Wooden Venetian Blinds

Wooden venetian blinds are a beautiful option for any home, and are very functional in all climates. Their basic construction is a series of very thin wooden strips connected by strings or cords either horizontally or vertically.

The strips can pivot, usually via an easy-to-handle rotating rod, to go from being fully perpendicular, which allows the greatest visibility and light, to nearly parallel such that they slightly overlap and block all visibility and most light. Typically the strips are hung horizontally and multiple cords, bound together, can be used to raise and lower the blinds for an even more open configuration. The blinds can also be hung vertically and slide to one side to be fully open.

Horizontal blinds are used almost exclusively for windows, while vertically-oriented blinds can also be used for doorways if the strips are long enough to reach from above the door to the floor (or desired height above the floor). This gives an interesting option for covering a sliding glass door, for example.

Venetian blinds, in general, have numerous benefits. They allow a great degree of control over the amount of light passing through the window, as the strips can be twisted to and angle between flat and perpendicular. Wooden venetian blinds also tend to be very durable, and can come in a variety of wood types to complement any decor. When considering venetian blinds, it is generally preferable to use those with wider strips, meaning more distance top to bottom on horizontal layouts or side-to-side on vertical ones, as they block light more completely when closed and make a room brighter when fully opened. Also, wider strips are easier to clean, as one simply needs to wipe with a dusting cloth or, when necessary, a cloth with appropriate cleaner or polish.

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Wooden Venetian Blinds - A Classic Luxury Look

In the last 10 years wooden venetian blinds have become very popular. There are a number of reasons for this.

Firstly they combine perfectly with hard wood floor and laminate flooring. If you are going for the natural wood look then it makes sense to finish a room off with a wood blind.

Secondly this type of blind gives you huge control over privacy and light. You can use the pull cord to raise and lower the blind. I strongly recommend you only use the raise control for when you need to open a window or clean it.

What most people do is leave the blind down and just tilt the horizontal slats to the desired angle.

All the products that we supply are made from controlled forestry renewable sources. You can rest assured that the wood used is not part of the rain forest destruction we hear so much about.

Most wood slat blinds are made from basswood and stained to the different wood colours. You can also buy a range of painted wood slat venetian blinds. The most popular of these colours is white.

As well as the basswood blinds there is another Vogue range made of very lightweight polar wood. This means that you can have a single blind up to 3 metres wide. Because of the light weight slats the blind is still east to raise with the pull cord.

There are a select range of wooden venetian blinds that are made from the real wood. For example we have a Cedar wood slat and an Ash wood slat. These top of the range wood venetians are beautiful and unfortunately very expensive.

The 4 main slat sizes are 25mm, 35mm, 50mm and 64mm shutter style. Not all woods are available in all the sizes so that sometimes will dictate which slat you can have. Its best to have the right colour slat chosen first and then decide which slat size you would like.

Warping can be a problem in humid conditions. You really have to take on board the fact that eventually some of the slat will warp to some degree. Wood being a natural product is not predictable. We do not recommend using real wood blinds in bathrooms for this reason. Instead we have a small range of "Wood style" blinds that look like wood but are in fact Plastic made to look like wood.

Cleaning is easier with the larger size slats as you can get a duster between them easily. Ostrich feather dusters are by far the best type to use. You can also use a damp cloth to clean them if they are really dirty.

To finish off the look of the blind there is a valance piece that covers the top box and the brackets.

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What to Consider When Buying Wooden Venetian Blinds

If you are looking for a great way to cover windows up in your home then you cannot go far wrong with purchasing some wooden venetian blinds. Not only will these prevent sunlight from filtering into your home but you can open them so that some sunlight can be allowed in the room on the days when it is warm.

There are many reasons why interior designers choose to install wooden venetian blinds into a person's home over many other types of window coverings. Below we take a look at just what some of these reasons are.

1. These types of blinds help to create a much warmer and comfortable atmosphere to a room. Plus they are very durable as long as you care for them correctly.

2. If you want to you have the opportunity to match the wood of the blinds to the wood trim in your home. Plus you also have the opportunity of being able to match them to the wood used in the furniture in the room giving the house a more uniformed feel.

