we're done! Many thanks!

Thanks for the great video!! Watched it a couple of times and fixed my honeycomb shade that had a broken string. Notes: 1. I live in a small town and didn't want to wait for online order of string, so I found a nylon braided cord at the hardware store that was 1.2mm and worked good. We'll see how long it lasts. 2. Measure EACH cord as 2L+1W. Mine had 2 cords. You will have cord remaining, but it was a fast way to cut the string and not worry about the final length. 3. Be VERY careful when removing the top rail. Slide it off in the direction of the cord lock (where the string is pulled from the top). Otherwise you'll have trouble and possibly rip the shade. 4. I had no special tools, so used a craft needle to thread the cord through the blinds. Then used a twist tie from trash bags, with the paper removed so it was just the small wire, to thread the cord through the cord lock. Worked great! 5. I had a little trouble replacing the shade back onto the clips. Once I figured it out, then great. Mine required me to slip the front rail over the clip facing me and then push up on the back side so I heard it click in place. I had not slipped them into the clip the first time, but still heard the click, and after several up and down pulls, the whole thing fell down. Good luck with your fix. Thanks again for the great video.

The video helped, although it took me 3 hours for just a 2 string, 32x35 inch shade. The most challenging task was fishing the string through the cord lock. The looped wire was not inserting from the outside. I finally, by good fortune, got the little metal toothed wheel to move into an open position. The the wire had a path to travel through the cord lock and catch the string ends to pull through. That could have saved me some time had it been mentioned in the video. But good video!

Great video. For $22 (cord, restring tool, needle, shipping) I fixed our 83 1/2"W x 52 1/2" H blinds. But I damaged them in a few places while restringing due to not being careful enough (you can't see the damage now that it's fully re-assembled). If I can do this, so can 90% of you. And a few extra tips: DO 1. Watch the video all the way through a few times first. Have it available, live, to play, pause, rewind, replay, etc while you do the restring job. 2. Buy the cord, needle, and stringing tool. 3. Have plenty of room in your work space (more than twice as wide as your blind). 4. Use a head lamp and reading glasses if you can't see inside the locking mechanism to get the strings through exactly the right spot. The video shows a close-up immediately after the part where it shows somebody using the stringing tool to pull the cord through the mechanism. My one gripe on the video is this close-up should be before, not after, the step. Otherwise, this step can be very time-consuming and frustrating, even with the restring tool. 5. Vacuum up dog hair, etc from the work space before working on your blind there (mine was the living room floor). Otherwise, it ends up all over and between the pleats of the blind when you rehang it. DON'T: 1. Don't get in a hurry. 2. Don't forget to remove the set screw or decide "mine doesn't have a set screw" and work ahead. Find the set screw on the opposite end of the locking mechanism, and remove it at the appropriate step of the process. I checked the full 83 1/2" of my top rail three times and didn't find it. Then I decided "mine doesn't have one," and kept going. I tore the top of the blinds up trying to remove from the top rail them while the set screw was still in. Finally I went back, found and removed the set screw, and the top rail came off smooth as butter, except for a few minor snags across the torn parts I created trying to force it off while the set screw was still in place. I also had to spend some extra time getting that thin little piece of plastic back in the top of the blinds and realigning that piece of plastic to the rest of the holes when I needle threaded the new cord through. 3. Don't worry the needle they sent you isn't long enough. Even with my large blinds it was long enough. 4. Don't fight the blind or force it. If something isn't going pretty easily, you've got something wrong. All of these steps go pretty easily when you do them right, even with a large blind like mine. 5. Don't cut more cord than recommended just to be safe. There's significantly too much cord that you cut and discard at the end already, using the measurements they suggest.

A few months ago a cord in my honeycomb shade broke. I was bummed as I thought this was going to cost me a lot of money to fix or possibly replace. I happened to look at a video similar to this and was sure I could do this fix with no problem. I was already going to Home Depot so I thought I would check to see if they carried cord and threading tools for me to fix the blind. Not only did they not carry such items, the clerk in the window covering department discouraged me from trying to fix it saying that he had tried it and it was very hard. I left wondering why a “DIY” store would discourage me from such a simple fix. Well, I just received my order from Fix My Blinds for all the parts I needed to restring/replace the cord (actually all 3) on my blind. I watched this helpful video before and during the process and my blind now works like new! Take your time and you can do it too. (and skip the big box)

We have 17 year old Graber/Bali honeycomb blinds. Some are beginning to have cords break. Had a local store re-string one cord, but not all, for $12. Not a good solution with different cording. Got a spool of 1.2mm cord and followed this excellent video to repair the next ones to break. Looks easy, but still a challenge. Getting the cords through the cord lock was difficult, but trying to slide the top rail over the cord lock was the worst part. Screwdriver was way too big. Needed my old set of ignition feeler gauges to finally slide the rail over the cord lock. Thanks for an excellent step-by-step instruction video!

