Since window treatments are one of the only indoor fixtures that are partially visible from the street, you might be more than a little nervous about choosing the right blinds for your home. Fortunately, by knowing what to look for, you can streamline your shopping experience. Here are four things you should consider before investing in new blinds for your home.
Desired Light Level
One of the first things you will need to decide when you shop for blinds is the desired level of light inside of your place. While some people like blinds or shutters that let the light pour in, others like window treatments that block the harsh rays of the sun.
Keep in mind that larger slats will let more light in, while smaller slats create more of an ambient glow inside of your home. Additionally, some blinds are better behind things like curtains, so if you intend to hang some, ask the window treatment professionals you work with which ones would be best.
Your Energy Bill
In addition to filtering the light into your home, blinds can also be a powerful source of energy savings. Since some blinds are made of solid wood and others are created to provide insulating pockets of air against the window, the blinds you choose could help you to cut down on your monthly power bill.
In fact, honeycomb blinds have been shown to shield as much as 62% of heat transfer, keeping carefully heated air indoors during the winter and heat-generating UV light outside during the summer. If energy savings is a priority for you, look for window treatments with blackout technology or a high R-Value.
Décor Aesthetic
Unfortunately, even the most energy efficient blinds might cause buyer's remorse if you can't stand to look at them. Before you head to the window treatment store, think carefully about your home décor and design aesthetic. As you shop, look for blinds that would meld with your style.
For example, if you have a clean, modern home, honeycomb shades might lend a gentle touch to the windows, while large, wooden slats may throw off the look of your home. To make the shopping process easier, take note of the materials used throughout the rest of your home, including hardware, crown molding, and trim.
Consider matching materials and color shades if you can to make your blinds blend in. For instance, if you have white trim and crown molding throughout your home, white wooden blinds might be the perfect addition.
Your Cleaning Commitment
Those newly installed blinds might look gorgeous now, but after a few months, you might be faced with a serious Saturday cleaning project on your hands. Over time, dust and debris build up on window treatments, and kids with sticky hands and curious fingers can make a mess of your blinds fast.
When you shop for blinds, think carefully about your personal commitment to cleaning, and what you are willing to do when it comes to your blinds. Keep in mind that some blinds have special cleaning needs because they are made from porous materials like wood.
After you have an idea of what you are willing to do when it comes to your blinds, look for window treatments that match your level of commitment. For example, if you have a busy lifestyle and a packed schedule, consider picking blinds that are easy to wipe down in a hurry. On the other hand, if you like a more formal look and have the time to handle more in-depth deep cleanings, shop to your heart's content without worry.
When you have an idea of the blinds you want for your home, visit Lyons Lumber Co. In addition to carrying a wide array of building materials including premium lumber, fasteners, and shingles, this friendly hardware store also offers a massive selection of high-end paints, window treatments, hand tools, cleaning supplies, and light fixtures.
FAQs
Expert-Verified Answer
How is lumber a renewable resource? ›
Sunlight strikes the leaves, photosynthesis uses the light (energy from the sun) to combine air (CO2 mostly) and water to create glucose (“chemical energy”- sugars), which is stored in the wood itself. Wood is a renewable resource, which means that additional resources can be grown to replace any wood that is cut down.
Why is wood considered a renewable resource when would it be considered a nonrenewable resource? ›
Wood is generally classified as a renewable resource because, as long as it is replanted, there will be more of the material. There are exceptions to this, namely rainforests. To establish the rainforest biome, it can take thousands of years; merely replanting the same type of tree won't replace the rainforest.
Is wood 100% renewable? ›
Wood Is a Completely Renewable Resource
Forests can be carefully planted, harvested and replanted to produce a consistent stream of resources without negatively impacting the environment.
Can wood be described as a renewable energy resource? ›
It is obtained by cutting trees. A new plant sapling usually takes more than 15 years to grow and mature into a tree. Therefore, replenishment of cut down trees takes a very long time.
What is the most renewable resource? ›
Hydropower currently is the largest source of renewable energy in the electricity sector. It relies on generally stable rainfall patterns, and can be negatively impacted by climate-induced droughts or changes to ecosystems which impact rainfall patterns.
Is lumber an example of a nonrenewable resource True or false? ›
The sun, wind, and water are the most common examples of renewable resources. Others include lumber (which can be replenished through planting), the earth's heat (geothermal), and biomass. The call to use renewable resources, especially as energy sources, is becoming more common.
What is one disadvantage of wood is a renewable nonrenewable source of energy? ›
Wood energy is an important renewable form of power generation that can be used domestically to provide electricity and heat for homes at cheaper costs while supplementing local incomes. However, using wood-based power plants may lead to deforestation and air pollution.
What is one disadvantage of wood? ›
2 Drawbacks of wood
Wood has some drawbacks when used as a construction material; it is vulnerable to fire, moisture, insects, fungi, and decay, which can weaken its structure and durability. It is also prone to shrinkage, swelling, warping, and cracking, leading to dimensional instability and aesthetic defects.
Is wood a renewable building material? ›
As with any resource, we want to ensure that our raw materials are produced and used in a sustainable fashion. One of the greatest attributes of wood is that it is a renewable resource.
There are many types of sustainable wood you can choose from – mango wood is a fast-growing hardwood that is a by-product of mango farms, so this is ideal to produce sustainable furniture from. Other materials, such as, rattan, Douglas fir, certified oak and ashwood are also sustainable.
Is wood rapidly renewable? ›
Easily renewable resources are also a good choice for design. Bamboo and cork both grow rapidly and replenish themselves much faster than traditional materials. Wood is also a renewable resource when it is grown in an environmentally and socially responsible way.
Is wood really sustainable? ›
That depends on the type of wood. When you cut down a hardwood tree like an oak, it can take hundreds of years to grow a new one. But if you chop down a softwood tree like pine, it'll grow back quickly, which is much more sustainable. Some countries are using wood from sustainable forests to build homes and offices.
Is wood renewable yes or no? ›
Trees are one of the most useful renewable natural resources. We use trees to produce almost 8,000 different things, like this cardboard box. Wood is used to make most of these products. Tree wood is in our homes, furniture, paper, and on and on.
Is wood waste renewable? ›
The nation's leading source of renewable energy is now biomass—predominantly wood waste, such as the wood-chip fuel being unloaded in the photo above.
Can you use wood as fuel? ›
Wood fuel is a fuel, such as firewood, charcoal, chips, sheets, pellets, and sawdust. The particular form used depends upon factors such as source, quantity, quality and application. Today, burning of wood is the largest use of energy derived from a solid fuel biomass.
Is hard wood renewable? ›
Wood is a Renewable and Natural Material
There is nearly twice as much new wood growth as there is wood removed during harvest throughout American hardwood forests. This means that there is far more trees being planted and currently growing than trees being cut down.
Why wood is a good example of the efficient use of a renewable material? ›
It's renewable.
Unlike many building materials (steel, for instance), wood does not deplete the earth of its natural resources. Because it's a resource that more or less stands on its own, it can be grown and harvested over and over again.
Is softwood lumber renewable? ›
Wood is a 100% renewable building product
As a building material, wood is renewable, strong and versatile; and a lower carbon footprint choice. It is the only major building material that stores carbon for its useful lifetime, being 50% carbon by weight.