3. Although you can purchase Venetian wooden blinds pre-made if you have unusual sized windows in your home then custom made ones can be purchased as well. Having custom made ones not only increases their functionality but you will have a much wider choice of styles to select from. But the color of these custom made ones can be matched perfectly to the other wood in your home.

Above we have shown you several reasons why people choose to have wooden venetian blinds fitted to their windows. However, once purchased if you want them to remain looking as good as when you purchased them you need to care for them properly.

You should make sure that you regularly clean the blinds to remove the buildup of dust and dirt on them. This can be done very easily through either wiping the dust and dirt off using a soft clean duster or a brush. The other one is to attach the brush to your vacuum cleaner and then remove the dust using this.

What one should never do is wash these blinds so that they become soaked in water. Even though the wooden venetian blinds slats have been treated and sealed too much water can enter them and cause them to warp. It is far best to just take a clean clothing make sure that all excess water has been removed and then wipe the surface of the blinds.

Certainly if you are looking for a window covering that provides good levels of privacy but allows sufficient sunlight into a room, you cannot go far wrong with getting some wooden venetian blinds for your home.

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How to Clean Wooden Venetian Blinds and Aluminium Venetian Blinds

Wood Venetian Blinds: The best way to keep wooden venetian blinds clean is to dust them on a regular basis. As the surface of the slats are smooth it's a fairly easy job to wipe them down with a cloth or brush off the dust using a clean soft duster. Another good method is to use a vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment.

The only thing that is not recommended is to wash these blinds. By that I mean soaking them with water, because although these blinds are sealed, water and excessive dampness can cause the slats to warp.
You can use a damp cloth to wipe them over, just be careful not to soak them.

Another handy tip is to put a pair of cotton gloves or even an old pair of socks onto your hands and wipe the slats between your fingers. You can also use a small paintbrush to dust the slats.

Aluminium Venetian Blinds: As with wooden venetian blinds it is best to dust this type of blind on a regular basis to avoid a large build up of dust. Again brush the dust off using a clean soft duster or a vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment.

Unlike the wooden blinds you can use water and some kind of detergent on aluminium venetian blinds. The best way to do this is to tilt the blinds so that the slats are flat. Then using a cloth or sponge with some water and some washing up liquid, wipe them over. Avoid being too aggressive and accidentally damaging the slats by bending them.

If the blinds are particularly dirty, for example if they are in the kitchen and have become greasy and very dusty over a period of time, you will need to take the blinds down to clean them.

This can be done in two ways. The first method is to take the blinds outside, weather permitting and hang them on a washing line or something similar. You will then need a bucket with warm soapy water and a sponge.

Wipe the blinds front and back with the sponge until you have got all the dirt off them, being careful not to scrub too hard and damage the slats.
Once you have managed to get all the dirt off you can then hose the blinds down and leave them to dry. As they are nearly dry it is a good idea to wipe them with a soft cloth or paper towel to remove any excess water.

The second method is to fill the bathtub with enough warm soapy water to cover the blinds. Then place the blinds in the water and sponge them down until you have removed all the dirt. You can them rinse them off with a shower attachment or by just running the shower. If you bathtub is separate from the shower, fill the tub with enough clean water to rinse the blinds thoroughly. You will then need to take them outside, and as before hang them on the washing line to dry.

Conclusion: If you are ever in any doubt then contact the supplier or manufacturer of the blinds or shades for advice or assistance.

As long as you follow these guidelines when cleaning your blinds or shades you should have clean and new looking blinds that will enhance the décor of your room for years to come.

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Wooden Venetian Blinds Buying Tips

If you are looking to buy yourself some wooden blinds for rooms that need to be well lit then a good choice are Venetian blinds. Wooden venetian blinds are another name given to horizontal blinds and are basically just thin strips of wood hung horizontally on the window frame.

The great thing about venetian wooden blinds is that they can easily be opened up fully to allow maximum sunlight into the room or shut completely to have full privacy. Because they are generally quite light it is not an effort to open them like some of the heavier sliding panel blinds.

