Posts Tagged ‘cheap wood blinds’

Acquiring Cheap Wood Blinds: The Natural Choice

September 25th, 2009

Wood blinds are a popular choice for today’s energy-efficient and green-conscious homes. In your quest for cheap wood blinds you will find that they are manufactured from real wood. Each one is unique; tiny flaws and imperfections in the wood’s grain give these blinds individuality and one-of-a-kind beauty. Real wood adds a touch of nature to your interior design; available in a variety of stains and colors, it complements nearly any décor. Prized for its appearance and its natural insulating abilities, wood also provides excellent light-filtering capabilities. Since wood is a fully-renewable resource, it is an environmentally friendly choice and the right choice when looking for cheap blinds.

A variety of different woods are used for wood blinds. Basswood is currently the most popular type, but oak, cherry, ash, and pecan woods are also used. Each offers unique characteristics and advantages when used in manufacturing blinds.

• Basswood blinds are made from one of the most durable and attractive hardwoods; naturally light in color, it can be stained to match any color scheme, including black and dark red. This makes it one of the most versatile and beautiful choices.

• Oak is slightly darker than basswood. It offers impressive durability, and often has dramatic and distinctive grain patterns. Oak wooden blinds can be stained to any darker color to complement the existing interior design. Oak blinds tend to be more expensive than basswood blinds.

• Slightly pinkish in hue, cherry is one of the most beautiful woods. Perfectly suited for deep red and brown stains, in its natural state it is a golden color with a hint of rose tone. It is usually quite expensive, and offers reasonable durability along with unmatched appearance and lovely wood grain. Cherry mellows with age, and direct exposure to sunlight will cause it to darken and turn red more rapidly.

• Natural ash is a light golden shade with a hint of gray; this makes it perfect for staining to a dark color with no hint of red or orange. Ash has grain patterns similar to oak; less durable than oak, it is a lower-priced alternative to consider when shopping for cheap wooden blinds.

• The pecan tree is a member of the hickory family, and is a very strong hardwood; this wood is a medium caramel hue, and can only be stained a darker color, limiting the shades available. Pecan is one of the most durable materials for wood blinds.

Personal taste and existing home decor will determine which type of wood to choose; regardless of which type is selected, all natural woods have imperfections and flaws that add to their unique charm. Mineral deposits cause characteristic blue-black streaks, usually with the grain of the wood. Knots are the joints where branches met the trunk of the tree; knots are seen as an advantage since they indicate that the wood is genuine and not manufactured. Burls are less common, and appear as amorphous swirls and curves in the wood. These imperfections usually add to the beauty of natural wood blinds, and are considered highly desirable in most cases.

Acquiring cheap wood blinds will provide a warm, natural glow while offering excellent insulation and light-filtering qualities. There are cheap blinds available online that come in shades that will perfectly complement most interior designs, these lovely natural products are an excellent and environmentally-friendly choice for almost every home.