Mini Blinds | Your Window's Best Friend

Mini-Blind Sizes

Mini-blinds are in large use today because of the effective alternative they offer to other methods of blocking window views from the inside.  You could potentially use these types of blinds for one of your windows (or even a clear screen door in some cases).  If you do, it would be a good idea for you to familiarize yourself with the sizes of blinds available before you make a final purchase.

When people talk about the sizes of mini-blinds, what they are referring to is the width of each of the blinds.  A full window blind is made up of a number of different runs that are strung together in a way that is similar to a ladder.  Each of the rungs in a window blind is usually the same width and it is that width that lends its value to the overall measure of the size of the mini-blind product that you purchase.  Generally speaking, mini-blinds will fall into one of three types of sizes.

½-inch

The ½-inch size of mini-blinds has been the most popular for a very long time now.  The main reas on for this is that the smaller size of the rungs in the mini-blinds used on the window or door actually has the effect of making the space look larger than it is.  This can also make your room look larger than it is and is a visual illusion that many people welcome.  For windows and doors that happen to have a very shallow depth, these blinds are absolutely perfect.

Generally speaking, the ½-inch mini-blinds are associated with a look that is more modern than either of the other two and that is another reason why people tend to purchase these blinds more than others.  Gaining a contemporary look for the inside of your house is important in the eyes of many and these blinds will accomplish that for you quite nicely.

1-inch

1-inch blinds are an interesting creature because of the fact that they were created by different companies almost as a compromise between the ½-inch and the 2-inch models.  1-inch blinds are small enough that they retain some of the contemporary look and feel of the ½-inch models while at the same time requiring less labor to put together.  For that reason, they also have some of the cost-effective nature of the 2-inch mini-blinds.  They can be thought of as the jack-of-all-trades in the world of mini-blinds because they’ll give you some of the advantages of both extremes while at the same time maintaining some of the disadvantages.

2-inch

The 2-inch blinds are less popular than the ½-inch blinds, but are a great purchase for anyone that is looking for bargain basement prices.  At the same time, 2-inch blinds are a throwback to the oldest of the old venetian blinds.  They give your room the opposite look and feel of the ultramodern contemporary blinds in the ½-inch range and for that reason are heavily preferred by people that like their houses to have some old world feel.

Pleated Shades

There’s an old saying that the old fashions never go out of style.  No matter how old they get, there are always going to be people out there that want them.  This is definitely true in the business of window dressing if pleated shades are any indication of market trends.  Pleated shades as a style have been around for a long time.  However, they continue to remain popular right through to the current day.  If there are pleated shades that you are considering, it might be a good idea to first consider the advantages and the disadvantages inherent to pleated shades.

Advantages

Pleated shades usually come at very reasonable prices.  The shades have been around for such a long time that this is definitely one of the advantages that you can easily see in them.  Most manufacturers have the art of mass producing and/or cheaply producing these shades down to such perfection that they can offer them at prices that might make you sit up and take notice before you even know what the product is.

Pleated shades generally speaking will do the primary job of shades very well.  The primary job of shades is to filter out the light and the way in which the pleats within the shades are designed is actually conducive to that type of job.  As far as the basic functionality of shades is concerned, the pleated shades will definitely do their job very well.

Pleated shades also come with the option for blackout fabric use.  This is something that is very important for pleated shades since they are already purchased by people as a low-cost option for getting the basic job of blocking out the light done.  If you purchase a blackout fabric for use with your pleated shade product, you’ll discover that the cost is a little extra but the returns are far greater than the extra cost that you pay.  The blackout fabric is not a fabric type that has earned its name poorly.  It is actually something that can completely block the light out if you purchase the right shade.

Another thing that many people have noticed when using pleated shades is that they are great when it comes to blocking noise out.  This is not necessarily something that a person looking to purchase shades is looking for, but it certainly can’t hurt to have those benefits covering windows in certain rooms.  For a person shopping for shades for their study or a bedroom, noise canceling shades can be very good as an investment.  Once again, the noise cancelling nature of the shades directly follows from the way in which the pleats are created on the shades.

Finally, pleated shades are very easy to use.  Because there are no complicated parts or extra options on most of these shades, you’ll be able to install and use them quite simply if you want to do everything yourself.  In this sense, the simplicity of pleated shades is something that works well for a person that would like to do everything on their own and avoid the hassle of paying someone else to do the installation.

Disadvantages

Pleated shades tend to have design options that are not very versatile.  Because they tend to be excellent value options, pleated shades do not give you the same flexibility in terms of colors and textures that you would get from some of the other shade types.  This is really part of the trade-off that you should willingly make when you purchase the pleated shades.  As part of a comfortable and warm room design that isn’t over the top, they can still be quite an economical option for you to pursue.