Your videos are amazing. I just finished restringing my Levolor cellular shade and am so grateful that it could be fixed instead of having to replace it. Thank you.

Good video for the basic concepts, but I'd like to make some suggestions. First, about the length of the strings : Measure each one you taking out, and cut the replacements a full foot longer. That prevents the string from disappearing into the shade if things slip before you tie on the knob or aglet. Second, it was much easier for me to remove the cord lock from the top rail, then thread the strings through it. Next, slide the top rail into place on the shade material. (Much easier because the cord lock was not in the way.) Then snap the cord lock back into the top rail. I used a ~1" wide bit of thin metal to hold the fabric out of the way as I snapped it in.

Thank you very much! For $3 worth of cord, I was able to restring my shade.

Your video is awesome. After watching it a couple of times I was successful in replacing the pull cord on our blinds. I had a little trouble with the bottom rail from grabbing the material so I had to slightly bend the starting edge of the rail. Also added a little masking tape to smooth the edge. Afterwards it slipped on without any trouble. Thank you for taking the time to create this video.

Thanks for this instructional video. Fixed my broken cords by myself. Thanks

Thank you, this is so helpful! I replay this every time my cellular shades need repair.

This Video was amazing! I bought a kit first online before attempting this repair! My shade works perfectly now! Thank you so much!!

Great clear and easy to follow demonstration. I replaced the string for two blinds.

Excellent video. Couldn't have fixed my blinds without it. I have Kirsch/Levolor blinds, which have a different cord lock and three strings, but the basic principles are the same. Well done.

We did it!!! My Mom's blind broke. We went to several places till we found cord, and it's not the right kind, but it will work until we can get the right stuff! Awesome help!

This worked for my Levolor blinds also!. The needle was short so I had some trouble threading the string. Using the wire was a great tip. This was generally an easy project. Took me about an hour total. Thanks.

I definitely could not have restrung my blinds with out this video. The instructions made it very do-able for me. I ordered the string from the fix my blinds website which was easy to order from. But I used my own embroidery needle and a piece of floral wire to make my own restring tool which worked just fine. The only thing that I disliked was that the formula for cutting the new strings made my strings way too long. I had a 6 foot by 6 foot shade with 3 lift strings. And with all that string I was constantly tripping over and tangling up the string while I was working. Not to mention all the string I wasted. If I ever have to do this again I would know that it is OK to use less string. But even so, I saved a lot of money restringing my blind vs. buying a new one. Thank you for your great instructions!

Thank you for the great video, I wouldn't have been able to fix my blinds without your video. Also, the part that showed the interior of the cord lock when restringing it was VERY helpful!

Very informative vid. I'm a fisherman so had some 80lb dacron fishing line and used it. You covered all the challenges in this repair. Thank You!

Thank you. You saved my day. Instruction were very easy to follow.

Ha ! I did it and could never have accomplished it without this very clear video. Thanx so much.

thanks so much for taking the time to put this detailed repair video together. Very helpful and much appreciated.

Thanks a lot. Followed exact steps & was able replace the string and save my blinds!.

Thank you so much for this excellent tutorial!

Great video. Honestly, couldn''t have done it without you. Terrific step by step instruction with great tips.

Worked perfectly for my shade repair. Thanks.

Overall, very helpful. My blind was not exactly like this, I used it as a guide and was able to get the job done.

Worked great! Thanks for the detailed instructions.

Thanks for the great explanation. It was super clear and helped me to fix my blinds.

A+. Best instructions else spent what I do not have . Thanks so much.

Wow! I did it. A little patience and some flexible wire instead of the threading tool shown and it was done. You really do need a weirdly long needle, so be sure you have that before you start or else there will be great frustration and maybe some yelling;)

Thank you so much. You have been very clear and helpful.

Thank you for the walk through. This was very helpful.

This is very useful and may save me lot of money. Thank you so much for making this video

Absolutely Perfect video. Thank you so much!

I'm going to use this!

absolutely fantastic - thank you

Thank you for the video! I fixed my shade!

This video is very clear and helpful. Thank you so much. I just got my blinder repaired in a shop. If I had seen this earlier, I would do it by myself.

This video helped me to repair my Levelor shade!

I just got quote of $1250 to replace my Bali honeycomb shades because string broke in one of the shades. I'm planning to try to do it myself to save money. Thank you for posting.

Good video but not my model of Bali. Mine was a little more complex but this video helped me with the basics!

