Faux Wood Blinds Buyers Guide

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What can Faux Wood Blinds do for me?

Types of Faux Wood Blinds

Slat Size Comparison

Recommended Rooms For Use

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If light leakage through fully closed slats creates glare on computer or television screens or if light disturbs sleep, additional light reduction can be accomplished in several ways:

Slat Style - Slats are available in two different types: flat and curved. Flat provides a clean uniform look that is traditional. Curved provides stronger light protection for a darker room.

Light Control
If light leakage through fully closed slats creates glare on computer or television screens or if light disturbs sleep, additional light reduction can be accomplished in two ways:

To view these options, click here for a pop-up picture

• Routless: This feature, also known as de-Light™, NoHoles™ and LightMaster™, reduces light leakage by eliminating the traditional rout hole through the center of the slat and replaces it with a notch on the side of each slat through which the cording controlling the tilting and lifting of the blind runs.
• Cloth Tapes: Available in widths ranging from 1” to 2”. Cloth tapes minimize light leakage through rout holes. Tapes in solids and decorative prints coordinate with room colors and add that finishing touch to your window treatment. Cloth tapes are appropriate only on Composite-type faux wood blinds as the closeness of the ladder spacing on PVC blinds makes cloth tapes look busy and unattractive.

Valance - Some manufacturers offer optional upgrades for a valance.

What can Faux Wood Blinds do for me? [ Top ]

Faux wood blinds provide a practical cost effective alternative to real wood blinds. They:

• Provide you with the look of wood blinds but at a lower price.
• Will not to crack or warp and are recommended for high humidity environments and rooms that are subject to moisture, such as bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms.
• Faux Woods have limited color selection
• Approximately 60% (composite) to 100% (PVC) heavier than American hardwood wood blinds of equal size.  The heavier the blind the greater the effort to raise and lower it.
• Effectively control outside light by tilting the slats with a wand or cord while keeping your privacy.  A room can be darkened substantially when the slats are fully closed.
• If you desire cloth tapes, carefully consider whether the finished look will satisfy you. Because of the nature of the slat material, a greater number of supporting ladders are required to maintain the shape of the blind than required in wood blinds. Average ladder spacing approximates 8" to 10" and can dramatically reduce your view.
• Easy to maintain and extremely durable. 
• To reduce wear and tear on cords, fully open slats before pulling the blind up.  This reduces friction and requires less effort.

Types of Faux Wood Blinds [ Top ]

Composite Faux Woods

• Approximately 60% heavier than hardwoods which make it more difficult to raise and lower the blind.
• Slats do not warp.

Will require more ladders (also known as strings) to support slats due to the composite material’s lesser rigidity as compared with wood.  More ladders means more "clutter" to look through when enjoying the view out your window. The wider the window the greater the number of ladders.

To view ladder spacing comparison between wood blinds and PVC faux wood blinds, click here for a pop-up picture

PVC Faux Woods

• Heaviest in weight of 2” horizontal blind options - about twice as heavy as American Hardwood blinds.  
• Very difficult to lift.  
• Do not warp.  
• Will require more ladders (also known as strings) than wood or Composite to support slats due to PVC’s lesser rigidity than either wood or composite.

Slat Size Comparison [ Top ]

As a rule, the narrower the slat, the more slats necessary. What this means for you is:

To view slat size comparison, click here for a pop-up picture

• The 1" slats create a busy look, limiting your view to the outside.  If you are working around a door handle you may need a 1" slat size.  However, you may want to consider changing the handle on the door and using a 2" or wider slat. Also consider that with a 1" slat, when fully raised, the stack can cover a good portion of your upper window, blocking the view.
• Blinds made with 2" wide slats provide a traditional look and are the most popular of the widths available. 
• The 2 5/8-inch, and 3" slats provide a shutter-like look and offer a less obstructed view to the outside; because the slats are wider, it takes fewer slats to construct the blind. With a 2 5/8" or wider slat, when fully raised, the stack will block the smallest amount of space in your window, maximizing your view. 

Recommended Rooms For Use [ Top ]

• Living room
• Dining room
• Family room
• Kitchen
• Office
• Breakfast nook
• Bedroom
• Game room
• Bathroom
• Laundry room
• Garage