Which blinds are better, plastic or aluminum - reviews, comparison of characteristics, disadvantages to consider

Blinds are installed to protect from sunlight and prying eyes. Such products must meet certain requirements so that their use brings comfort and does not create problems. The first and important factor is environmental friendliness. The second is ease of use; the slats should be easy to open and close and easy to clean.

What are plastic blinds?

The products are made from PVC - polyvinyl chloride. Modern technologies make it possible not to use toxic compounds and bisphenol A.

Plastic blinds can be washed frequently. They can be used in rooms that require high sanitary requirements.

Often, plastic blinds replace fabric curtains in the nursery. For a frequently ill child or people with allergies, this is the most acceptable option. The slats do not absorb allergens and dust, they are easy to wipe and can be disinfected with chlorine-free products.

Advantages and disadvantages

With the help of plastic products, you can effectively protect the room from too bright sunlight, and, if necessary, completely darken the space. They have many advantages:

Design. PVC blinds are produced in a variety of colors, with three-dimensional patterns on the entire canvas and plain ones. They reproduce the luxurious texture of wood as accurately as possible, replacing natural bamboo and wood products.
Moisture resistance. Plastic does not swell like wood and does not corrode like metal. It is absolutely moisture resistant. Blinds can be installed in rooms with high humidity: bathrooms, greenhouses, swimming pools, laundry rooms, etc.
Affordable price. Plastic products belong to the lowest price segment. Everyone can afford simple models made of white plastic.
Easy care. Products can be easily cleaned with soapy water. To care for them, you do not need aggressive chemicals or abrasives.

Flaws:

white plastic turns yellow over time;
prone to fading under the influence of ultraviolet radiation;
deformed from high temperatures;
when heated, it can emit a specific odor;
thin slats are easy to break.

Criterias of choice

It is recommended to choose blinds by paying attention to the following important points:

For placement on a loggia or balcony, it is better to choose fabric or plastic, since bamboo and wood can make noise. Plastic slats are easy to wash and clean and do not lose their appearance for a long time.

To select the required model, you must follow the rules:

check openings with a level;
lubricate the purchased structure annually with silicone grease;
purchase slats made of durable material;
The width of the blade in the rolled version should be equal to the size of the glass.

For the kitchen, it is recommended to purchase blinds made of moisture-resistant fiberglass. She washes herself well. In rooms it is better to install products impregnated against dust accumulation. The color you choose is silver, gray or white. Products with cheerful designs are more suitable for a children's room. Silicone, a soft brush, and a damp cloth will help keep the slats clean.

What are aluminum blinds?

Aluminum blinds consist of slats made of aluminum. More often the lamellas are located horizontally. The product is installed on the window on special brackets using self-tapping screws. Blinds can be mounted on any surface: window frame, wall, ceiling.

Horizontal aluminum blinds are considered universal. They are great for kitchens, terraces, balconies, country buildings, and offices.

There is a common myth that you only need to use PVC blinds for plastic windows. This is wrong. Aluminum blinds can be mounted on any frame - plastic, wooden. They do not violate aesthetics and combine well with other types of materials.

Advantages and disadvantages

Aluminum slats are strong and durable. During the production process, a layer of enamel is applied to them. The coating provides resistance to temperature changes and high humidity.

Pros:

Fire safety. Aluminum is fire resistant - does not ignite and does not emit toxic substances. In case of fire it becomes deformed.
Easy care. To clean aluminum slats, simply wipe them with a damp cloth or brush off the dust. Contaminants are not absorbed into the material. In addition, aluminum attracts less dust.
A light weight. Aluminum blinds are lighter than wooden and fabric blinds. The weight is almost the same as plastic products. But at the same time, they are superior in strength to all other types.
Odor resistance. The product does not absorb the smell of cigarette smoke. They are well suited for areas where smoking occurs.
Moisture resistant. The enamel coating protects the metal from corrosion. Aluminum blinds can be used in rooms with moderate humidity.
Reliability. Aluminum slats will not break if accidentally dropped, lightly pressed or pressed. It is quite difficult to damage them if you do not do it intentionally.

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Aluminum products have no obvious disadvantages. Some may not like:

slight noise in a draft when the plates touch;
poor choice of colors;
heating of the product when exposed to direct sunlight;
relatively high cost (compared to plastic).

Installation methods

Depending on the type of system, it can be secured in different ways. Horizontal varieties can be installed:

into the opening;
on the sash;
on the wall.

In the first two cases, the slats should be slightly wider than the window sash or frame. When attached to the wall, their width will be 12-15 cm greater than the opening. The optimal length is slightly less than the height of the opening, so that the product does not “lie” on the window sill.