However there are several things that you need to think about when you're buying yourself a new wooden blind. First of all you need to think about the style and make sure that it matches the rest of the interior design for the room. For example if you have a very modern room then you might want to consider buying white wooden Venetian blinds as these will provide you with quite a warm continental feel. On the other hand if you have a more traditionally styled room then you will probably want to go for a wood that reflects this.

When you are buying Venetian blinds you need to think carefully about how big the window is. In some cases you will be able to buy premade blinds, but it is much better to get made to measure wooden Venetian blinds as you can be sure these will fit your window perfectly. They will generally cost a little bit more, but that is probably worth it as they will look much better than premade blinds that don't fit well.

Once you have your venetian blinds it is important that you care for them correctly. In general they are quite durable and will last a long time as long as you do the basics to keep them in good condition. You should make sure that you clean the blind regularly to make sure that there is no dirt building upon them. However you should never use soapy water because even though a lot of Venetian blinds have been treated so that they can resist moisture if you use water directly on them regularly they will gradually start to soak it up which will run the blinds.

Wood venetian blinds are a great choice for if you're thinking about buying blinds were room that need a high level of privacy but also the ability to allow sunlight into the room. They also relatively inexpensive which is an added bonus.

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A Good Look at Wooden Venetian Blinds

While it is a fact that wooden venetian blinds do tend to be the most expensive. There are in fact affordably priced blinds of this type available but at the same time you will have to make some compromises on quality. Even so, just as with every type of material that window coverings are made from, wooden blinds do have their pros and cons.

Wood Venetian Blinds and Eye Appeal!

Eye appeal is the one major strong selling point of wood, no matter what it is in your home that's made from it. Also, just as with anything else thats made from wood that you use to decorate your home, wood can be painted. This is not to say that painting wood Venetian blinds is at all practical, because its not. In fact, a job of this type would be quite difficult.

They are Durable and Resistant To Crackling and Denting

Also wood blinds tend to lend a more contemporary look and feel to a room. They also come in styles that simply aren't available in blinds made form other materials such as aluminum or PVC. Also unlike blinds made form these materials, wood is far more durable and resistant to crinkling or denting.

Something Else To Think About

The most beautiful wooden Venetian blinds are operated by a lever system that involves a slat the runs vertically along each side of the blinds. However; the one short side of this type of mechanism is that the blinds can't be raised or lowered in the same fashion as blinds that are operated by a pull cord. To expose the full window with wood blinds that don't have a cord, they must be swung open.

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How to Fit Wooden Venetian Blinds

Wooden blinds make a great addition to any room and are very popular at the minute. They offer great warmth that you don't get with most fabrics because they are a natural product.

Putting them up on the other hand can be a nightmare if you haven't hung blinds before. In actual fact, it isn't so hard, but I know how I felt the first time I fitted a blind.

The very first thing to do is clear the window of any objects - you don't want to break anything! Then hold the wooden venetian up to the window. This is to make sure it fits! I have spent time putting up brackets only to find the blind wouldn't fit - what a waste of time.

Then make sure the fixing position is sound - you should really have done this when you measured so I'll assume your wall / window frame is solid enough to take the weight of the blind.

Next, mark where you are going to fit the brackets, making sure they are level. Drilling the holes will really depend on what you are drilling into, but if you have tiles then I recommend you buy a special tile cutter drill bit. Also make sure the rawl plug goes all the way behind the tile. This is should stop the tile cracking as you tighten the screw.

Screw the brackets up and make sure they are sturdy. Brackets for wooden blinds are usually a box type of affair with a door that closes and secures the blind into position when you snap it shut.

Your wood blind should come with a valance or pelmet to hide the head rail and you may have been supplied with clips or Velcro to attach this. The clips are better (ever had a piece of wood fall on your head?) and often need to be fitted to the rail before you hang the blind.

The headrail should simply fit into the brackets at each end, and then snap the doors shut. Do this before you test the blind to make sure it doesn't fall out. The wooden valance will clip or stick into place depending on what you have been supplied with - and that's it!

Test the blind to make sure it works, and then enjoy for years to come.

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