How to choose blinds

Recently popular curtains, tulles and curtains, as it turned out, are not at all as good as originally thought. For all their advantages, they have a huge number of disadvantages – they are whimsical in operation and maintenance and actively collect dust. Isolation of sunlight is also mediocre: thin tulles let in the sun's rays, and thick curtains are not only heavy and bulky, but also make the room dim even on a clear and fine day. Blinds are a great alternative in this situation. This compact and easy-to-use tool provides excellent protection from the sun's rays when needed, allows you to spot dose the light entering the room, and is also unpretentious in maintenance and easy to use.

content

1. Advantages and disadvantages of vertical blinds
2. Advantages and disadvantages of horizontal blinds
3. Advantages and disadvantages of roller blinds
4. Advantages and disadvantages of pleated pleats
5. How to choose blinds for windows on the loggia, kitchen and balcony?
6. Top manufacturers
7. Blinds selection video

Advantages and disadvantages of vertical blinds

Vertical blinds are very popular due to their simplicity of design, low cost and unpretentious maintenance and operation. The main operating elements are the lamellas fixed to the eaves, which are controlled by a chain system. Additional elements are weights that ensure the immobility of the lamellas, as well as runners and connecting elements that ensure the synchronous movement of the lamellas along the cornice. The used lamellas also differ in width: on sale you can find models with a width of 87 mm, which are the American standard, and also slats with a width of 127 cm – typically American blinds.

Depending on the material from which the slats are made, the following types of vertical blinds are distinguished:

1. Fabric blinds. The simplest, most convenient and popular option. They are distinguished by their unpretentiousness, excellent performance properties and an abundance of options for colors and shades. Blinds, the lamellas of which are made of jacquard or fiberglass, gained popularity. Among the shortcomings, it should be noted the tendency to burn out rather quickly in the sun, as well as the fear of high temperatures and open fire;

2. Plastic blinds. Such models were originally intended for office use, however, due to a number of features, they have found application in everyday life, primarily in the kitchen and on the balcony. They perfectly isolate sunlight and are not afraid of it, they are sterile enough and are not prone to dust accumulation. The main disadvantage is increased fragility and fear of temperature extremes. If we are talking about inexpensive models, it should be noted that the plastic deforms under the influence of the sun, as well as its burnout;

3. Wooden blinds are a great alternative to curtains and tulles. Exceptionally stylish and effective appearance ensures the use of the lightest types of wood. Such blinds are absolutely not afraid of direct sunlight, do not fade or deform, and are also not demanding in cleaning and maintenance. The use of wood also made it possible to achieve high environmental friendliness. Such blinds also have disadvantages: they are afraid of temperature extremes and high humidity, and therefore are not suitable for a loggia and a balcony. Another disadvantage is the high price: not everyone can afford such models;

4. Vertical blinds made of metal are a heavy and bulky option that is not in demand in everyday life. Most common in industrial and warehouse buildings. They are not subject to deformation and fading, are not afraid of temperature changes. The disadvantages of such models include high noise in drafts, as well as a tendency to corrosion with insufficient quality processing and operation in wet conditions.

Advantages and disadvantages of horizontal blinds

This option is almost always associated with the general class of this type of window coverings. Compact, miniature and unpretentious in operation. A huge variety of models, simplicity of design and low cost have provided horizontal blinds with exceptional popularity in household and office premises all over the world. They are based on lamellas 25 millimeters wide, which are fixed on a special frame made of strong twine or wire. The control is carried out using a swivel mechanism, raising or lowering – using a lace system. The material used for the manufacture of lamellas is identical to that used in vertical blinds – plastic, fabric, wood, metal. Unlike vertical blinds, metal horizontal blinds are the most popular and demanded due to the combination of characteristics, unpretentiousness and low cost.

Advantages

• Unpretentious care;

• Low cost;

• A huge variety of options for colors, materials and colors;

• Ideal performance properties;

• Compact dimensions;

disadvantages

• Depending on the material for making the lamellas, they may be afraid of temperature extremes, prolonged exposure to high humidity, fade in the sun and deform under the influence of high temperatures;

• Low environmental friendliness of cheap plastic models;

Advantages and disadvantages of roller blinds

In its concept, roller blinds are fundamentally different from vertical and horizontal counterparts. They are based on a special shaft on which a single piece is wound. The most popular are fabric roller blinds or their fiberglass counterparts. Roller blinds do not completely isolate sunlight, and therefore are perfect for creating a soft, eye-pleasing twilight in the bedroom or living room. The width of roller blinds can be any and depends entirely on the width of the window opening. In everyday life, roller blinds are also known as roller blinds.

Advantages

• Convenient to operate;

• Silent;

• Inexpensive;

• Huge variety of color options, material texture and width;

• Able to provide a 'soft' twilight;

disadvantages

• Whimsical in care and cleaning;

• Not able to provide complete darkness when needed;

• Collect dust;

Advantages and disadvantages of pleated pleats

Pleated blinds are a very interesting type of blinds that are gaining more and more popularity every day. They represent a soft fabric base, which folds like an accordion during operation. A distinctive feature of pleated blinds is their shape: such blinds are not only rectangular, but can follow the contours of almost any window, and also have not only vertical and horizontal, but also diagonal styling.

Advantages

• Great appearance. Pleated blinds not only block the flow of sunlight into the room, but also are a wonderful element of the room decor;

• Do not fade or deform when exposed to sunlight;

• Can be installed not only on plastic and wooden windows, but also on an aluminum frame;

• The ability to install on windows of absolutely any shape;

• A huge variety of textures and colors;

disadvantages

• Whimsical in care and cleaning. Plisse cannot be machine washed, cleaning is carried out exclusively by hand;

• High cost due to non-standard design, form factors and dimensions

How to choose blinds for windows on the loggia, kitchen and balcony?

1. First of all, you need to measure the length of the window opening. Regardless of which type of blinds are preferred, they should only cover the window opening. When installed inside the opening, it is necessary to step back from the edge of 1-2 centimeters on the sides so that the blinds do not touch the wall, and also 1-2 centimeters from the bottom so that the lower part does not lie on the windowsill;

2. If the blinds are installed outside the window opening, they should protrude 2-4 centimeters to the sides and 10-15 centimeters from the bottom of the window opening.

3. In the case when windows of a non-standard size or a shape other than rectangular are installed in the room, the best option would be pleated blinds made to order;

4. When choosing blinds for a balcony, it should be remembered that windows are very often opened for micro-ventilation, as a result of which the blinds are exposed not only to temperature changes and direct sunlight, but also to moisture and dirt. It is for this reason that you should choose models that are unpretentious in care and are not afraid of dirt and moisture;

Top manufacturers

Currently, the market presents products not only from well-known world-famous manufacturers, but also inexpensive models of blinds that are affordable for almost everyone. In order for the blinds to serve faithfully for many years, before buying, you should study the characteristics of specific models, as well as familiarize yourself with customer reviews. The products of the following manufacturers are considered the best:

1. 'Proma';

2. 'Katrice';

3. 'RollTech';

4. 'PRIS'

In European countries, the most popular blinds manufacturers are those that produce PVC windows.

In the following articles, our experts tell you how to choose the right plastic windows, the secrets of choosing a window sill and the features of choosing a profile for plastic windows.

Blinds selection video

---

Attention! This material is the subjective opinion of the authors of the project and is not a purchase guide.