• Cellular Shades & Honeycomb Blinds
  
  
• Wood Blinds
  
  
• Faux Wood Blinds
  
  
• Mini Blinds
  
  
• Vertical Blinds
  
  
• Vertical Blind Alternatives
  
  
• Roller Shades
  
  
• Solar Shades
  
  
• Woven Wood Shades & Bamboo Shades
  
  
• Roman Shades
  
  
• Sheer Horizontal Shades
  
  
• Horizontal Blind Alternatives
  
  
• Motorized Blinds & Shades
  
  
• Pleated Shades
  
  
• Arches & Shapes
  
  
• Skylight Shades
  
  

Wood Blinds Add Natural Beauty

Wood Blinds provide a natural, warm alternative to traditional window shades and come in a variety of styles, finishes, and sizes. Custom wood blinds come in a variety of slat widths including 1", 1 3/8", 2", 2 5/8", and 3" and even come in cordless varieties to provide extra aesthetic value and safety to your home.

The slat width of wood blinds makes a big difference in the type of blind you’ll want to purchase. The narrower the slats, the more slats that are needed for a full-length blind. This means that wood blinds with narrower slats diffuse more light and obstruct more of the view when they are angled open. Wood blinds with wider slats, like those on a blind with 3" slats, require fewer slats to provide adequate privacy when closed and therefore obstruct less light and view when opened.

Also consider that the number of slats will also make a difference in the wood blinds when they are pulled up. The greater number of slats, the more room they require at the top of the window. Wood blinds with narrow slats will block more light and view at the top of a window than wood blinds with wider slats.

Regardless of width, all wood blinds provide energy efficiency. Wood is a natural insulator, creating an insulating barrier between the room and the window. This means that wood blinds help save energy and lower cooling and heating costs.

Natural Wood Blinds are usually constructed of one of two different materials: North American hardwood or Ramin Wood.

• North American Hardwood – This includes wood blinds made from basswood, poplar or aspen. Most companies use basswood as their standard since it maintains shape and quality longer than most wood. Hardwoods are generally lighter than Ramin and do not warp as easily. Considering the fluctuating humidity levels within a home, you may want to consider the greater quality of hardwood blinds. Although they tend to be more expensive, natural North American hardwood lasts longer than the Ramin alternative and has less warping and cracking.
• Ramin Wood – Wood blinds made of Ramin wood have a tendency to warp and distort due to its high water content, meaning it’s also more sensitive to changes in humidity. Although it’s less expensive, Ramin is approximately 60% heavier than hardwood and is generally not warranted against cracking and warping.

Most people choose wood blinds because they blend easily into any home décor. Although wood blinds come in natural finishes and stains, they are also available in a variety of colors. This means that you can choose a color or stain that matches your existing furniture or compliments the wood already present in your home. Because of their composition, wood blinds also provide light barriers, significantly darkening a room when they are closed.

Traditional wood blinds have holes on the outer ends of the slats through which the cords run. Since these holes tend to let in small amounts of light when closed, manufacturers have created three other alternatives.

• Routless Wood Blinds– Routless wood blinds are also known as de-Light, NoHoles, and LightMaster. These blinds lack the classic routs, or small holes through which the cords run. When routed blinds are shut, light still seeps through these small openings. Routless wood blinds provide full light barriers without the tiny holes. Instead of running in the center of the slat, the cord is routed through the edge.
• Cloth Tapes – Like the Routless varieties, Cloth Tape wood blinds minimize light leakage. Instead of using cords, these blinds are controlled with a cloth tape that connects the slats without the cord holes of traditional wood blinds. This option is usually available on the wider slatted wood blinds.
• Cordless Wood Blinds – a good choice for homes with small children and even coordinate with kids beds, these blinds require manual manipulation to raise or lower them. These wood blinds are available from the brand Hunter Douglas.

These durable wood blinds come in four basic types of finishes:

• Painted Finish – Wood blinds come in many different colors and lacquers for a wide variety of looks.
• Wood selections – Although basswood is the most common type of wood, manufacturers might also use maple, oak, and cherry for a more authentic look. If you are looking to match your wood blinds to an existing wood in your home, you may want to consider a matching blind rather than having one stained.
• Sandblasted Finish – Manufacturers sometimes sandblast wood to enhance the grain, creating a detailed finish.
• Stained Finish – Probably the most popular type of option for wood blinds, a stained finish gives you the option of creating the perfect wood feel. Most manufacturers charge extra for a finish, but it can be worth it depending on your room.

Wood Blinds Manufacturers:

• Hunter Douglas
• YourBlinds
• Bali

If you decide that wood blinds are your window dressing of choice, take as much care in choosing the slat width as you do in determining the proper stain. Heavy, wide slats can resemble shutters while thinner ones can look more like traditional blinds. Either way, wood blinds add warmth and comfort to any room.