Another way in which pleated shades lack versatility is in the options for setting them on your window.  Because of their value nature, pleated shades will usually only come with up or down options.  It’ll be hard and in most cases extremely annoying for you to set pleated shades up on your window in any other way.  Of course, this design choice makes perfect sense when you consider that their primary option is either to block the light coming through the window or else to get out of the way and let it shine.

One more problem with pleated shades is that they don’t stack up as well against their counterparts when it comes to insulation.  The material that is often used to make pleated shades is not material that generally does insulation very well and the pleating that is done within the shades does not really help matters that much.  They still have a decent amount of insulation in them and for that reason you can be sure that you’ll notice some change in temperature variance when you install them.  That being said, the change in temperature will not be anywhere near as good as it could be with other shade products.

Lastly, pleated shades might not be the first choice of most family members as far as fashion is concerned.  They are homey and generally aged as far as flair is concerned, so people might balk at installing them in certain places.  If your installation is one that requires excellent fashion that is completely up to date, you might find that the pleated shades do not really help you out that much.

Conclusion

In the end, the best way for you to look at pleated shades is heavy on the economy and light on the functionality.  They’ll get the job done, but they won’t really give you anything extra than simple shade from the light.  Of course, the price is right as well.  For some people, that type of deal is good enough for the shades that they want for a particular room.  For other people, that deal is not good enough.  If you are one of these people you should probably consider other shade options with the understanding that you’ll have to pay more in order to get those shade types.

Vinyl Mini-Blinds

Advantages and Disadvantages of Vinyl Mini-Blinds
Vinyl mini-blinds are all over houses these days because many people have decided that the advantages inherent to these types of blinds trump the disadvantages that they bring along for the ride.  Of course, only you can make that decision in regards to your particular situation.  To help you make that decision, below you’ll find the advantages and disadvantages of vinyl mini-blinds.

Advantages

The main advantage of vinyl mini-blinds would have to be the exceptionally easy maintenance that these types of blinds come with.  All you need to do is spray them with water or wipe them down once in a while and you’ll be good to go.  They are practical and functional blind types that will not rot over the course of time if you don’t heavily take care of them.  They have the ability to resist tears and scratches and even if you spill something on them you’ll find that they are hardier than you might ever have realized.  They also don’t bleach from constant bombardment from the sun, allowing you to keep them as you buy them without having to worry about regular blind rotation.  In almost every way conceivable, vinyl mini-blinds come with a low maintenance blind philosophy.

An advantage that some people might think more important than the one listed above is the pocketbook advantage that comes with vinyl blinds.  Vinyl blinds and their ability to promote low maintenance is something that is also easy on the pocketbook, but there are properties of these types of blinds that are even more conducive to that type of environment.  For example, vinyl mini-blinds are a lot cheaper than their counterparts made from other materials when it comes to making a purchase.  You’ll also find that you can easily install those blinds on your own.  That’s money that you don’t have to pay someone else to install the blinds for you and therefore there are two direct pocketbook advantages inherent to the use of vinyl blinds.

Disadvantages

Vinyl is a material that cannot be made airtight.  This is not to disparage the people that make vinyl blinds, nor is it an attempt to sell this particular material short.  The fact of the matter is that the lack of airtight blinds is something that is just inherent to the type of material that vinyl is.  No matter what, you are not going to be able to make those blinds airtight.  This is just something that you’ll have to live with if you buy vinyl blinds, but it is also something that can have serious ramifications for the future.  Since vinyl is not an airtight material, you cannot use vinyl blinds as pseudo-insulating products.  In the end, this means that any hopes of making your blinds part of an energy-saving solution for your house will be dashed if you decide to purchase Vinyl blinds.

Another disadvantage that frequently comes with vinyl blinds is the lack of customization.  Vinyl blinds are intended to be low-end products that work well in a one-size-fit-all philosophy.  However, this type of approach does not sit well with people that would like blinds that fit their windows perfectly.  If you are one of these people, you might have to look long and hard before you find a company that delivers to your area and is willing to do customization for vinyl blind products.  This is not to say that you won’t be able to find one, just that it might be more difficult for you to find one.  And in the end, that is a definite disadvantage.

Conclusion

No matter how you slice it, vinyl blinds come with definite advantages and disadvantages.  Learning which is which and how those properties affect your decision is the key to making sure that a vinyl blinds purchase is the right one for you.

