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Window Blinds Slat sizes of blinds
Window Blinds Slat sizes of blinds | Slat sizes of blinds |
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Slat size is an important consideration when buying blinds. The width of your slats determines how much control you will have over the shade and brightness, how durable the blinds will be, and how much privacy it can give you. Slatted blinds come in a wide range of slat sizes and widths. The general range for store-bought blinds is three-fourths to ten inches (two to 18 centimeters), while custom-made blinds can be thinner or thicker according to the owner's preference. There are different size ranges recommended for different styles and materials. Following are some of the standard slat sizes available today. Styles Venetian blinds Venetian blinds generally have thinner slats than other blind styles. Slats are two to five inches (five to 12 centimeters) wide, although two-inch slats are the most common. These are commonly used in average-size windows. Mini blinds Mini blinds are considered a type of Venetian blind which, as the name suggests, are smaller and thinner. They are mostly used for smaller windows and portable booths. Slat widths are around one inch (two to three centimeters). Vertical blinds Also called track blinds, vertical blinds tend to be long and wide. Vertical slats narrower than three inches are rare, except for small custom-made window blinds. The maximum slat width is seven inches, but may be larger for custom-made blinds for large offices. Materials Wood Wooden slats range from one half to 2 ½ inches wide for horizontal blinds and three to five inches for vertical blinds. Since wood is more opaque than vinyl, very wide slats are not advisable because they can block out too much light. Vinyl Since vinyl is lighter than most slat materials, slats come in the full range of widths allowed for blinds, from three-fourths to seven inches. The most common size for vinyl slats is two inches, the same as the standard for Venetian blinds where they are most commonly used. Aluminum For aluminum slats, thickness is normally used as reference. Aluminum slats come in different thicknesses, from a paper-thin .25 millimeter to a relatively thick three millimeters. Thinner slats, commonly used in small windows, are usually in the two- to three-inch range. Thick slats are used in large vertical blinds in factories or industrial settings, and range from five to seven inches wide. Custom-made blinds Having your blinds custom-made gives you more options on slat size, but it is best to stay within or close to the standard. Blinds narrower than half an inch provide insufficient shade and have to be placed at close intervals, which may cost you more in labor fees. Likewise, oversized blinds can be hard to control – they either make your room too dark or too bright. |