Vertical varieties are attached:

into the opening;
on the wall;
on the ceiling.

The first two options are almost similar in size to their horizontal counterparts. The system mounted on the wall should be at least 12-15 cm wider than the opening, more is possible. Length varies. In some cases, slats are chosen that reach almost to the floor.

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Blinds can be fixed to cover the entire window opening

What is the difference between them?

Classic white horizontal blinds are not much different in appearance. Aluminum and plastic plates have approximately the same thickness. On the window the differences are invisible. Is that the shine of glossy plastic is more subdued. At the same time, they equally successfully cope with the function of protection from light. Rotating mechanisms allow you to adjust the angle of incidence of the light flux and its intensity.

The difference between the products is small, and is revealed when comparing the characteristics:

Aluminum products are more expensive (if we compare classic models of standard sizes).
Plastic blinds come in a wide range of colors. Polymer materials lend themselves well to coloring. For aluminum products, the choice of colors is often small, and is limited to 5-8 color schemes.
Aluminum plates make a slight noise when assembled and unfolded. They hit the windows quite noisily in a draft. The noise of plastic is significantly lower.
Aluminum blinds are reliable and resistant to mechanical stress. Plastic plates break easily and crack when dropped or bent.

Interesting fact. The word “blinds” is translated from French as “jealousy.” Several centuries ago, jealous men used sticks suspended on ropes to hide their wives from prying eyes. In 1841, John Hampton used the idea to create modern blinds that could be raised and lowered.

How to shorten a cornice

Trimming the excess part of the cornice yourself is risky: you can damage the elements that drive the blinds.

But if you still need to shorten the cornice, you need to proceed as follows:

Using pliers, remove the star-shaped cap from the end of the cornice. No manipulations can be made with the opposite end, in which the blinds mechanism is located.
After removing the plug, carefully disassemble the cornice box, separate the coil, and remove excess runners.
Mark the cutting line, then use a hacksaw to shorten the structure into 2 parts.
File the cut edges and check that there are no foreign elements left inside the rails.
Replace the spool and adjust the thread tension inside the guide.
Complete the assembly by installing the plug in its original place. If the ring is severely deformed during removal, repair it using pliers. If it is impossible to repair, you should purchase a new plug from the store to replace the damaged part.

Sometimes it is necessary to shorten the cornice.

Table with characteristics for comparison

Aluminum and plastic are the most popular materials for blinds. First of all, they are distinguished by ease of care. It is enough to collect the dust with a vacuum cleaner and wipe the plates with a damp cloth, and the curtains will be clean again. It is difficult to choose between the two types of materials. We suggest comparing their characteristics in the table:

Plastic blinds	Aluminum blinds
Material	PVC (polyvinyl chloride)	Aluminum, enamel
Kinds	Horizontal, vertical	Horizontal, vertical (less often)
Design	Rich palette of colors, designs, imitation wood, metal, matte or glossy surface	Primary colors are used, the surface is glossy or matte, drawings are rare
Fire safety	No	Yes
Noisiness	No	Yes
Moisture resistance	High	Average
Resistance to deformation	No	Average
Resistant to fading	Low	Average
Price	From 450 rubles	From 750 rubles

Which is better to choose?

Experts advise choosing the type of blinds, first of all, based on the characteristics of the windows and the room in which they will be used.

It matters whether the side is sunny or shady, and whether there are heating devices nearby.

It is better to choose aluminum blinds:

If there is smoking indoors. Aluminum cannot be burned through by a cigarette, and it does not absorb cigarette smoke.
For kitchen. Active use of a gas stove, electric heating devices, and hot frying pans increases the risk of damage to a plastic product. Aluminum blinds are heat resistant and will not melt from the heat.
With strict fire safety limits: for a kindergarten, hospital, laboratory, food production, premises with a risk of an open fire.
If the windows are located on the sunny side. Aluminum does not fade in the sun or melt, as can happen with cheap plastic. The latter can also give off a plastic smell in hot weather.

For reference: When exposed to direct sunlight, the lamellas heat up to a temperature of +60 degrees.

Plastic blinds worth choosing:

If the budget is limited.
If most of the time the windows are located in the shade.
People who like wood blinds but want to save money on real wood. The imitation on PVC looks very believable.
For a children's room. Plastic products are less noisy and will not disturb the child's sleep.

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Varieties of design

The name blinds hides a group of mechanisms that differ in their operating principles. Let's look at the pros and cons of each.