Bamboo Mini-Blinds

Bamboo Mini-Blinds – Good Points and Bad
Out of all of the different materials that are commonly used in the construction of mini-blinds, bamboo is perhaps the most intriguing.  It is gaining strength and popularity with each passing day within the market of mini-blinds as more and more people begin to open themselves up to the many advantages that come from using these blinds.  That being said, there are pitfalls that must be navigated as well if you want to ensure that the purchase you make is an intelligent one.  To that end, take a look at some of the major advantages and disadvantages of these blinds as they are discussed below.

Advantages

The main advantage of bamboo mini-blinds would be the advantage of beauty.  Just about anyone that has been around bamboo would be able to attest to the sheer beauty that comes from this type of material.  Bamboo has long been used in construction because of its beauty and the mini-blinds that are created from it will do as much to enhance the look of the room’s interior as they will to help protect you against the sun’s rays.  There are not many types of mini-blinds that can pull double duty in that way, but the bamboo mini-blinds that you purchase are blinds that almost universally have this particular ability.

Another advantage that bamboo mini-blinds have is their ability to act as excellent insulators of energy and heat.  You can trap heat within a particular room through the use of bamboo mini-blinds and you can do the same thing in order to keep a room cool during the summer months.  Bamboo blinds are a decent choice for you to use if you are interested in making blinds part of an overall energy-saving strategy within your home.

It is possible to get bamboo blinds created that stay in the same position and let light through miniscule holes within the blinds.  It has to do with a particular way of weaving blinds together and it is yet one more advantage that is inherent to the use of bamboo in the creation of these mini-blinds.

Disadvantages

If there is one giant criticism that could be made of bamboo mini-blinds, that criticism would have to be that these blinds have some of the most intense structural weaknesses that you will see in blinds.  Bamboo is not necessarily a weak substance, but something about the conversion of bamboo from its natural form to the blinds creates a weakness that makes a lot of the blinds quite delicate.  You need to handle them with care in order to avoid damaging them.  Most people will damage their blinds in one way or another through a careless moment and that of course will increase the amount of money that you pay for the maintenance of these blinds over the course of time.

The cost of bamboo mini-blinds is another thing that you seriously need to consider when thinking about the disadvantages of these particular blind types.  This is not to say that paying more money is always a bad thing.  After all, many would argue that bamboo blinds are worth the extra money invested.  However, upfront costs do make a difference in budgeting for blinds and that is why the increased cost is viewed as a disadvantage in this particular discussion.  Bamboo blinds will cost you more money and that is money that you’ll have to pull from somewhere else if you want to afford these blind types.

Finally, craftsmanship can be an issue when you are dealing with bamboo mini-blinds.  Both the material used and the way in which the blinds are created should be examined by you ahead of time in order to make sure that this disadvantage does not sink your ship before it even sets sail.

Aluminum Mini-Blinds

Aluminum blinds for most people are considered a step up from vinyl blinds.  The aluminum mini-blinds that are sold throughout the world and the internet these days are blinds that have quietly crept up in popularity until it has become quite obvious that more and more people are falling in love with this blind material.  Love can be blind however and for that reason you need to carefully consider a purchase of aluminum mini-blinds before you make it.  Here are some good points and bad points of aluminum mini-blinds to help you get started.

Good Points

Durability would be the first good point worth mentioning about aluminum blinds.  The durability of these blinds will allow them to last a lot longer than their vinyl counterparts and that is something that can allow you to simply put the blinds in place and then forget about them once you have done so.

Sturdiness is another good point about aluminum mini-blinds.  One of the worst things that can happen with a blind is a minor error that is not enough for you to replace the blind, but noticeable enough for you to have to explain it away whenever you have company over to the house.  This can happen a lot with wood and vinyl blinds, but it is a lot less common with aluminum because of the general sturdy nature of this particular metal.

The main bad point of aluminum as discussed in more detail below is the lack of insulation that you get from aluminum blinds.  The main reason for this is that aluminum mini-blinds are fantastic at blocking light out and preventing it from entering the house to begin with.  There are often two sides to every coin and this one is the corresponding advantage to the first disadvantage discussed in the following section.

Aluminum blinds bring an important elegance to any room that they are in.  When aluminum material is combined with a really small slat size, you’ll find that the end result is blinds that look about as contemporary and elegant as blinds can look.  The fact that they also come with a huge selection of colors is something that is not bad at all.  The amount of choice you get in how your aluminum blinds look is something that is pretty much unparalleled as far as the industry of manufacturing blinds is concerned.

Bad Points

One major drawback of aluminum mini-blinds is the fact that they do not really have any insulation features.  When you look at some of the reasons that people would want blinds in their house, insulation for the express purpose of energy conservation is one of the big ones.  If that is your goal in purchasing blinds, you need to ignore the aluminum side of the marketplace because there is no energy conservation potential in these blinds.  They are good for other things, but not for insulating the glass panes of your house.

