+1 (647)-646-9979Which Window Blinds Should I Choose? Here are some pros and cons
Which window blinds should I choose? Here are some pros and cons
In our previous article, we examined the different types of window shutters that are available on the market here in Canada. As you can imagine, each type has both strengths and weaknesses, and several factors such as material, cost, and individual preferences play a role in making a purchasing decision.
In the next two articles, we’re going to switch gears and explore the different options for window blinds. While the choices are quite diverse, there are some important things to pay attention to. We’re going to review the different window blind varieties and highlight their advantages and disadvantages. As always, the goal here is to help you, dear homeowner, to make an informed decision to help give your windows (and home) a new look.
Are you ready to check out some blinds? Let’s dive in.
Table of Contents
Types of Window Blinds:
1. Vertical Blinds
As the name suggests, these blinds have vanes that hang vertically from a track system found at the top of the window frame. They’re also generally made from vinyl.
Here are some of the pros and cons of vertical blinds.
Pros
Cons
- They’re better at blocking out sunlight than curtains or draperies
- They don’t get dirty as quickly as horizontal blinds do
- They’re flexible in terms of how you open them (you either open each vane or slide them all to one side)
- They’re ideal for sliding doors or wider windows
- Tend to be more affordable than other types of window coverings
- They can be easily replaced (You don’t have to purchase a new set; just get the single panel that needs to be replaced)
- The ends of the blinds facing the floor can accumulate dirt/dust quickly
- They tend to make a lot of noise when moved or opened, which can be quite distracting
- They don’t last very long and can get worn out quickly
- There are gaps in between the vanes, so these blinds don’t give you complete privacy
- If you use wider panels for your blinds, they will block your outside view
- Not an ideal solution for narrower windows
Pros
- They’re better at blocking out sunlight than curtains or draperies
- They don’t get dirty as quickly as horizontal blinds do
- They’re flexible in terms of how you open them (you either open each vane or slide them all to one side)
- They’re ideal for sliding doors or wider windows
- Tend to be more affordable than other types of window coverings
- They can be easily replaced (You don’t have to purchase a new set; just get the single panel that needs to be replaced)
Cons
- The ends of the blinds facing the floor can accumulate dirt/dust quickly
- They tend to make a lot of noise when moved or opened, which can be quite distracting
- They don’t last very long and can get worn out quickly
- There are gaps in between the vanes, so these blinds don’t give you complete privacy
- If you use wider panels for your blinds, they will block your outside view
- Not an ideal solution for narrower windows
2. Roller Blinds
One of the most common window coverings on the market, roller blinds consist of a piece of fabric that’s wrapped around a casing. These will normally fit at the top of your window frame, either inside or outside the recess of your window. They’re operated by either using a cordless pulley or motorized technology.
Note: [As of 2019, window coverings that have reachable cords that are longer than 22cm when pulled by force are not allowed to be sold in Canada. Canadian law now requires these window coverings to have cordless pulleys.]
Here are the features that speak for and against roller blinds.
Pros
Cons
- They tend to be more affordable compared to other window coverings
- They provide a high level of privacy and protect rooms against UV rays
- Easy to operate and to install
- Versatile: They can be opened manually or motorized
- They include child safety features
- They’re available in different fabric colours, textures, and thicknesses
- They’re not recommended for narrow windows
- When the window is open, they will flap in the breeze and make noise
- It’s not a very strong product (held in at two upper fixing points)
- Depending on the size of the window, you might need more than 1 set of roller blinds, which can get expensive
- Can be a costly investment depending on the type of fabric and motorized mechanism you choose
Pros
- They tend to be more affordable compared to other window coverings
- They provide a high level of privacy and protect rooms against UV rays
- Easy to operate and to install
- Versatile: They can be opened manually or motorized
- They include child safety features
- They’re available in different fabric colours, textures, and thicknesses
Cons
- They’re not recommended for narrow windows
- When the window is open, they will flap in the breeze and make noise
- It’s not a very strong product (held in at two upper fixing points)
- Depending on the size of the window, you might need more than 1 set of roller blinds, which can get expensive
- Can be a costly investment depending on the type of fabric and motorized mechanism you choose
3. Venetian Blinds
These are some of the most versatile, stylish, and practical window coverings that are produced from different materials such as aluminum, PVC, wood, and composite wood. Venetian blinds also have horizontal slats and they are very durable.
The pros and cons of Venetian blinds will depend largely on the type of material that you choose.
Pros
Cons
Aluminum
- They’re lightweight and durable
- They’re water resistant, which makes it ideal for parts of the home with high levels of humidity
PVC
- They’re water resistant and more affordable than some of the other options
Wooden
- They’re stylish & classy
- They’re lightweight and durable
- They’re resistant to heat
Aluminum
- They have a low resistance to heat/Have a tendency to heat up if they’re subjected to prolonged periods of sunshine
PVC
- They’re heavy
Wooden
- They can be easily impacted by moisture & humidity
- They’re hard to clean
Pros
Aluminum
- They’re lightweight and durable
- They’re water resistant, which makes it ideal for parts of the home with high levels of humidity
PVC
- They’re water resistant and more affordable than some of the other options
Wooden
- They’re stylish & classy
- They’re lightweight and durable
- They’re resistant to hea
Cons
Aluminum
- They have a low resistance to heat/Have a tendency to heat up if they’re subjected to prolonged periods of sunshine
PVC
- They’re heavy
Wooden
- They can be easily impacted by moisture & humidity
- They’re hard to clean
4. Mini Blinds
Not to be confused with Venetian blinds, mini blinds are a type of horizontal profile window covering made from narrow and long slats that are held together by string. The slats are also less than half the width of standard blinds.
