A No-Sew Valance

Just because you can’t sew doesn’t mean you can’t make your own affordable valance! Read our tips and your window replacements will shine!

You’ll need:

Wooden valance

Staple gun

Scissors

Fabric

Masking tape

Acrylic pant

Stencil brush

Batting

Steps:

1.     1. Measure the height and length of the valance, including measurements for the face and sides.

2.      2. Add on 2 inches and cut batting to the measurements.

3.      3.After wrapping the batting around the valance, use a staple gun to attach it at the back side. Start stapling at the center and work outwards. You may have to trim away some when folding and stapling.

4.      4. Add an inch to your batting measurements to the measurements of your fabric and cut it to size.

5.      5. Using the same technique as with the batting, staple the fabric to the valance and pull it as tight as you can, checking to make sure there are no puckers as you work.

6.      6. Create crisp corners and staple the fabric ends in place.

7.      7. Have a party to show off your Queens’ replacement windows and brand new valance!

Need Help Hanging a Drape?

At 3^rd Avenue Window Supply, we install new windows in the Bronx and other New York Burroughs. But are you stumped about hanging your own drapes on your bay windows? Read our easy steps!

You’ll need:

Tape measure

Draper rod and hardware

4-in-1 level

Stud finder

Power drill with screwdriver bits

Screws and anchors

Hammer

Pencil

Putty Knife

Joint compound

Drapery

Steps:

1.       Hold the rod up to the wall to the wall to decide where you want to hang your curtain rod. Hint: 2 inches below the ceiling is ideal. (If you have large end pieces on your rods, make sure there is enough room - ideally there should be at least 1 inch between the hardware and the ceiling.)

2.       Make sure the position is straight, using your level, and the rod will support the weight of the curtains. Use a center bracket for added support if the curtains are heavy or the rod is longer than 48 inches. (Long rods usually come with the additional center bracket.)

3.       After deciding on the bracket placement, lightly mark the top of the brackets and the nail holes using your pencil.

4.       Locate the wall studs using the stud finder. If they are where your brackets are to go, make shallow holes (no more than 1/8) using the power drill to help you start the screws. Then secure your hardware to the walls.

5.       If you’re going to attach the brackets directly to the walls, use hallow-wall anchors. Drill a hole that is slightly smaller than the diameter of the anchor you’re using. Tap the anchor into the wall with a hammer.

6.       Fill the holes left when you removed the drapes from their original, lower position with a putty knife. After the patches dry, re-paint them with your chosen wall color. If you’re changing your original drapes, sew a fabric panel to the bottom of the drape so it reaches the floor.

Home Solutions: Part 2

A few days ago, we offered a few solutions to common household problems, including fixing stuck replacement windows. Read the rest of our tricks and check back for more tips on our blog and window replacement prices on our website!

Problem: Your extension cords are a tangled mess.

Solution: When not in use, keep cords neatly coiled in a large plastic bucket.

Problem: Your wallpaper is peeling.

Solution: Smear wallpaper paste onto a piece of writing paper using a knife. Rub the paper against the underside of the peeling section of paper, and press the wallpaper back against the wall. Slide the writing paper out and use a clean cloth to smooth away any bubbles.

Problem: Your chandelier is as dusty as can be,

Solution: Turn it off and allow it too cool. Then, put on a pair of white cotton gloves—one dry and the other dampened with glass cleaner (if your chandelier is crystal, use one part rubbing alcohol to three parts distilled water).

Problem: Your decanter is dirty.

Solution: Fill your decanter halfway with hot water. Drop in two tablespoons of white vinegar, a cup of uncooked rice and a few drops of liquid dishwashing soap. Swirl the rice around for a few minutes (it will remove the residue) and rinse with hot water. Let the decanter air-dry.

Problem: Your cane chairs are starting to sag.

Solution: Wet the underside with a sponge dampened with warm water and let dry overnight.

Home Solutions: Part 1

You know to call us when you need window replacements, but did you know we are also full of home repair and renovation tips? Well, now you do!

Now that summer is winding down and school is starting back up again, you’ll want to make sure your home is in tip-top shape before your family’s schedule gets hectic again. Read our tips for quickly and easily solving the following common household problems:

Problem: You linoleum is scuffed.

Solution: Spray the spot with WD-40 on a towel and lightly rub (just be sure to degrease the area afterward!). Or, rub the spot with white toothpaste and a dry cloth.

Problem: The sliding custom replacement windows in your Westchester home are stuck.

Solution: Grease the skids with silicone spray lubricant, which you can find at the hardware store. Spray it onto a rag and wipe along the tracks (works with metal, wood or plastic).

Problem: Your cutting board is dry.

Solution: Warm a bottle of pure mineral oil in a bowl of hot water and wipe the oil onto the cutting board with a soft cloth. Wait 4-6 hours before wiping it off.

Problem: Your couch cushions are flattened down.

Solution: Take the cushions outside and let them sunbathe for a few hours, making sure to flip them half way through. The cushions will plump up as the moisture evaporates.

Stay tuned for Part 2!

Easy Weekend Project

If you’re like us, you likely have tons of florists vases piled in the cabinet under your sink. You know how it goes, someone brings you flowers during a dinner party or for birthdays, and since you don’t put out fresh flowers that often (or in more than one vase at a time!) you wound up with more than a few florists vases.


In addition to being your go-to source for window installation in Fresh Meadows, Flushing, Glendale and other New York cities, we know a thing or two about home decoration and have an easy way to make use of your collection of florists vases: plant herbs!

Take your vases, which likely vary in shape and height, and add a layer of pebbles at the bottom to provide drainage. Plant different herbs in them and wrap the vases in stock paper. Secure with twine and label so you don’t confuse the rosemary with the thyme.

You will be amazed at how pretty they will look sitting in front of your bay window!