Venetian Blinds

Anyone who is familiar with Venetian blinds knows just
how difficult they are to clean, with laterally slatted
strips of plastic with dangling cords that gets on
everyone's nerves since they always seemed to get in
a tangle. A majority of us can't find anything uglier
or messier than blinds that hang crooked. Manufacturers
are however, starting to make them more functional, more

attractive, and easier to clean.

The first thing you'll need to make sure of, is that the
blinds are hung properly, as this will ensure that your
window covering is successful. If your blinds are hung
crooked, then the strings won't properly act as
pulleys. No matter how pretty they may be, they won't
be any good if they don't work properly.

The only time you should use the old fashioned plastic
Venetian blinds is if you are going for more of a retro
look. If you are going for the retro look, it may be
better to consider using the anodized aluminum or
painted silver blinds. These types of blinds tend to
collect less dirt and dust and will help complete the
look better with your retro room.

Most manufacturers are now creating Venetian blinds in
different colors and textures. They do this by
painting, coating, or even anodizing the slats. They
have neon colors, metallic bronze, silver, and even
gold to choose from now.

The boring blinds of the 90s can be found as institutional
window treatments. In the past, when decorating an
office, people would have chosen white or black
blinds to go with the wood decor. Now, you can
choose from shades of olive, burgundy, or even brown.
If your office has more of a sleeker look, you can
even choose a Venetian blind in cherry red or celadon
color.

If you feel that your room is outdated or you just
need to re-decorate and your on a budget, then a new
window treatment may be the answer. Even though
Venetian blinds can be considered outdated, they
can easily be jazzed up with drapes or sheers. If
you are re-decorating a room that it may be hard to
find blinds for, such as a boxed shape window or a
small window, you may be able to choose the older
style mini blinds in various vibrant colors.

If you are just trying to make a truly unique fashion
statement, then you should consider hand painting
your Venetian blinds. You can choose to show off
your individuality and your craftier side by painting
the blind to show an image once it is closed.

Vinyl Mini Blinds

For high humidity rooms such as the kitchen, bathroom, or waterfront locations, vinyl binds are an ideal choice. Vinyl blinds with the standard braided cords and non textured gloss stats are easy to clean, unbreakable, and very resistant to sun bleaching.

The richly textured embossed prints, elegant neutrals, and wood tones all help to a add a decorative dimension that isn't found in horizontal blinds. Vinyl blinds are available in both solid colors and embossed finishes, and are also available in many different sizes as well.

PVC blinds are great as well, as they are a very durable and fashionable solution as a treatment for your windows. They will also remain durable and easy to maintain regardless of the humidity or other weather factors.

Lightweight vinyl blinds are the least expensive type of vinyl blinds available, although the thin slats can sag a bit, the cords can shred, and the mechanisms used with the blinds can break or malfunction.

On sale, you can find vinyl blinds as low as $5.99. The darkening mini blinds on the other hands, are better quality with less space between the slats, and run as high as $10.99.

There are some vinyl mini blinds that are imported that will contain lead, which is a serious hazard for your health. Lead poisoning is acute for pregnant women or tiny children because of their fast growing vulnerable tissue. The vinyl blinds that are made in the United States however, are lead free.

Vinyl blinds are also the easiest types of mini blinds to maintain. You can clean them by hanging them on a clothesline pole then spraying them down with a garden hose.

The Benefits Of Wooden Mini Blinds

Wooden mini blinds are one type of wood blinds for
covering doors and windows. The smaller increments
of a narrow slate dimension, wooden mini blinds
are more able to control the amount of light that
comes into a room and the view that is seen through
a window.

Wooden mini blinds will also provide light and
privacy control within the room apart from giving
it an awesome look. They will also provide a
warm and cozy look to virtually any room, no
matter where it is. Wooden mini blinds are also
available in many colors and styles, various
shades, and several models.