Even though aluminum mini-blinds are definitely durable and sturdy, they are also a lot more rigid than other non-wood blind types.  For that reason, you’ll find that folding and bending is a lot harder to do with aluminum blinds.  They either won’t fold, or you’ll create permanent crack lines in the blind that will be a lot harder to deal with later on down the road.  It’s an unfortunate truth, but one you should definitely know about if you are considering making this type of purchase.

Finally, another bad point regarding aluminum mini-blinds that is worth mentioning is that they are surprisingly poor when it comes to resisting scratch marks.  You’d think that a strong metal would be able to resist scratching better, but the facts are the reverse of this.  If you have trouble believing that, think of how easy it is to scratch the side of your car.  The same is true for metallic substances that are used to create blinds.  Aluminum may look great, but it will also scratch easily so you need to handle the blinds with care.

Conclusion

When all is said and done, you need to consider both the good and the bad of aluminum blinds and decide whether the good points outweigh the bad points.  For example, if you are normally a pretty careful person that doesn’t need insulation and would like to maximize the choice in how your blinds look, aluminum blinds are a great investment.  If on the other hand you are a person that prefers to save as much money as possible, aluminum might not be the best choice for you.  Figure out what you want and then purchase the blinds based on that decision.

Micro Mini-Blinds

The main thing for you to realize about micro mini-blinds before advantages and disadvantages can be talked about is the actual definition of a micro mini-blind.  In the eyes of most of the manufacturers of these types of blinds, a micro mini-blind is a blind where the slats that make up the blind are 0.5 inches in width.  The slats are the part of the blinds that can be rotated up or down in order to close the blinds or open them without having to actually raise the entire blind surface in the same way that you’d need to raise a sheer or a curtain.  These micro mini-blinds have many good and bad points to them that dictate where and when they should be used.

Good Points

The style in which micro mini-blinds have been created is perhaps the most compelling visual good reason to have them in your home.  According to all of the experts that really know their stuff when it comes to the world of interior design, the micro mini-blinds are the ones that have the sleekest look to them.  At the same time, they are also the blinds that have the most contemporary look to them.  For many people that are trying to compliment the rest of their interior décor with the blinds, this could be the difference between actually using blinds and turning to something else.  The fact of the matter is that these micro mini-blinds can do a lot to augment a contemporary style of design and for that reason they are very popular blind types.

Another interesting visual aspect to micro mini-blinds is the fact that you can rotate them into non-existence.  These blinds are so thin that when you actually rotate them to the open position, they can look almost invisible if you are looking from the right angle.  This is something that is pretty much specific to micro mini-blinds alone and it is an excellent quality that they bring along with their purchase.  It is one of those things that may or may not come in handy, but is good to know nonetheless.

You have a greater degree of choice with these blinds when you are deciding the length that you’d like them to be.  Since the width of the principal slat unit is smaller, you have more choice in the actual length.  This is something that can actually allow you to cut down a bit on the overall cost due to materials and can therefore counteract some of the disadvantage that comes with having more units and having to pay more for the overall unit.  Flexibility also has a certain intangible value to it, something else that is worth mentioning as a good point when it comes to micro mini-blinds.

Bad Points

Micro mini-blinds have more separate parts that need to be made than other types of mini-blinds.  This is reasonably obvious.  For the same amount of space that needs to be covered and a thinner slat width, it should be plainly obvious that micro mini-blinds will require the creation of more slats than their thicker counterparts.  Unfortunately, the creation of these extra slats does usually end up raising the price of micro mini-blinds.  Even though they aren’t cheap by any stretch of the imagination however, many would argue that the good points mentioned above are worth the increased cost.  To the average person however, that increased cost is still a bad point about purchasing these blinds.

Another bad point that is worth mentioning about micro mini-blinds is the fact that these blinds are not the most durable ones on the market.  To some extent, this is a function of the material that is used in the creation of the blinds.  However, any material that is used to make micro mini-blinds is going to do better in just about any other situation that you can imagine.  For that reason, you need to be very careful when maintaining the micro mini-blinds that come along.  This is not to say that they are high maintenance, but it is more to say that they can’t take as much punishment as blinds that have thicker slats.

Final Thoughts

Generally speaking, micro mini-blinds work well with contemporary décor and shallow windows or doors.  These are the situations that are recommended the most on the part of manufacturers and most experts in the décor industry would agree with those assertions.  Keep that in mind when shopping around for blinds for your house.