Which blinds are best to use - an overview of types and manufacturers

Which blinds are better - plastic or aluminum?

Let us recall that blinds are a structure consisting of a fastening base to which plastic or aluminum slats (slats) are attached, connected to each other using chains or strong thickened threads or thin cords. Blinds come with vertical and horizontal slats. They are used to shade rooms from sunlight and protect from street onlookers; they can be mounted on plastic and wooden windows.

Let's look at the basic properties of blinds in order to compare which models are better, more convenient, more practical, and more beautiful.

Design

Purely outwardly, many users like plastic blinds (PVC). They are elegant, neat, do not weigh down the window and look good in the interior, especially together with light tulle or transparent curtains.

Plastic blinds

In this regard, aluminum ones are simpler in appearance, do not create a feeling of home comfort, and are more noticeable on the window. Most often they are used in offices. In order for them to fit harmoniously into the interior of the apartment, additional textile decoration is often required to soften the rough and rustic outlines of aluminum structures.

Aluminum blinds

Coloring and patterns:

• aluminum ones most often come in white, light gray or the color of wood (walnut color), while plastic has more varied color options (shades of the entire color gamut), and the variety of colors is its tangible advantage;
• plastic includes a dye in the material, while aluminum ones have a painted surface;
• both of them can be with prints, embossed patterns, perforations;
• The color of plastic, over time and under the influence of sunlight (especially on the sunny side) can fade and turn yellow, but the color of aluminum is not affected by long-term use and direct sunlight.

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Aluminum blinds combined with curtains

The attractive appearance of blinds (in particular, aluminum ones) can be ensured with the help of additional textile decoration.

Sun protection

If it is important which products cover windows better, then the choice is aluminum. They have thin and flat slats that fit tightly together without gaps. They provide good protection from the sun's rays on a hot day and prevent curious people from looking into the window from the outside.

Aluminum blinds are noisier than plastic; they rustle when moving and clap loudly when the slats close.

Features of plastic in design. The slats are thicker (compared to aluminum ones), with rounded edges, which does not allow them to fit tightly to each other; they are located at a slight angle relative to each other and do not close the window tightly enough. This circumstance allows sunlight to penetrate through the cracks.

Pros and cons when leaving

Washing blinds in general is not difficult, but sometimes it can be troublesome and time consuming. If you compare which ones are better for cleaning, then most likely PVC. But only if you act very carefully so as not to damage the fragile slats and chains of the lifting mechanism.

Pros of plastic:

• Dirt, soot, dust, traces of insects are washed off from plastic slats easier and faster (even without chemicals);
• plastic strips do not stick to each other when wiped dry after washing from residual water;
• no traces of creases appear on the plastic when bent;
• A plastic lamella is easier and safer to wash because it is thicker than aluminum.

Disadvantage of plastic ones:

• It can easily be broken if you slightly bend the lamella or press too hard, which is quite possible when cleaning.

Pros of aluminum:

• Frequent care is not required: wipe them with a dry cloth once every 2 - 3 months, and once a year - treat them with a damp sponge or using a special washing device (see photo below).

Cons of aluminum:

• the lamellas have rather sharp edges and you can injure your hand if you quickly rub the rag with a rag, holding the lamella between your fingers;
• wet lamellas stick together, you have to shake the entire canvas to separate them, but this may cause creases;
• Due to the too tight fit to each other, you have to clean one bar several times in different positions.

It is important not to allow aluminum blinds to get too dirty, because it will be difficult to clean the bendable slats.

Which blinds are more reliable - PVC or aluminum?

Many users are inclined to believe that aluminum blinds are more reliable than plastic ones. The slats are thin and bend easily during cleaning, and if you touch them with your hand, there may be creases, but they do not crack like plastic ones.

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According to reviews, many people do not like plastic precisely because it is fragile and brittle. Weak spots are near the window handle. When the room is ventilated on a frosty day, the plastic cools and near the gap to the street it becomes brittle and breaks with slight pressure.

Thin aluminum slats may bend, creases may appear on them, and the attractiveness of the appearance may decrease, but the integrity of the slats is maintained, and the blinds as a whole continue to function.

Price

It would be appropriate to remember the price, this is also an indicator of which blinds are better - aluminum or plastic.

PVC is cheaper because their service life is shorter due to their quality characteristics: they break, fade, and do not close the window tightly enough. But they have a right to exist. Judging by the reviews, many users install such blinds in addition to regular curtains. In addition, if such blinds get boring, then their low cost allows you to replace them with new ones with a different design without much regret. It happens that, in necessary cases, they are used in technical and non-residential premises - basements, entrances, garages, boiler rooms in private houses - this way you can save money.

