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Cord Loop Controls – How to Repair

Cord Loop Controls

Fabric shades of all kinds use cord loop controls.

You may not need to replace a cord loop that is dirty from handling. You can try running it through the washing machine. In my experience this can work quite well. Use a garment bag like those used for dainty fabrics if you machine wash a cord loop.  Otherwise your machine might eat the cord.

Cord loops also fray and break due to normal wear and tear. In that case your choices come down to repairing or replacing. Replacement is easy – repair, maybe not so much.

I’ll discuss both options in this article.

What to do if you want to replace an existing cord loop

Before you begin your search for a new cord loop, you need to do three things:

    1. Measure the old loop.

You need to know the size of the loop. You want the new loop to be the same size as the old one in order to avoid having to move the pulley attachment. This means no new screw holes in your wall or window frame.

Measure the distance that the loop drops from the top rail of the shade to the wall attachment pulley. You don’t need to measure the length of the piece of string that makes up the loop. Loops are specified by the drop distance and normally are available in whole foot increments only – that is, they will fit a drop of 3 feet, 4 feet, 5 feet, 6 feet, etc.

Loop tension is important. Slightly loose is better than too tight. You don’t want it to be sloppy, but a little bit of slack is good. This will reduce the stress on the cord, the pulley and the lift mechanism. If the new cord loop seems tight at the current pulley location, you would be wise to move the pulley.

    1. Measure the diameter of the cord in the old loop.

The diameter of the cord used to make the loop is also important. A smaller diameter cord may not work well in a shade designed for a larger diameter. Two common cord diameter designations are D-30 and D-40. The D-30 is the smaller of the two and the most common. It has a 2.7mm diameter. The D-40 is bigger at 3.2mm.

    1. Match the color of the cord in the old loop.
Additional Reading:
DoItYourself.com forum discussions related to cord loop repair