The important things you'll need to consider when
choosing wooden mini blinds are the appearance,
privacy that is offered, ability to control light,
insulating value, and how easy the blinds are to
operate. Even though mini blinds are available
in vinyl and aluminum materials as well, wooden
type blinds are the most preferred despite
being more expensive when compared to the other
types of mini blinds.

Wooden blinds will also give a natural look to
any room. They also work much better than
the traditional curtains or even shutters. From
the inside or outside, they look pretty. In
addition, wooden mini blinds are also great
insulators from heat or cold - unlike vinyl or
aluminum blinds.

Along with the many benefits offered to you by
wooden blinds, some materials will even keep bugs
away. There are 2 types of wood you can use
for mini blinds, which are ramin and bass, with
each one offering their own strengths and
weaknesses.

If you have an older style home, wood mini
blinds may be in your best interest. If you
have a log home, they can also help add to the
value of your interior. Wooden mini blinds
have been the most popular type of mini blinds
for years - and for good reason. Even though
they are the most expensive, they offer you
more than other types of blinds.

You can custom order wooden mini blinds as well
if your prefer. They are simple to install and
in most cases, the installation is provided by
the manufacturer. If you do it yourself, you
shouldn't have any problem getting it done.

For the ultimate in style and performance, wood
is the ideal material for your mini blinds.
Wood offers the most for your money, as well
as the best look for your home - the natural
look.

Installing Shutters

Installing your shutters isn't a difficult process
at all. The key here is to work with shutters that
are specifically built for each individual window
opening in conjunction with detailed instructions.

Many companies that install shutters will tell
customers that the shutters need to be installed
by a certified installer. This isn't the case,
as you can install your shutters like a pro with
no experience at all.

Measuring your shutters
To properly install shutters to a window opening,
you'll need to measure. First, you'll need to
determine if the shutters will be mounted to the
inside or the outside of the window opening.

Inside mount installation
The preferred means of installation is to mount
shutters directly to the window jamb inside of the
window opening. This method is generally cleaner
than mounting to the outside of the window and
it doesn't require additional hang strips or frame
strips. Keep in mind, the window must be somewhat
square and have a solid jamb for you to attach
the screws to.

To determine the window depth, measure from the
front plane of the window back to the nearest
obstruction that'll prevent the louvers from
rotating. If you prefer, the company you are
ordering from can also tell you the window depth
for the style of shutters you order.

On occasion, a supplier of shutters will offer
a second inside mounting method that uses rear
hanging strips concealed behind the shutter
panels that will allow adjustment up, down, left,
and right for easier alignment. This method
is ideal if the window is out of square or if
it has a drywall opening without a solid wood
jamb.

Outside mount installation
Outside mount installations use frames that attach
to the wall or existing trim just to the outside
of the opening of the window. Normally, the
frame will surround the shutter panels on three
or four sides, depending on if a lower still
exists.

If you go with a cafe type shutter style, the
hang strips are used on either side of the
shutter panels. The frame or hang strips will
screw directly to the wall or trim, and the
shutter hinge to the frame or the hanging strips.

Always play it safe and measure with a steel tape
measure, which will give you the most accurate
measurements. Don't attempt to measure with a
fabric tape or yard stick - as this will lead
you to a poor installation.

How To Buy Shutters

Currently, shutters are made in a number of different
materials, with wooden shutters still being the
benchmark for quality window coverings. Quality
wood shutters are designed to last for the lifetime
of your home. Deciding on the material for your
shutters is the first step in making things work.

Selecting your shutter style
There are two basic styles of shutters available.
The traditional style uses a narrow shutter panel
with 1-1/4" louvers. Traditional shutter louvers
are normally wedge shaped, being thicker in the
front and narrower in the rear. Plantation type
shutters are generally 1-18" thick with larger
louvers.

Selecting the shutter finish
Shutters can be stained, painted, or both. Almost
all companies offer a number of paints with stain
colors, while some don't. Paint colors will
generally include a variety of whites and lights.
The stains will help enhance wood grains in a
number of tints and tones, starting from light
natural tones to an almost black pitch. Keep in
mind, both synthetic and wood composite shutters
can't be stained.

