There is a simple reason that people flock to faux wood blinds: money. All other factors aside, this is the number one reason for their choice. Faux wood blinds cost on average half of their wood counterparts. That quickly adds up when you find that wood blinds can cost $65 and up! The great thing about faux wood blinds is that they can offer the same type of benefits of real wood and do it at an incredibly great price.
Faux wood blinds also have some benefits that real wood blinds don’t. Wood blinds have real trouble in places with high humidity. They can warp, fade, and crack. Wood blinds can also sustain damage more than faux wood ones. They especially seem to gather scratches more. This can be a real issue if you have young kids. Parents, you know what I mean. It’s frustrating to spend all that money on wood blinds, only to have them crack. These blinds are also very easy to clean. And again, that just makes life easier. Wood blinds are also prone to molding. These faux ones, however, are treated both to be water and mold resistant. That is a huge benefit if you are planning to use wood blinds in your kitchen or bathroom.
Faux wood blinds are made from a type of plastic known as PVC. PVC is polyvinyl chloride and is used in a wide array of applications. Most people will recognize PVC as the plastic used in most modern piping. If you look under your sink and see a white plastic tube for the drain, it is most likely PVC tubing. PVC is used in these applications because it is highly durable. It is that kind of durability that makes PVC a great candidate for faux wood blinds.
When vinyl blinds came onto the market, they were not a great replacement for wood blinds. They looked cheap and weren’t well made. But what a difference a few years makes! Manufacturers started making faux wood blinds to compete with the aesthetic that natural wood could provide. They also improved the overall quality of the blinds. They used to fade a bit with the color ones. Now faux wood blinds come in an amazing amount of varieties.
2 Faux Wood Blinds
Typically, these wood blinds are offered in a true 100% PVC option and a hybrid wood and PVC composite. This may seem a little confusing at first, but this is only an issue of weight. Some people don’t like the turning action of the 100% PVC faux wood blinds because they are heavy. To alleviate that, manufacturers introduced a composite of wood and PVC. These wood blinds offer the same great look and durability with 15% less weight. Users report that they prefer the turning action of these 2 faux wood blinds.
2 inch blinds look great on a window with depth and height. They can look silly on a window that is short or one that lacks depth. Also remember that manufacturers have only a limited color range that they typically work with. Yes, they produce the most used colors, but they will lack any colors that are not as common. Please note that faux wood blinds cannot be stained. You can, however, paint these blinds. Of course, that requires dis-assembly to do it right. Trust me, avoid this option if you plan on doing a lot of the blinds. It is a painful and very tedious process.
Discount Faux Wood Blinds
The old adage does apply in principle when it comes to buying them. As a matter of course, I would not buy cheap vinyl blinds. Stay away from them as they are inferior. I would, however, buy discount faux wood blinds that are truly on sale. This means you are getting a good value for the blind and not just paying less for a piece of junk.
There is one place I get asked about a lot, and that is Ebay. Should you try to find discount faux wood blinds there? Well, that is a tricky question. I have heard of people doing well with vendors on Ebay. The issue is of Chinese knock-offs. Sometimes even the knock-offs can be good. But sometimes, it’s definitely buyer beware. I would look at all the seller information. You can get a clue as to quality from the seller’s rating. Another thing you want to check is if they hail from China. Sometimes that is hard to do, but sometimes you can determine that.
1 Inch Faux Wood Blinds
Where 2 inch faux wood blinds struggle, 1 inch ones shine. If you have a shorter window or a window that lacks depth, you may find that the 1 inch ones do a good job of providing light control. Some people like having the 1 inch blinds on normal sized windows. I tend to think they look way too eighties style for that, but that is a personal preference.
In conclusion, faux wood blinds have come a long way since they were first introduced. They provide great durability over natural wood blinds. And the cost is incredibly attractive. Manufacturers are now able to provide a wide array of textures, colors, and styles. And they even offer wood composites now. It is a great time to invest in these blinds!