Wooden Venetian Blinds 

Most Wooden Venetian blinds made of 100% Basswood slating, and have been stained to bring a wide variety of colour finishes.

Other wood types are available from our Premier range, such as Oak, Cherry and Mahogany. These types of precious woods tend to be much more expensive, and should be considered only if you want something really special, perhaps for that special room or project.

There are different types of wooden blind to suit every budget. Not all wooden blinds are the same; essentially, you get what you pay for. We tend to supply either a genuine made-to-measure blind, or a trimmed-to-fit blind. If you choose any of our wooden blind products from our company, you can be sure that even the trimmed-to-fit option is going to be excellent value for money, since Dun A Rí Blinds do not sell ‘any old rubbish!’

A made-to-measure product is one that has been made entirely from scratch to suit your window. The spacing from the edge of the slats to the position of the first punch hole is always consistent (the best option where you have many blinds in a row together), and you will have much more choice when it comes to customisation (this is because it can be made from scratch to suit your requirements). The made-to-measure products are often easier to install, since they usually have a choice of different bracket types for different installation requirements.

A trimmed-to-fit blind has been partially manufactured (usually in the Far East) and will be trimmed down to suit your required size in Ireland, thus removing a large part of the labour costs. This comes at a small trade-off however, in that you cannot specify which side of the blind you would like the controls fitted to, and the distance from the edge of the slat to the position of the first hole punch can vary. This is because the blind slats have already been punched during the pre-production, and the slats will be trimmed down in Ireland to suit your required size.

That said, both types offer good value for money (or least the ones we supply do anyway!), and we always advise that you buy according to your budget.

Please note: The described products are not to be confused with ‘ready-made’ products such as those found at DIY stores. Ready-made blinds are a total different product, and will not offer the quality or indeed value for money that our products offer.

There are other differences, but you can read about these on the relevant product pages.

Here are some helpful notes for you to consider when making a decision. Please note that not all brands will offer all features listed, and you should check the relevant product page or contact us before committing to buy.

BENEFITS      

• Slats can be angled to give total privacy.  It is also possible to give privacy and allow light to come in.
  
  
• Slats set at a certain angle will allow you see out, and stop people seeing in.
  
  
• Light can be directed around a room to reduce glare in certain areas. For example, reducing the glare on TV and computer screens.
  
  
• Blinds can be raised up to leave the window space clear and open.  (also see limitations)
  
  
• Easy to keep clean when compared to standard aluminium Venetian blinds
  
  
• Most brands can be manufactured with woven cloth tapes for the classic wood blind look.
  
  

PRODUCT OPTIONS

• Hold down clips
  • Metal/Plastic hooks which secure the bottom bar in place when attached to doors or tilt windows

• Mixed slat combinations
  • A mixture of colours can be added into one blind, by specifying the colours required and the general order in which they should be placed. The head and bottom rails colour must also be stated on order. Cords will co-ordinate unless a preference is stated. (made-to-measure products only)

• Cut Outs
  • A cut out can be made in the slating to avoid slats fouling in certain circumstances. For example, blinds which are going between tiles in a kitchen would usually be made to fit between the tiles, leaving a bigger gap at the top section of the blind from the wall to the edge of the blind. However, where this gap is deemed to be too big, the blind could be made to the shape of the opening, by cutting the lower section of slats slightly narrower to allow for the tiles.
  • To specify a cut-out, you should make a note in the notes section of the blind order. For example, if you wanted to cut out around tiles, you could state: ‘last 10cms of drop to have 2cms taken off each side of slats’               
  • IF we are installing for you, we will measure for you, but it is still wise to draw our attention the fact that a cut out is required.

• Woven ladder tapes
  • Woven tapes reduce more transmitted light, and can be ordered in contrasting colours to the slating to compliment other furniture or colours in the room. They add a classic look to a wooden blind, and are more visible from outside. With woven tapes fitted, passers-by will definitely notice that this is wooden blind, since woven tapes are not generally available as ready made blinds from stores such as Ikea and B&Q.
  • Woven tapes are sometimes offered in different widths. Generally, you should consider the overall widths of the blinds when making a decision. Alternatively, leave it to us when you place your order, and we’ll make the decision for you.

