subject: Materials of Blinds [print this page] Blinds are widely used now-a-days in home to cover the window, instead of curtains that were used in the old homes. A window blind is a means of screening a window, achieving similar results to those obtained by fitting curtains. These blinds are basically, of same width and height as that of the window. These blinds have varying thermal effects; they can block unwanted heat in the summer and keep the heat in the room in winters. However, both ways the blind also keep in check the amount of light coming into the room at a given time. Blinds can be made up of different material and manufactured in a number of ways. The names of the blinds indicate the type of the blind as well.
Firstly; the blinds are made up of fabric. Which can either roll up around a metal batten or fold up thanks to the horizontal slats, roman style or there can be Austrian blinds which fold up, but have no horizontal slats and give a less structured look, as compared to the other types of blinds. Secondly, the blinds could be made up of wood, called venetian blinds. In it a number of horizontal wooden slats are joined together by corded pulleys which can help in pulling all the slats to the top revealing the window, so turning the slats at an angle, to control the amount of light that will enter the room. Wooden blinds come in a lot of finishes, depending upon the type of wood used, from light color to dark, shiny or dull colored wood. Wooden Venetian blinds are also available as vertical blinds. These are usually made up of wider slats and operate in virtually the same way as their horizontal counterparts, that is they draw to onside rather than upwards.
Third type of material used is called faux wood. It is an alternative to the real wood. This material is man-made with a little mixing of real wood, thus it is much cheaper than the real wooden blinds. These blinds have become more popular as the products have matured, becoming cheaper and more versatile at the same time offering more of a natural wood look. These faux blinds in various colors which one cannot get in real wood along with that, they have UV ratings as high as 500. The faux wood blinds are quite resistant to warping, so they are an excellent choice for places which have extreme temperature swings, and for places with high moisture, like kitchen, washroom etc.
Then there are some other materials that are used now-a-days to build these window blinds. These materials are either totally man made, or metallic or complete plastic. These blinds are even available with micro slats, and can these can be used in extreme temperature areas as they are resistant to it and can tolerate moisture, hence can be used in washrooms too.
