Wooden Blinds – A Warm, Natural Alternative
One of the most versatile styles of blinds you will ever find are wooden blinds. Wood is a fantastic material, and will compliment almost any home decor, it will work just as well in a modern inner city apartment as it will in a rural country cottage. Wood gives your home a natural organic feel that just can’t be beat, but it comes at a price; wooden blinds are considered to be one of the more expensive options when it comes to window coverings. You will usually save a fair amount of money by opting for a vinyl or fabric solutions, but the welcoming atmosphere that wood provides cannot be matched with any other type of material.
If you do decide to go with wood for your window covering, there are a few things you will need to keep in mind. Probably the biggest downside of wood is that it is susceptible to moisture. If the area that you are planning to cover tends to get damp during the wet season, you may be well advised to steer clear of this type of blind, as it will tend to warp over time when exposed to moisture. Likewise, when cleaning your blinds, you will need to be careful to keep them dry. It’s OK to wipe them down with a damp cloth, but make sure that you rub them dry after cleaning them to avoid any damage.
You have a few different options when choosing the size of your blinds. The most popular width for wooden slats are around 2 inches, but you can get wooden mini blinds that have slats as small as half an inch. Your decision should be based on the size of the window you are looking at covering. The larger your window, the larger the slat size should be. Getting this right will give you a much cleaner and proportioned look for your windows. The benefits of the larger slats are that they are easier to clean, and they give you more of an uninterrupted view out of your window when the slats are open.
Browse Our Selection Of Wooden Blinds
Speaking of opening and closing, you also have a few different options in that department. Probably the most common, and cheapest, option are cords. You will generally have a cord for opening the slats on your blinds, and another one for pulling the blind up and down. A much cleaner solution, and one which I prefer, is the tilt wand. The slats are opened and closed by twisting the tilt wand one way or the other. It is recommended that you get a tilt wand that is located on the opposite side of you cords, so that they don’t easily get tangled together. Another option are battery operated openers with a remote control, but these can set you back a fair amount of money and give you the added hassle of having to replace batteries on a regular basis. These can however be beneficial for disabled people and the elderly.
The most common type of wood that is used in the manufacture of window blinds is basswood. Basswood is a tried and true material that has been popular for a long time, it has a very distinctive grain and gives your room a great ambiance. A less expensive alternative to basswood is ramin, however some people report that this type of wood is not as hardy, especially in moist conditions. If you are on a tight budget but still want that great wood feel, you could consider faux wooden blinds. A decent quality faux blind can look every bit as good as the real thing. The only downfall is that you will not get the insulation benefits that a natural wood blind will offer.