Determine the price
Because of their material options, shutters will
come in a wide range of prices, with many suppliers
calculating the price on the square foot. Prices
are calculated based on the exact window size,
shutter, style, finish, and number of panels
involved.

Deciding on the unit
Shutter units can use a number of different panel
configurations within a window. The number of
panels across the shutter is determined by the
shutter style, traditional or plantation, and
the width of the window. The traditional style
panels are normally narrower than the plantation
style and would use more panels across the window.

Each specific company offers guidelines for the
number of panels to be used with a window. If
the window is tall enough, you may want to
consider a double tier, or two tier shutter
unit that uses one set of shutters at the top
and one set at the bottom.

Each set of shutters will then open independently
on the other. You can also use a divider rail,
which is is a horizontal bar that creates a top
and bottom louver section within a single style
of panel.

Measure and order
Carefully follow the measuring instructions,
then determine the window type and installation
provided by the company you have selected. The
directions should be detailed, yet very easy for
you to follow.

The company should also offer phone assistance
should you have any questions.

Wooden Shutters

The best wood for building interior wooden shutters
is basswood. The tree can be found from Quebec
south to Delaware and the Atlantic coast west to
Eastern Kentucky with an average height of 65
feet. Basswood is a renewable resource and careful
forest management ensures that the harvesting is
done responsibly by balancing the wood growth
with wood removal.

Basswood interior shutters are very straight and
they also have a fine uniform texture with a very
indistinct grain. The wood machines well and is
easy to work, screws well, glues well, and it can
be stained to a smooth finish.

Basswood shutters do not warp, they are lightweight
yet very strong, offer uniform grain for a superb
stain finish, and they offer superior gluing and
finishing properties.

Oak shutters
Oak is a very heavy wood which makes for very
heavy window shutters. Oak interior shutters will
add a lot of weight to window jambs, with screws
requiring pre-drilling. They aren't suitable
for painting and the louvers tend to warp over
time.

Maple shutters
Maple is heavy like oak and produces interior
shutters that are very heavy. Maple also requires
that the window jambs be pre-drilled. The wood
louvers with maple are hard to tension uniformly.

Poplar shutters
Poplar shutters mill and paint very well. The
mineral streaks and green color help make popular
wood unsuitable for staining. For shutters, poplar
wood is moderately heavy. The wood is widely
available and less costly, although it also
produces a lesser quality of wood shutter.

Cedar shutters
Cedar wood mills and finishes nicely, although
the color varies greatly for staining. Cedar
is pretty soft and can dent or scratch very
easily.

For exterior shutters, cedar works very well. The
amazing durability and resistance to decay of
incense cedar makes it perfect for exterior use
wherever moisture is presented. Requiring
long service with very little maintenance,
it's also hated by bugs!

Alder shutters
Alder is an excellent choice for interior shutters,
as the tree is very small. Tall window shutters
using alder wood will require finger joints.

Pine shutters
Pine is a soft wood, with many different species
and grades available.

Always remember that there are also poorly
constructed wood shutters that will rank very
low on the scale of quality. You should always
look for a smooth, well sanded surface, thick
durable paing, glued and doweled joints, and a
straight light hardwood. Before you commit
to any shutter company, always request a sample
so that you know what to expect.

Protect Your Entertainment Area With Outdoor Blinds

                          Executive summary about outdoor blinds By  Robert G Sampson

A set of outdoor patio blinds can protect you from weather elements like rain, wind and UV rays. Bamboo outdoor blinds provide a great looking backdrop to your patio. The gaps in the slats allow air to pass through, allowing smoke from the barbeque to exit the area and fresh air to flow through the area. The other popular outdoor blinds are plastic outdoor blinds.

A much cheaper option are vinyl outdoor blinds, these blinds are usually hand rolled up so with cheap material and small amount of mechanics these blinds are the most cost effective outdoor shade blinds. Whichever material you choose be sure to take accurate measurements of your patio for your blinds before you go out purchasing.