How do I Choose the Best Vertical Wooden Blinds?

To choose the best vertical wooden blinds, consider quality, affordability, available options, and your individual needs. There are many types of vertical wooden blinds available through stores and online retailers. If you understand the options, you can find and purchase the best vertical wooden blinds for you.

Before shopping, measure the window or glass doors which you plan to cover with vertical wooden blinds. Blinds should hang flush to the edge of the surrounding trim and 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5.1 cm) from the floor. If the blinds are too long, they can be damaged. Purchasing blinds that are too wide simply costs more money than necessary.

The blind will mount inside or outside the window casing. Check with the manufacturer to find the minimum depth allowance for an inside mount bracket. Some windows are too shallow and must have outside mount blinds.

Without a valance, the hardware required to hang the blinds will be visible with both the inside and outside mount styles. Many companies, however, offer a box wooden valance to cover the top of the blinds. A fabric valance is another option, but it might have to be custom made, depending on the size of your window.

While you are measuring the space, consider how you wish the blinds to hang — or stack — while open. Vertical wooden blinds can draw to the right or left if they are less than 108 inches (about 2.7 m) wide. Blinds can also stack out, separating in the center and gathering to both sides of the window or door. Another option is for the blinds to pull inward from the sides, gathering at the middle.

You will also need to choose a control side. The wand to open and close the blinds will be on this side. Consider the convenience of both sides of the window carefully. The control wand should be easily accessible, so do not choose a side that is in a corner or behind furniture. The control wand and the stack can be on the same or different sides.

Wood absorbs moisture, bends, and flexes in response to the surrounding climate. In order for your vertical blinds to remain straight, purchase high quality blinds. Veneer and other faux wood treatments are usually of a lower quality and will eventually warp. Some wooden blinds are made from real wood, but are engineered to reduce warping. Engineered wood usually has several strips of wood glued together, using opposite grains to combats the natural tendency of wood to bow.

Vertical wooden blinds are available in a variety of colors. Choose a smooth finish for easy cleaning and a color that blends with the rest of the room's decor. You don't have to match wood finishes exactly, if there is a wood floor or paneling, but make sure the tone is similar.