Can you motorise existing blinds? Retrofit vs factory-fitted

If you want to motorise blinds you already own, some existing roller blinds can be motorised after the fact with a retrofit motor that replaces the roller tube's drive or turns the chain for you. We do not sell retrofit kits. Our motors are fitted at the factory when a blind or curtain track is made to your measurements, so the way to get a motor from us is to order the blind or curtains motorised.

Can you motorise existing blinds?

Sometimes, and mostly roller blinds. A roller blind is a simple mechanism, a tube that rolls fabric up on a pair of brackets, and there are products designed to turn it for you. Other blind types are harder to convert. Venetians, verticals and panel glide blinds each move through a different mechanism, and a retrofit motor is a much less common solution for them.

Whether your blind can be converted depends on three things:

• The blind itself: its tube size, how it clips into the brackets, how wide and heavy it is.
• The motor: whether it was designed for that kind of tube and how it is powered.
• What you want from it: a remote on its own is a modest job, while an app, timers and voice control also need a compatible hub.

If the blind is already in poor shape, a motor will not fix the fabric, the brackets or the way it hangs. That is often the point where replacing the blind makes more sense.

How to motorise blinds: the retrofit routes

Most DIY motorised blinds start with a standard roller blind and one of three kinds of add-on. A DIY roller blind motor generally falls into one of the types below. They are described in general terms, from products made by other companies, so check the maker's own compatibility notes before you buy.

A tube motor in place of the existing drive

A tube motor sits inside the roller tube and turns it. The blind's fabric is moved to a new motor-ready tube or the existing tube is fitted out with the motor. It gives the tidiest finish, because the motor is hidden. It also asks the most of the blind: the tube must be the right diameter, the fabric needs to be fitted square, and the brackets may need to be changed to hold the motor end.

A motor that turns the chain

A chain driver clips beside the blind and moves the chain for you. The blind itself is left alone, so this suits a blind you do not want to dismantle. The trade-offs are that a visible unit sits beside the blind, the chain still hangs, and the driver has to suit the style and size of your chain.

A smart controller

A smart hub or controller links a motor to an app. It does not move a manual blind on its own, so it comes after one of the options above, and the motor and the hub must be compatible.

What limits a retrofit

Before you buy anything, check these points against the blind you own:

1. Tube diameter. A motor is made for particular tube sizes. If your blind came from us, the tube is 38 mm as standard, or 50 mm on blinds wider than 2100 mm. Compare that with the motor maker's listed sizes. We cannot confirm that a particular third-party motor will suit a blind we have supplied.
2. Blind size and weight. A wide, long blind in a heavy fabric needs more from a motor than a small one.
3. Brackets and end fittings. A tube motor changes what sits at one end of the blind, and the brackets must hold it.
4. Power. A battery motor needs recharging. A plug-in or hardwired motor needs a power point or cabling, and mains connections must be made by a licensed electrician.
5. Remote and hub. Check that the remote, any hub and the motor all work together.
6. Stop positions. The motor has to be set so the blind stops at the top and the bottom without being forced.
7. Warranty. A retrofit is covered by the motor maker's terms. Altering a blind can affect cover on the blind itself, so read both sets of terms.

DIY smart blinds: what "smart" actually means

A smart blind is a motorised blind that talks to a hub. The motor does the moving. The hub adds the extras: control from a phone, scenes that move several blinds together, timers, sunrise and sunset triggers, and voice control.

With our motors, a compatible smart hub adds app control, scenes, timers, sunrise and sunset triggers, and voice control through Alexa and Google Home. C-Bus motors do not use the hub; they are for homes that already run a C-Bus system.

If you are assembling DIY smart roller blinds from separate parts, do the compatibility check twice: once for the motor and once for the hub. A hub does not replace the motor's power supply, and it does not make a mismatched motor work.

Motorised blinds from us: fitted at the factory

When you order a motorised roller blind from us, the motor is part of the blind and is chosen in the configurator. There are three options, all using Silent Glide motorisation:

Remotes come in 2-channel and 16-channel versions, with a range of up to 80 m outdoors in a clear line of sight and 30 m indoors. Several motors on one channel move together.

Our motorised blinds guide explains each motor, the remotes and the hub in detail, and the roller blind controls guide compares motorised, chain and cordless side by side. For measuring a new blind, follow the roller blind measuring guide, and for fitting a motorised roller blind use our motorised roller fitting guide.

Is there a DIY curtain motor?

Retrofit motors for curtains do exist, but a curtain motor is tied closely to the track. The motor drives the carriers along the track, so it has to suit the track's profile, the weight of the curtain and the way it opens.

Our curtains work differently. The motor is built into the track: motorised curtains run on a Motorised track in place of the Designer track, and you order it together with the curtain. The motor is a battery motor, which needs a charger, or a hardwired motor, which a licensed electrician connects. Motorisation is not available with free-flow tracks or with curtains set to multiple openings. We do not sell a motor to fit another track. Our motorised curtains guide and the motorised curtains page cover the choices.

Retrofit or replace?

Work through this list in order:

1. Is the blind in good condition? If it is faded, marked or hangs badly, replace it.
2. Is it a roller blind? Other blind types are much harder to motorise afterwards.
3. Can you confirm the motor suits the tube, brackets and weight? If not, the risk is yours.
4. Do you want a hub, timers or voice control? Check that every part is compatible.
5. Do you only want the chain gone? A ZeroGravity cordless roller blind has no chain and no battery. You lift it by the base rail and it holds at any height.
6. Do you want one supplier for the whole system? A motorised blind made to measure comes with the motor built in, and the motor warranty is stated: 5 years for hardwired, 3 years for battery.

If you are unsure whether a motorised blind suits a particular window, contact us and we will help you choose.

Questions

Can you add a motor to an existing roller blind?

Sometimes. Retrofit motors and chain drivers exist from other makers, but they must suit your blind's tube, brackets and weight. We do not sell retrofit kits, so we cannot confirm a particular motor will fit.

Do you sell motors to fit blinds I already have?

No. Our motors are factory-fitted when a blind or curtain track is made to your measurements. To get a motor from us, order the blind or curtain motorised.

What are the motor options on a My Direct Blinds roller blind?

Silent Glide motors come in three types: a rechargeable battery motor, a hardwired motor and a C-Bus motor. Battery motors need no mains wiring. Hardwired and C-Bus motors need a licensed electrician.

Can I add a motor to my existing curtains?

Curtains do not have a motor of their own. The motor is part of the track. We make motorised curtains on a Motorised track, ordered with the curtain, and we do not sell a motor to fit another track.

What makes motorised blinds smart?

A compatible smart hub. It adds an app, scenes, timers, sunrise and sunset triggers, and voice control through Alexa and Google Home to motors that support it.