Horizontal

The lamellas covering the glass are located horizontally and are attached to the top bar. Thanks to this, the system is universal. It is variable in size and can be used for inclined roof windows. Among the advantages we note:

Several mounting methods.
They take up little space.
Various materials can be used for their manufacture.
The ability to change the angle of rotation of the lamellas and raise them to the desired height. This allows you to effectively regulate the intensity of the light flux.

Disadvantages include less strength than vertical analogues. Therefore, the dimensions of horizontal products are limited. If they are too long, there is a high probability of deformation and problems when moving the slats.

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For a long time, horizontal blinds were the only type of system

Cassette products are considered a type of horizontal products. They were developed for installation on plastic windows. Inside the compact cassette, which is attached directly to the sash, there are unique lamellas made of plastic or fabric. When open, they completely cover the opening. Several positions are possible when the glass is only slightly open.

Some similarities between cassettes and roller blinds sometimes cause confusion. They are also mistakenly classified as horizontal structures. But that's not true. The operating principle is completely different. If we compare which is better, blinds or roller blinds, it is clearly visible that the first option regulates the intensity of natural light much more effectively. Rotating the slats allows you to quickly find the optimal position, while the curtains can only be opened completely or partially.

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Horizontal blinds can be attached directly to the window sash.

Vertical

A system of vertically arranged lamellas, the upper part of which is attached to the cornice. The lower part is assembled onto a guide. The width and length of the structure can be very different. Its advantages include:

Durability and strength.
Easy to maintain and operate.
Effective regulation of light levels by changing the angle of rotation of the slats.
Possibility of fixing in openings of different, even the most complex shapes.
Variety of designs.

There are few disadvantages, but they still exist. The main one is that only fabric can be used to make a vertical system. True, different types.

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The length of vertical blinds can vary. In some cases it reaches the floor

What are the best blinds according to reviews?

Metal is metal. Aluminum is stronger and more durable than plastic. It does not fade in the sun and is easy to clean. At the same time, its price remains affordable.

Most buyers prefer aluminum blinds to plastic ones.

They are often compared in reviews.

Reviews about plastic blinds

Reviews of PVC blinds are not always positive. Most often, buyers do not like the fragility of the material. However, many are ready to forgive the shortcomings of plastic, given its affordable cost.

Elena: “Plastic blinds were on rented housing. They turn yellow over time and become deformed in the sun. We bought aluminum vertical ones for our house. The second year they look like new. And it’s much more convenient to wipe. You’re not afraid to break it.”
Ksyusha: “I dreamed of hanging blinds on the balcony. I wanted to not only close myself off from the sun and prying eyes, but also not to disturb the aesthetics. Therefore, the choice fell on plastic blinds with a pattern. I bought vertical ones because they collect less dust. Very pleased. They’re easy to clean, lightweight, and look decent.”
Olya: “We live on the first floor - in full view of the residents from the house opposite. And everyone passing by looks in the windows. I'm tired of putting up with this. We bought cheap horizontal plastic blinds in Auchan. I open them at an angle of 45 degrees. The house is light, and nothing can be seen from the street. True, after two or three years, the white plastic turns yellow. But the price allows you to buy new blinds. The last time they chose the colored ones. I think they will last longer. And I got used to washing them like this: I take them out of the fastenings, put them in a bath of water, pour in a little washing powder, and leave them for half an hour. I move it around a little with my hands, rinse it and hang it over the bathtub to drain. Perfect cleanliness."

Reviews about aluminum blinds

Most buyers do not find any disadvantages with aluminum blinds. Reviews:

Anastasia: “We installed aluminum vertical blinds 6-7 years ago. The windows in the apartment face exactly west. 12th floor. After lunch, nothing blocked the windows, and the apartment turned into a stove. Everything is ok now. We are completely satisfied with the choice.”
Valera: In the summer it was incredibly hot on the balcony. The temperature on the thermometer rose to 39 degrees! I installed aluminum blinds (the simplest ones), now +30 maximum. My wife organized a green corner. The plants feel great there. Yes, I am too".
Lena: “I don’t like blinds myself; I consider them more of an office option. I bought it for my mother. I liked the green horizontal metal blinds. The plastic ones are very flimsy, if you bend them a little, kinks appear. Mommy is happy. He says that with the help of a special brush they are easy to care for.”

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We produce and sell only high-quality products!

Modern blinds allow you to change the inconspicuous interior of a room without significant investment and provide favorable living conditions for all family members or for employees to stay in the office.

We offer:

a collection of blinds made from the best materials;
production of products to order, taking into account the characteristics of the cabinet, office, house or apartment;
qualified advisory assistance, as well as free on-site visits to carry out the necessary measurements;
manufacturing products at reasonable prices from quality materials;
warranty service;