Good instructions. Some notes from my fix of some 13 year old Bali blinds: using the formula I would have 3 strings at 186 inches each. I was able to use 3 130 inch strings, trimming the nearest 2 to the lock but just barely making it with the 3rd (furthest from lock). The Bali shades did not require me to remove the bottom piece as the holes and plugs are exposed, so check this on your shades before removing the bottom piece. My Bali shades also had no top screw. I was also able to avoid using the wire tool by tying the new strings on to the old ones and pulling these though the cord lock.

Excellent instructions! Thank you for helping me fix my blind!

This was a fabulous video. Got them fixed!

Thank you sooo much. This saved me 500$

Very comprehensive and easy to follow. Thank you so much!

Amazing explanation! Thanks a lot! Better if done with a friend (2 people)

very clear photography

Thank you a million. Awesome video.

Thank you so much! Helped me save my landlords about $150!

Thank you so much! It was really helpful!

Very easy to do by watching this instruction

Very helpful video.

Very appreciative of the video. Thought i would just have to buy a new blind. But really! A "wire restring tool"! It's a piece of WIRE! Nevertheless; we do appreciate the demonstration. A hint if you can't find the dark brown replacement string like the color that came with my blinds; liquid brown shoe polish makes for a great match.

Great video, Easy to follow. Could use a little more specificity on exactly where the string comes out the front of the string block. I suggest a magnetized screwdriver for replacing the set screw.

I've done this successfully a couple of times now. One (perhaps obvious) caveat - you have to have the shade fold itself up properly to get the needle through. Often, if one side breaks while someone is pulling the shade up, it will bow out or wrinkle, causing some of the folds to invert themselves. You have to tease them back into place. I used a long thin object (a bicycle spoke, since I happened to have one) to work the folds back out from the inside. Once all the folds are in place, use the rubber band to hold them while you push the needle through.

THANK YOU

If you don’t have a needle restring tool, you can use a hair pin! Straighten it out, then bend a small loop at the end. It works perfectly!

Rec'd and enjoyed your you tube article; one problem though, I'm working on a double shade. How do I work on (re-string) one side while leaving the other side intact as it's OK. Thanks in advance, -Carol

This is a good video with excellent instructions. There are two issues that are not covered in the video: When stringing the new string, the needle may not be visible on the other side of the shade, due to the size of the shade. Pliers would not work, since they are too wide to go through the string hole. In my shade the cord block tore the string and needs to be replaced too. There are no instructions on how to replace the cord block. There are instructions, though, on how to restring a new cord block. But I don't think that it is enough.

After reading all the comments about how fabulously easy this works,, I figured, “ I fix things all the time. I can do this.” Well, two hours later I did, but it was a hellish process. First, starting and pausing the video automatically muted the sound, so stopping, re-starting, changing the mute, restarting, that didn’t work, stop again, fiddle with the mute, re-starting, well....that was a giant pain in the butt. Everything went smooth as silk until it turned out that the needle supplied was far too short for the length of my blinds, so stop again, fabricate a longer needle out of 18g wire, re-start again, and string the cord. Then stop, view, re-wind, deal with audio, re-start, and finally get the cord through the cord lock. Big sigh. Then slide on top rail, which jams when it comes to sliding over cord lock. Apply flathead screw driver. Still jammed. Remove top rail, inspect, re-string, try again. Still jammed. It turns out that the procedure works great with nice, new, tidy shades, but the application of scotch tape is needed to smooth the edges if your shades are five years old. Apply tape. re-string, finally get top rail past cord lock on THIRD try.mAssembly fine from that point on. The video using brand new, small shades does not represent the giant hassle involved in stringing larger, older blinds. Now I have the stuff, I might try it again, but really, for the time I spent, it would have been worth putting the money that I spent on cord toward new shades. Just so you know, the wire stringer is just a piece of wire, about a foot, bent in two and the needle is just a long, blunt needle that you might already have, and it’s too short for longer blinds anyway.

Thank you very much. Your video is detailed and explicit. You can be proud of your work!

I seem to have a blind that needs new pull strings. However it is "double strung" and has a pulley at the bottom. Any suggestions?

you are good

It would have been great if in your required list of items you had mentioned STRING. You know, the very thing that caused this repair to be needed? It would have also preempted all the "how thick should the string be" questions in the comments below.

Your video was very easy to follow and I'm nearly complete. I had to order the 2 mm cording; however when removing the original cording, it was nearly half the diameter. Will I still be able to use or do I need to find a thinner diameter before I put the assembly back together?

You might consider buying 80lb Dacron fishing line, as suggested about a year ago, by Jim Henderson (see below). That material is hella strong, is not supposed to stretch. Superb idea I'd like others to consider before buying traditional shade-cord, which eventually will again break.

