Faux Wood Blinds Buying Guide: Style & Function for Your Home

Discover the secret behind Canada's love affair with faux wood blinds. With their unbeatable combination of affordability, versatility, and durability, these window coverings have captured the hearts of homeowners from coast to coast. But how do you know if they're right for you? 

Dive into our comprehensive faux wood blinds buying guide as we unravel the mysteries surrounding this popular choice and help you make an informed decision that will leave your windows looking fabulous.

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What Are Faux Wood Blinds?

It's easy to define faux wood blinds by comparing them to real wood; they are a more affordable alternative to real wood blinds. Faux wood is made of composite materials such as vinyl and PVC, while real wood is made of natural materials like cedar or pine.

Due to moisture resistance and even cheaper maintenance, faux wood shades are a more ideal choice for damp environments like bathrooms, kitchens, and basements.

Factors to Consider When Buying Faux Wood Blinds

Similar to vertical blinds, cellular shades, and any other type of window treatment, faux wood blinds come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and colours.

Read on to learn more about style, functions, price points, and maintenance – all the factors you need to consider when you buy faux wood shades.

Material Review

Style

With faux wood blinds, there is a variety of colour and texture options available to complement any interior design style. faux wood shades come with slats in different sizes, from 1 inch to 2 ½ inches. When choosing the right style for your home, look at how it will fit into the existing window frame as well as the colour scheme of your space.

Functionality

Faux wood blinds provide privacy and light control, helping to keep unwanted visitors out while still letting natural light in. They also offer insulation benefits – providing energy efficiency and noise reduction. Additional features such as cordless operation or motorization options can further enhance the functionality of your faux wood shades.

Durability

Compared to real wood blinds, faux wood blinds are more durable, making them a great choice for high-traffic and wet areas. They can withstand humidity, moisture, and direct sunlight better than real wood blinds. Even better, faux wood's UV resistance prolongs the life of your blinds, keeping them looking like new for longer.

Price

Faux wood blinds are generally cheaper than real wood blinds. Depending on the size, style, and brand of your faux wood shades, you can expect to spend anywhere from $30 to $300 or more. You can compare prices for all types of blinds, shades, and shutters to find the best faux wood blinds for a great price.

Maintenance

Cleaning and maintaining faux wood shades is simpler than real wood, as they don't require sanding or staining. Regular dusting or vacuuming will remove debris on their surface. You can also use mild soap and water to clean any dirt off of your faux wood blinds.

Slat Sizes and Their Applications

To further discuss the differences between faux wood blinds and real wood blinds, we need to address their slat sizes. Apart from that, it's worthwhile knowing the ideal window types and the levels of privacy and light control for faux wood shades.

Common slat sizes

Faux wood blinds are available in 1-inch, 2-inch, and 2.5-inch slats. The larger the slat size is, the more light it will let in and the deeper the view outside of your window will be. You should also note that the 2.5-inch slats are generally more expensive than the smaller ones.

Ideal room/window types for each slat size

1-inch slats are best for narrow and shallow windows, as they offer more light control and privacy. If you have larger windows or if you need to block out a lot of sun, 2-inch or 2.5-inch slats would be the better choice. 

Light control and privacy levels

For better privacy, 1-inch faux wood shades are the most effective since they let in less light. The 2-inch and 2.5-inch slats, on the other hand, provide better views outside of your window but offer less privacy. As for light control, all three sizes offer decent levels of darkness when closed completely.

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Mounting Options and Recommendations

Understanding outside vs inside mount blinds is key to selecting the right faux wood blinds for your window. If you’re looking to install your blinds inside the window frame, ensure that there is enough depth available in order for them to fit properly. 

Inside Mount

Inside-mount installations are recommended if you want a more streamlined look and better light control. To ensure a good fit, measure the inside width of your window frame at 3 points: top, middle and bottom.

Outside Mount

For outside-mount installations, make sure to measure the exact length and width that you need for coverage. It's recommended to add an extra 2 inches on each side for better coverage of light gaps.

Partial Inside Mount

This type of mount is best suited for windows that have shallow depths. With this mounting option, the headrail of your faux wood shades will be mounted outside the window frame while the slats will hang inside.

Tips for choosing the right mount

Consider the following suggestions when choosing the right mount for your faux wood blinds:

• Choose an inside mount if you want a more streamlined look.
• For extra light coverage, choose the outside mount option.
• If your window frame has shallow depths, opt for a partial inside mount.

After everything else, you can now focus on the customizing options that are available for faux wood shades.

Upgrades and Customization Options for Faux Wood Blinds

To enhance the appearance and functionality of any blinds for windows, you can choose from a variety of upgrades to customize your faux wood shades. Here are some choices you may want to consider:

Cordless Lift System

It's totally understandable: people have kids and pets that they need to protect from dangling cords and loops. The good news is that cordless lift systems are available for faux wood blinds, giving you safety and convenience in one neat package.

Motorization

A smart home integration could probably be the best option for faux wood shades if you're looking for seamless operation and convenience. By motorizing your faux wood blinds, you can easily control them with a remote or even through voice commands. For motorized power options, batteries are the most popular choice.

Valance Styles

Similar to Venetian blinds, faux wood shades come in various valance styles that can be chosen depending on the look you're trying to achieve. Valances are available in different colours and materials, so it's best to match the overall style of your interior décor.

Privacy and Light Control Options

For enhanced privacy and light control, one of the best options for faux wood blinds is routeless (also known as no-holes) slats. This type of slat offers maximum coverage because it has no holes punched into it and is designed to fit together tightly for added security. 

Specialty Shapes and Sizes

Another good news is that you can fit your faux wood shades to almost any window opening, regardless of the shape or size. Specialty shapes include arched windows, skylights, angled windows and more. If you need something unique and custom-made for your window openings, then this is definitely a good choice.

Decorative Cloth Tapes

For those who want to cover route holes and add a touch of style, decorative cloth tapes can do the trick. These tapes come in a variety of colours and designs to match your desired look and can be found in both classic and modern styles.

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Custom Faux Wood Blinds for Your Home

As with vertical blinds, Venetian blinds, and other styles of window coverings, you can also find custom-made faux wood shades that are designed to fit your home and windows perfectly. This will give you the perfect fit while still giving you the benefits of privacy and light control that come with these types of blinds.

Have a look at what Factory Direct Blinds has to offer. We have a wide range of window treatments, including roller shades, cordless blinds, and more – all to help you find the perfect window covering for your home.

Want to know how to measure faux wood blinds? Contact our expert team today for any questions you may have or to get started shopping for all types of window treatment.

FAQs

What are the disadvantages of faux wood blinds?

Faux wood blinds can be more expensive than traditional wooden blinds and may not provide the same level of insulation.

Are faux wood blinds worth it?

Although they can be more expensive than other window coverings, they provide privacy and light control while being a durable, long-lasting option.

What are premium faux wood blinds?

Premium faux wood shades are made with thicker slats and stronger hardware for a longer lifespan and more durability.

Are faux wood blinds good at blocking light?

Yes, faux wood shades are very effective at blocking out light and providing privacy.