Need to replace the blinds in Daughter #2's room. I measured the bottom rail of the existing blind and came up with 38.5". I didn't know they came in half inch sizing. So i measured two other blinds in various rooms around the house and they ALL came up a x.5".

So if the bottom rail is 38.5...what will the actual size be for the new blind? 39"?

Or should I be measuring the top rail?

You can adjust them, by taking some of the blinds off and shortening the string. Always can take off, so measure for a bit more I would say.

Also, we just bought some of these where they can cut them in the store to fit any width, Levelor brand. Really darken the room nicely

Mayhap I should have specified...38.5" wide....

My wife used to sell mini-blinds and related products. The rule is to measure the width at top, bottom and middle, and use the shortest dimension. Same for the height if you are getting them custom fitted; measure three places. But adjusting the height is not difficult; I favor having the blinds slightly over size on height; draping on the sill is no problem.

If you buy a blind from a home center they usually stock all sorts of widths, but you may have to buy one taller than you need and cut it off. As noted above, some stores will trim the width for you. When trimming the width, the store will usually trim to 1/4" to 1/2" narrower than the exact width you give them. You don't want the blind to bind on the sides!

When I bought a wider plantation blind for my study, I bought a stock size by the width and trimmed the height. Those stock blinds cost a fraction of what a custom fitted blind costs. Actually, some brands will sell you a stock 38" width and you will find it comes out to 37.5".

Consider the 2" wide plantation blinds; they are much more stylish than the 1" mini blinds. The one I got for my study is actually PVC; same as supplied for our front windows supplied by the builder.

However, don't even consider plastic mini blinds. They sag and fall apart very easily, particularly in a kids room. The aluminum mini blinds work much better.

Well before my ISP decided to wipe out my post...

we have blinds that are called faux wood or something with the blinds being 2 inch wide...or try plantation shutters...

we got rid of most or mini blinds...they never did last....

as mentioned above, you can get any length..and adjust the length by removing the extra slats and adjusting the strings that make them go up and down...

width is another matter

depends on if you mount them on the inside of window frame or outside

Yeah, faux wood sounds classier than PVC!

I forget the reason but I once trimmed PVC plantation (2") blinds by clamping the slats together and taking a table saw or miter saw to them. It worked fine. You would want to cut both ends of the slats rather than have them unbalanced. One nice feature of the faux wood (PVC) plantation blinds is that the color goes all the way through the material so the trimmed ends will look finished.

You are right that mounting them outside the frame would allow you to use longer slats, but I don't recommend that for the plantation blinds.

^What Bob said, take 3 measurements and use the narrowest for an inside mount. You can play around with an outside mount, but I think an inside mount looks "cleaner" and shows off the trim.

I have a picture window in my family room and have always had problems with the mini blinds failing, while the other three narrow window blinds in that room held up fine. Center support gave way

I discovered the "we cut to fit free" blinds at Menards LAST!! They get opened and closed every single day, sometimes more than once if the sun gets in the way of Hubby's TV watching. They are more expensive than "blinds in a box", but also had a lifetime warranty, and again I can't stress how much longer they last. Don't know if these still exist as I bought my blinds several years ago, but check them out

Liz

Lowes does same on the blinds I posted a picture of...note that it is best they cut them in the box...the machine they have can be set to cut the blinds in the box on each side so measure accordingly...

inside mounting does look nicer...