• Cords are colour co-ordinated to suit the colour of the slat ordered.  It is possible for the blind to be made with different colour cords, and this must be specified on order. (not generally the case for trimmed-to-fit blinds).

• Headrail colours are limited to Cream, White, Brown, and Black. The blind will be made with the closest headrail colour to the chosen stain. The headrail is covered by a pelmet, and so this is not so much a limitation as an advice note.

CONTROL OPTIONS

• Split
  • Split controls will have the tilt cords on the left hand side, and the pull cords on the right hand side.

• Reverse
  • Reverse controls will have the tilt cords on the right hand side, and the pull cords on the left hand side.

• Left
  • Both the pull cords and tilt cords will be positioned on the left hand side of the blind.

• Right
  • Both the pull cords and tilt cords will be positioned on the right hand side of the blind.

LIMITATIONS

• There are minimum and maximum sizes associated with every product that we sell. Please check the individual product pages for this information

• Wood is a natural product, and warping of slats is expected to take place. It is more apparent on 25mm wide slats however. If a slat is going to warp, it nearly always happens within the first month of being installed into a new environment, and is very apparent. A certain amount of warping should be tolerated.

• Grain patterns and colour shades will be different across the blind, as with any wooden furniture product. There may also be knots which, whilst are a feature of basswood, they do not occur very often. Blinds are quality checked after manufacture to remove knots of a certain size from slats, but customers must still be aware that some blinds will have the occasional knot.

• The widths of blinds are made to a tolerance of 3mm, and the drops are made to a tolerance of 5mm. Therefore, blinds that are positioned next to each other may show a slight difference in height even though they have been ordered at the same drop.

• It is widely believed by customers that Venetian blinds provide a tight seal between each slat when closed.  This not actually true, since the slats can never touch each other to create a seal.  By looking closely at a Venetian blind, you will notice that the ladder braid always creates a division between each slat – even in the closed position, causing a gap of approx 2-3mm between each slat.

• Slats in the lower section of longer drop blinds (Over approx 1600mm) will not close as tightly as those slats nearer the top of the blind. This is because the power to close the slats (exerted by the tilting mechanism) becomes weaker as the blind becomes longer in drop. This is a limitation of any venetian blind.

• Knock-outs – All slats may have small chips from where they have been cut on a saw, often referred to as ‘knock-outs’.  The edges of deluxe blinds are stained to eliminate the bare wood effect of knock-outs. Knock-outs are unavoidable regardless of the quality of supplier or wood used.

• Stacking heights for a fully retracted wooden blind is much deeper than that of aluminium Venetian blind. Wooden Venetian blinds are not generally recommended for patios doors because when retracted may reduce the head height to a unacceptable level. For actual stacking heights of wood blinds, please call.

• When you order multiple blinds with the same drop, or blinds which will be fitted at different fixing heights, but will situated next to each other; we cannot guarantee to get slats arranged into a perfect alignment with each other.  

SUITABLE AREAS FOR USE

• Bay Windows
  • Wooden Blinds are very suitable for bay windows. 
  • Bedroom
    • Please see notes above about light transmittance (limitations section)
  • Lounge
    • If you are measuring for bay windows, you will need to be mindful of the head rail widths so that you can allow for them on the angles. Please see our web page about bay windows.
  • Study
  • Conservatory
    • Usually fitted to the Pvc frame of the conservatory, and projected forward on special brackets to clear the window handles. It is a good idea to make us aware of this on your order.
  • Kitchen
    • Not suitable where the blind will get splashed repeatedly, since the lacquer finish on the wood may react badly to strong detergents. If you must have a blind over the sink, please remember to pull it up before doing your washing!
  • Bathroom
    • Not suitable where the blind is expected to get wet, or for excessively steamy rooms where there is no extractor fan. Whilst the wood has been kiln dried, excessive moisture may cause the blind slats to warp beyond the standard tolerances.
  • Dining Room                
    • See notes on French doors
  • Utility Room
    • see notes on bathrooms

Did you know that you can request a call back for our, Dun A Rí Wooden Blinds and we'll give you a FREE quote and arrange measuring and fitting for you?