So, you have decided that Venetian blinds are the perfect blinds for your home. Great choice! However, your decision making is not finished there. With venetian blinds there are two options available: Real Wood and Faux Wood. In this blog we are going to take you through both options so you can make the best decision to suit you.

Of course, personal taste and price are two major factors when it comes to deciding between real wood or faux wood, but the majority of people are completely unaware of the features they both offer and the differences between them. Hopefully, by the end of this blog, you’ll have all the information you need on real wood and faux wood venetian blinds, and the differences between the two types, to help you choose the venetian blind you really want.

WHAT ARE BOTH TYPES OF VENETIAN BLINDS MADE FROM?

Real Wood – Venetian blinds made from real wood are typically made from basswood. Found in North America with an evenly textured grain, it’s the perfect wood for venetian blinds as well as numerous other uses such as for building canoes and even musical instruments like guitars and drums. This wood offers some added perks over faux wood such as it’s light weight, better insulation capabilities and a colour that will last and not fade with sunlight.  

Faux Wood – Venetian blinds made from faux wood in comparison are made from a vinyl or PVC composite material. This makes them extremely durable and look almost identical to real wood venetian blinds with their level of detail. In addition to this, faux wood is the cheaper option which means they are the most popular option.

CAN I PUT BOTH TYPES OF VENETIAN BLINDS IN MY BATHROOM?

Real Wood – With the moisture levels in the air of most bathroom and potential for water splashing, we would not recommend going with real wood venetian blinds in a bathroom. When exposed to the high levels of moisture and humidity in a bathroom, real wood venetian blinds will absorb the moisture and in time warp. 

Faux Wood – In contrast to that, faux wooden venetian blinds are much better suited to a bathroom. They are a lot more resistant to the moisture and will not warp like their real wood counterpart. In general, faux wooden venetian blinds are not as sensitive when it comes to dramatic temperature changes, high levels of moisture in the air and even watermarks from splashes from your sink. However, even with faux wood venetian blinds, the moisture or water can cause the colour to fade. To avoid this being an issue, we would recommend going for a lighter colour faux wood venetian blind in bathrooms.   

HOW DO BOTH TYPES OF VENETIAN BLIND COMPARE WITH WEIGHT?

Real Wood – There is no doubt that real wood venetian blinds are the lighter of the two options. If you have a particularly large window, this can make a substantial difference when trying to raise or lower the blinds. 

Faux Wood – Faux wood venetian blinds are the heavier of the two, and as mentioned if you have a larger window the combined weight of all the slats do add up and it can be a struggle to raise or lower. However, for smaller and even regular sized windows this isn’t an issue and not something that makes enough of a difference to be a deal breaker. 

ARE BOTH TYPES OF VENETIAN BLIND SUFFICIENT AT BLOCKING OUT LIGHT?

Real Wood – The solid slats of a Real wood venetian blind ensures that no light gets through them and therefore will darken any room. However, cord holes in the slats positioned in the middle will result in some small amount of light to enter a room. If you are looking for maximum light blocked out when the blinds are closed, the real wood venetian blinds would not be recommended. 

Faux Wood – If blocking out light is a high priority for you, we would recommend faux wood venetian blinds. They unquestionably do a superior job than real wood at stopping light entering a room. Their cord holes are positioned at the edge of the slat meaning that when the blind is closed, they disappear, and light does not come through like it does with real wood. In addition to this, faux wood venetian blinds do not have a slot of light at the top due to it’s headrail, so eliminates more light entering this way also. 

COLOURS AND SLAT SIZES FOR VENETIAN BLINDS

Hopefully by now you have decided which type of venetian blind suits you best, but just in case you haven’t the last factors we are going to look at to help make your decision are colours and slat sizes. 

Real Wood – With real wood venetian blinds you can select from a variety of size slats: 25mm, 35mm, 50mm and 63mm (1”, 1 ½, 2” and 2 ½”) and can be supplied as one blind up to 2400mm wide. Here at Direct Blinds Cork, we carry a wide range of modern colours to complement the exterior of your home or your interior furnishings depending on your requirements.

Faux Wood – Faux wood venetian blinds come in either 50mm or 35mm slat widths and can also be manufactured up to 2400mm wide. We also offer a range of modern colours in Faux wood, so there’s not much separating both types when it comes to colour. 

DIRECT BLINDS CORK

If you have any questions on venetian blinds or indeed any type of window blind please do not hesitate to get in touch with us.  Direct Blinds Cork can not only offer you expert advice on all the latest trends in window fashion, but we can also help you select the perfect styles and colours that will best suit your rooms and budget.
If you are looking for the most energy efficient and beautiful window treatments possible, contact us today. We offer a free consultation, measuring and fitting service. Direct Blinds Cork knows window coverings; we have been in the window treatment business for many years. Our expertise and professionalism are second to none. Call us today on 021 435 4959 or email sales@directblinds.ie