Obiaks Blog

Wooden window blinds as part of a home improvement project

Wooden window blinds provide a great solution for a window treatment as part of a home improvement project. They offer a relatively inexpensive way of giving a room a real feel of luxury and warmth. They also bring a touch of nature to the inside of the home.
Wooden venetian blinds are probably the most popular and practical kind of wood blind available at the moment. They consist of a number of horizontal slats (or louvers) that are connected together using a ladder tape which allows the slats to be rotated through about 170 degrees, giving great control over the amount of light entering the room. This control over the slats is not only a good way of filtering the sunlight but means you can have as much or as little privacy at the window as you require.
They can also be raised or lowered as desired using the lift cord.
They are generally made from basswood which is an ideal wood for manufacturing blinds as it is a lightweight yet durable wood. It also lends itself very well to being stained in a number of attractive colours due to its natural grainy texture.
These blinds are available in a wide range of colours and sizes. The most common slat widths are 1" (25mm), 1.5" (35mm) and 2" (50mm). Some of the more popular colours include pine, beech, tawny, honey, chestnut, auburn, hazel and white.
When deciding on which size of slat to choose, the obvious thing to bear in mind is that a blind with 1" wide slats will have twice as many slats as a blind with 2" slats, and it's purely a matter of opinion as to which looks better.
The fitting of these blinds is a fairly easy job, particularly for someone with DIY experience. They should come with all the necessary instructions,mountings and matching valance.
The tools you will need are a drill, a pencil, a screwdriver, a saw to cut the valance to size and a spirit level.
Cleaning the blinds is again an easy process. The best thing to do is dust them on a regular basis, and then once every couple of weeks give them a wipe over with a damp cloth.
In conclusion wooden venetian blinds are a great way to enhance the décor of any room and will give an elegant, luxurious look and feel to your home for many years to come.