Aluminum ones are more durable, so they will cost more.

So here the principle “better quality - higher price” is evident here. And each user himself chooses what is more important for him, taking into account the characteristics of both types of blinds for all the specified parameters of the materials from which they are made.

How to install blinds on PVC windows?

The method of attaching blinds to plastic windows is selected depending on the design features and the purpose of installing them in the room.
Roller and horizontal blinds are attached to the frame, covering only the window glass.

This method allows the doors to close freely, both individually and together. With vertical blinds, closing the shutters individually is impossible due to the fact that they are mounted on the surface of the ceiling (wall) and floor.

But such fastening also has its own positive side: the continuous closure of the window opening masks its geometric irregularities.

Installation of vertical blinds

Sequence of installation operations:

1. Marking the mounting points for vertical blinds on the ceiling (wall) for the fixing brackets.
2. Making holes for dowels using a drill.
3. Fastening the brackets with dowels.

Installation of horizontal blinds

Self-installation of roller and horizontal blinds is not recommended. However, if the structure of plastic windows and their design are familiar, you can try to install the blinds yourself, without calling a specialist.

Key differences between aluminum and plastic blinds

In general, these types of blinds have a similar base - cornice, fastenings, strong braid, runners, weights, and only the slats (slats) are made of different materials.

Let's highlight the key differences:

• PVC slats can “float” when heated strongly, so you should not hang plastic blinds in a bathhouse, sauna, or near a fireplace, but this does not threaten aluminum slats;
• plastic ones protect more “formally” from bright daylight, while aluminum ones protect better from the sun, since thinner slats are more closely adjacent to each other;
• plastic is quite fragile and breaks easily if handled carelessly, while aluminum is more durable;
• caring for plastic slats is easier, while caring for aluminum slats is a little more difficult;
• the color of plastic gradually fades and turns yellow in the sun, while the color of aluminum is not subject to such changes under the influence of sunlight;
• In terms of price, plastic blinds are more affordable, while aluminum blinds are more expensive, which can be explained by the quality characteristics of both types.

When choosing which blinds are better to install - aluminum or plastic, be sure to think about where (in what room) and under what conditions you will use them.

If you are looking for reliable and durable blinds, but you are not particularly interested in design, then take aluminum ones, they will last a long time.

Control system

The lamellas - the main element of the structure - can be fixed or rotary. The first option is used infrequently, usually on walls and partitions, for example, in bathrooms, dressing rooms and other rooms that need to be hidden from prying eyes.

Rotary models are more popular. In them, the plates are fastened together and can change position using a drive mechanism. By changing the angle of the slats, you can fully or partially open the blinds.

The position of the lamellas can be controlled manually, using a special regulator, or automatically - using the remote control or the settings of the smart home system. Automatic models are more convenient, but are significantly more expensive.

conclusions

So, we have examined the properties of aluminum and plastic blinds in comparison, and now we will summarize their advantages and disadvantages and draw conclusions.

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Advantages and disadvantages

Aluminum blinds

Advantages:

• more durable, last longer,
• reflect sunlight
• protects well from bright sunlight,
• resistant to temperature changes,
• stable coloring,
• easy care.

Flaws:

• thin strips are unstable to mechanical stress (they bend, deform),
• when moving, the metal strips make noise and a popping sound when they close,
• small variety of shapes and colors,
• special care is required when caring
• at a higher price.

Plastic blinds

Advantages:

• more resistant to mechanical stress,
• withstands the temperature of sunlight,
• many shapes, textures, colors,
• beautiful,
• simple and easy care,
• more favorable in price.

Flaws:

• cheap low-quality plastic is more fragile and fades quickly,
• insufficient protection from the bright sun,
• instability to temperature changes.

Blinds with curtains

How to check the quality of the installed structure?

The most important thing is that this must be done in the presence of the master who installed the mechanism. To check, you need to close and open the mechanism, while changing the inclination of the slats. If the plastic from which the mechanism parts are made is of high quality, then the sliders do not creak or jam when turning. The slats should close and open smoothly. The easier the slats move when changing the tilt, the longer the service life of the blinds themselves will be.

If defects are found during the inspection process, the blind installation technician must immediately eliminate them. If it is not possible to eliminate the defect on site, the technician is obliged to dismantle the entire mechanism and take it away for repair or replacement.

In order to avoid troubles associated with the quality of component parts, it is best to order blinds from companies that cooperate with reliable suppliers and have a good reputation in the market. Such companies necessarily provide warranty service free of charge. Each company provides its own warranty period; as a rule, it ranges from six months to 18 months.