Here are some of the features that speak for and against mini blinds.
Pros
Cons
- They’re good for distributing natural light throughout a room
- They provide the opportunity to block out direct glare while maintaining some of the natural light in the room
- They’re affordable compared to other window coverings
- They’re difficult to fix when damaged
- They require a lot of maintenance
- They’re difficult to keep them clean and need to be replaced entirely when they get too dirty
- They don’t have any insulating properties and don’t help you to save energy
Pros
- They’re good for distributing natural light throughout a room
- They provide the opportunity to block out direct glare while maintaining some of the natural light in the room
- They’re affordable compared to other window coverings
Cons
- They’re difficult to fix when damaged
- They require a lot of maintenance
- They’re difficult to keep them clean and need to be replaced entirely when they get too dirty
- They don’t have any insulating properties and don’t help you to save energy
5. Wood Blinds
As the name suggests, wood blinds are a type of horizontal window covering whose slats are made of natural wooden materials.
Here are the pros and cons of wood blinds.
Pros
Cons
- They’re visually appealing, especially in rooms that lack any “character” or style
- They tend to look more “built-in” and can appear to be part of the structure of the home (this can also add some dimension to the room)
- They’re available in different colours, vane sizes, and finishes
- They provide flexibility at the window: You can adjust the light level as well as the view in the room, and the vanes can be opened to adjust the privacy as well as light levels
- They’re not suitable for every window type, since they’re heavy
- They’re not stable: Adding stress to the inner cords can cause them to break
- The vanes are thicker than other window coverings, and this can result in a thicker stack at the top of the window
- Depending on the type of stain that you choose, dust can be more visible on wood blinds
- Since they’re made of natural material, these can lead to inconsistencies in the look and colour
- They’re not ideal for places with high levels of moisture and humidity (would require a lot of maintenance)
Pros
- They’re visually appealing, especially in rooms that lack any “character” or style
- They tend to look more “built-in” and can appear to be part of the structure of the home (this can also add some dimension to the room)
- They’re available in different colours, vane sizes, and finishes
- They provide flexibility at the window: You can adjust the light level as well as the view in the room, and the vanes can be opened to adjust the privacy as well as light levels
Cons
- They’re not suitable for every window type, since they’re heavy
- They’re not stable: Adding stress to the inner cords can cause them to break
- The vanes are thicker than other window coverings, and this can result in a thicker stack at the top of the window
- Depending on the type of stain that you choose, dust can be more visible on wood blinds
- Since they’re made of natural material, these can lead to inconsistencies in the look and colour
- They’re not ideal for places with high levels of moisture and humidity (would require a lot of maintenance)
6. Faux-wood Blinds
Also known as composite wood, faux wood blinds are a type of horizontal window covering whose slats are made of composites, foam or polyvinyl chloride (PVC) that resemble real wood.
Here are the pros and cons of faux-wood blinds
Pros
Cons
- Available in different types of wood stains, size, colours, and textures
- Fade resistant and more affordable than real wood blinds
- Resistant to water and moisture (since these blinds are produced from synthetic material)
- Won’t warp or crack when exposed to temperature changes or high humidity
- Durable (won’t wear out quickly)
- Unlike real wood, you can get consistent colour and material quality
- They’re easy to clean
- Will discolour over prolonged periods of time
- They tend to be much heavier than real wood blinds (not suitable for large windows)
- Chemicals used to create faux wood can be harmful
- They don’t look as natural or visually appealing as the actual wood blinds
Pros
- Available in different types of wood stains, size, colours, and textures
- Fade resistant and more affordable than real wood blinds
- Resistant to water and moisture (since these blinds are produced from synthetic material)
- Won’t warp or crack when exposed to temperature changes or high humidity
- Durable (won’t wear out quickly)
- Unlike real wood, you can get consistent colour and material quality
- They’re easy to clean
Cons
- Will discolour over prolonged periods of time
- They tend to be much heavier than real wood blinds (not suitable for large windows)
- Chemicals used to create faux wood can be harmful
- They don’t look as natural or visually appealing as the actual wood blinds
Conclusion
After reviewing the different types of window blinds that are mentioned in this article, you’re probably wondering:
“Well this is all great, but how should I actually choose the right blinds for my home?”
There are also a few options that tend to be more affordable than other window coverings on the market, which can make it even more confusing to decide which one to choose.
The answer isn’t very straightforward, so you do need to think about what you consider important to you.
For example:
- Do you want blinds that help you to control the amount of light that enters a room?
- Do you want something that improves your insulation (which is important in a country like Canada)?
- Are you more concerned about how the blinds make a visual impact in your home?
- Are you conscious about the investment?
- Should the blinds match the shape of your windows?
Stay tuned for our next article, where we will continue to examine different types of window blinds.
Feel free to peruse the rest of our website or contact us for more information.
