Retrofitting Corded Window Coverings

WHY RETROFIT?

Window coverings like Roman shades and traverse draperies have accessible cords which can be a hazard for young children.  In 2010 Standards for Corded Window Coverings were issued by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) to address the issue of cord safety.

The standards require lift cords on the back of shades to be contained or that the lift cord or combined loop of fabric and lift cord not form a loop larger than 16”. 

Cord or bead chain loops, used to operate traverse rods or shade lift systems must be held taut and not dangling, with a device that will make the window covering partially inoperable if the device is removed.

Older shades were made with shade rings and lifting cords.  The cords can easily be pulled from the shade. The solution?  Create new shades and retrofit older ones using Encased Lift Cord Tape or Tube, which when sewn on as instructed will    not allow for an unacceptable sized cord loop to be formed.

On this old shade you can see how easy it is to pull the cord away from the shade.

The cord is contained within the shroud, preventing it from being pulled away from the shade.

ROMAN SHADES

How-To:

To retrofit an existing Roman shade, cut cord from shade and carefully remove shade rings, leaving only the rings across the bottom of the shade.  Replace the rings with Encased Lift Cord Tape or Tube, sewing the tape to the shade where the rings were sewn.

At the bottom of the shade, fish the cord from the tape and tie off to the old shade ring.  At the top of the shade, fish the cord from the tape allowing enough to operate the shade and then cut off the empty tape even with the top of the shade. This creates a shade with lift cord that move freely but is contained within the shroud.  By sewing the tape with fixed spacing, the loop is minimized.

See this video to learn how:  Retrofitting a Roman Shade

   
   

If your shade has multiple cords exiting the side of the shade, the cords can be connected together with a Cord Condenser, allowing for a single pull cord.  A cord cleat must be used to secure the shade in a raised position and to keep cords out of the reach of children.  Install the cord cleat as high as possible.

Another simple and easy option is to create a stationary shade.  To do this, pull up your shade to the desired position and cinch together the rings using a split-ring or small cable tie and then cut-away all cords from the shade.

If you have a shade with a cord or bead chain loop, a Universal Drive Tension Device can easily be added.  Not only will this make the cord or bead loop less likely to become hazardous, it will make the shade smoother and easier to operate.  

Before delivery the bead chain loop is cinched to the tension device and a safety warning tag is added.  Be sure to follow all product instructions.

 

TRAVERSE DRAPERIES

How-to:

Draperies that are installed on corded traverse rods can be retrofitted with a Universal Drive Tension Device.  Older devices will need to be replaced with ones designed to meet the new standards.

Traverse rods can also be made completely cord-free and hand operated.  To do this cut the operating cords, being certain to cut away knots at the back of master carriers and carefully pull the cords from the rod.  A baton or wand with a metal clip can be attached to the back of the master carriers which will allow for operation of the drapery without handling the material.

 

 

Other Safety Tips:

Do not place cribs, beds or furniture next to windows where children can climb on them and become entangled in the window coverings.

Choose cord-free window coverings in nurseries, playrooms and homes with children.

For more information about window covering safety visit the ConsumerProduct Safety Commission and Window Coverings ManufacturersAssociation

Our Newest Cord Shroud for Shades

Rowley® Company is proud to share the newest 

innovation in cord shrouds for soft shades.

Introducing Sure-Shade™ Encased Lift Cord Shroud Tube.  This new cord shroud combines a knitted tube with lift cord.  It is easier to tack to the shade, stacks tighter and is less noticeable.

 

The new cord shroud tube encases the lifting cord, keeping it from being 
pulled out and away from the back of the shade.  
This prevents a hazardous cord loop from being formed. 

Unique to our cord shroud tube is a small tacking-strip, which allows you to sew the tube directly to the shade.  No more columns of rings!  This is quite a time saver. Simply tack the shroud tube to the shade every 8" or less and add one shade ring at the bottom to tie off the cord.  At the top, slip the cord from the tube and thread it into the system.

The Encased Lift Cord Shroud Tube has a small sewing strip which is hand-tacked to the shade.  
This keeps the knitted tube stable and secure with no worries of the tube unraveling.

At the top of the shade, the cord is fished out of the tube and threaded into the lift system.  
The EZ-Rig™ shade system is shown here.

A Roman shade on the worktable with Encased Lift Cord Shroud Tube
tacked to the shadeand threaded into the lift system.

Combined with our broad selection of shade operating systems, workrooms now have endless options for meeting the 2010 ANSI Standards for Corded Window Coverings and can be used for any shade style such as plain or ribbed Roman shades, relaxed Roman shades, balloon shades and for creating Italian stringing in draperies.

Use cord shrouds when making styles that incorporate Italian stringing, like this pretty, swagged treatment.

The new Sure-Shade™ Encased Lift Cord Shroud Tube is patent-pending, independently tested and approved and competitively priced.  Currently available in white, with .9 or 1.4mm lift cord or without lift cord for workrooms that wish to thread their own cord into the tube. Coming soon we will offer the cord shroud tube in  ivory, khaki and medium brown to match popular lining and sheer colors.  

Maryland WCAA Shade Workshops

The Maryland Chapter of the Window Coverings Association America (WCAA) held a shade workshop on Tuesday, May 24, 2011.  In this hands-on workshop members constructed Roman shades using the Sure-Shade™ Lift Band System from Rowley Company.

This was the chapter's second workshop using Rowley shade products.  Kris Ozgar, WCAA-MD Chapter President shared, "in the first workshop we constructed shades using the shroud cord method and in this workshop we used the lift bands.  Everyone enjoyed it so much! It is so much more fun with a group.  We had 10 chapter members attend this workshop that was held in my workroom".

 Members pictured are: Barb Morton,  Paula Snyder, Barb Smith, Jane Klinefelter, and Lydia Cress.  
Photo courtesy of Kris Osgar

The WCAA-MD chapter has 23 members of which 18 are workrooms.  It is an active chapter that meets once a month.  In addition to regularly scheduled business meetings, the group plans extra activities such as hands-on workshop events, field trips, and community service projects.  Thirteen of MD-WCAA member workrooms participated in the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition last summer in Baltimore.

To learn more about the WCAA and to find a chapter in your area, visit www.wcaa.org