Thank you I save money

This video is great and I had full confidence that my husband and I could fix the broken string in our cellular shades. I bought the $24 worth of string, needle and wire guide. We got all the way to the step where it was time to remove the headrail. Unfortunately our shades are built so that we have three separate cellular shades all on one 104" wide headrail. Only the middle shade had a broken string. So the problem is that you cannot fix the broken strings on the middle shade unless you remove and restring all of the shades on the headrail. Furthermore (and this is the biggest problem), each one of these Graber shades is attached to a single, continuous, thin piece of plastic so that all three shades must be slid out of the headrail at once. Sounds easy, right? Keep in mind that this means they all have to pass by a minimum of 2 cord lock "barriers" inside the headrail. During our project, the fabric in one of the shades started coming away from the thin plastic guide, getting snagged up at the closest cord lock. After 45 minutes of gentle struggling, I pulled out the loose cord lock full of fabric snags, (I broke it in the process) and with a box cutter, separated the thin plastic guide so that at least the ripped up shade would be separate from the other two. Needless to say this afternoon project has turned into something that will take weeks and probably another $40-$70 to be completed. I would recommend that fixmyblinds.com suggest in each of their very well-produced videos that it's only prudent to remove one set of shades / blinds from a headrail. If you are working with multiple shades all on one headrail it is a much trickier job. DIY'ers should expect to have some tearing and snagging of the fabric on larger-width shades. How can this be avoided? Is it because our shades are 21 years old? They were in great shape except for the one broken string. Now I am looking for a video on how to re-attach the top part of the cellular fabric to the thin plastic guide.

DO NOT remove the strings unless and until you really need to. This otherwise excellent video assumes the strings are broken or shot. Mine were fine. My only problem turned out to be the cheap-cheap-cheap plastic washers that the strings tied around at the end. Two of my 3 washers had broken, so the strings no longer had anything to hold onto. I left the strings in place, tied them to small actual metal washers, and all was well.

Where can I buy the cords?

I appreciated the video VERY MUCH, but it was for fixing a shade with only one lock box. My curtains go up on one side and down on the other side. Would I be stringing all the strings through those two holes in the shade so both the left and right sides would then work. One of the strings on the right side is broken and I think it went up into the shade itself. My shade therefore only works from up to down. I can not raise it from the bottom up. IN short...how would I deal with that problem?

Great video, where can I buy 1.6 mm replacement string (cord) at a retail store versus on-line?

This may work well with a 24 inch shade but it does not work with a 6 ft. shade very difficult to get the fabric and plastic top worked through the top and string clamp. It is not as easy as they make it seem. realistically most windows are at least 4 to 5 ft. high

Video is great and I already did two blinds using this video, however that was 7 years ago. Now I’m doing a third blind and find the “proper string length” directions confusing. Please clarify: Do I need 2x the length + width to replace both pull strings? Or do I need 2x the length + the width for EACH of the two strings being replaced?

I broke the connector and would’ve got my ass beat if this video didn’t exist

thumbs up!

I have gotten to this point 4:17. However, I can't a hook down to the strings. There is no opening at top to thread the hook. Any suggestions?

My restring kit didn't come with the wire to pull the cord through so now I have to wait for Amazon to send a kit that includes the wire. Don't make the same mistake I did.

Can I do this with old motorized blinds??? Where would I get a cord lock? Same as string?

I have a Bali cellular shade over my 6 ft sliding door. There are 2 separate shade sections which can be individually raised/lowered. The cord locks are on opposite ends. I cannot slide the top bar away from the cord lock. Do you have a video which covers this case? If not, can you give me some guidance?

Where do u get the lift sting from

Sorry, but it seems there is an omission when it comes to the 2x length plus 1 width dimension. Do you cut this in half? Not clear.

Thanks for the video. My Bali Cellular shade is stuck in raised position. Is there a way to fix it? Thanks!

My Bali blinds go up and down by hand, with no exterior string that you usually pull on traditional styles. How do I determine string length for this style?

What size string do you need. Where can you get it.

I cannot feed the new cord through the cord lock, as it appears as if the cord lock is in place. Very frustrating trying to release it. Any suggestions?

What size is the string that you used? I ordered 1.8 mm is that right?

I got to the part about getting the fabric under the cording device and I could not get the fabric to slide underneath it. Bummer.

It would definitely help to say how many strings to cut at the beginning, otherwise helpful, thank you

How do I find a needle long enough and where do I buy that?

I had my cellular shades re strung by a professional, twice and still have cords that get tangled constantly and can not close the shades properly without playing with the string and shade. If a pro can't fix it, does that mean the mechanism is too old???? The shades are 10 years old.

Anyone notice blood at 3:38?

Troubleshooting would be nice. My end caps won’t come off😕