What is the Best Material for Window Blinds?

By: Natalie Elmhurst

Updated: 7/8/2024

You’ve explored all the different types of window treatments and have decided that window blinds are right for you. You’ve made an excellent decision in choosing an easily adjustable, timelessly styled window covering. While you may be tempted to choose whatever material the sales rep recommends, it’s worth taking your time to explore the different window blind material types.

There’s a wide range of window blind materials available, each with differing benefits, sustainability, price ranges, and potential drawbacks. Depending on your budget, your preferred aesthetics, the room you’re hanging the blinds in, whether you have kids or not, and the climate you live in, you’ll want to choose certain materials over others. Let’s explore the different materials and help you find the best type of window blinds for you.

Types of Window Blind Materials

There are 6 main types of blind materials that you’ll likely choose from. Let’s introduce each and go over their benefits and drawbacks.

Fabric Blinds

Fabric blinds for windows are beloved for their coziness and the vast array of colors, patterns, and textures available. Fabric may not work for everyone, due to some potential drawbacks, but for those it does, customers tend to love fabric blinds.

Benefits:

• Large number of fabric designs available
• Great at improving home’s insulation
• Excellent at blocking light
• Options for opacity

Drawbacks:

• Not as versatile when it comes to functionality
• Cannot withstand heat or moisture, making them unsuitable for bathrooms or kitchens
• Tend to attract dust and be more difficult to clean
• May absorb cooking odors

Wood Blinds

Wood is one of the best window blind materials available. Using natural materials, wood blinds bring a bit of the outdoors into your home.

Benefits:

• Elegant material that brings the natural world indoors
• Available in multiple finishes to match your preferred aesthetic
• Durable material that will last many years

Drawbacks:

• Comparatively expensive
• High-humidity environments, such as bathrooms, will warp slats over time
• Wood polish needs to be applied regularly to keep wood slats healthy

Faux Wood Blinds

If you love the look of wood blinds but balk at the price or need a more robust material, faux wood is an excellent alternative. Made from a polymer compound, faux wood blinds require minimal upkeep while looking incredibly similar to wood.

Benefits:

• One of the most affordable materials
• Wide selection of colors available
• Robust, long-lasting material that can handle any environment
• NFPA 701 fire-retardant rating

Drawbacks:

• Illusion of wood appearance lost when viewed up-close
• Heavier than other materials

Aluminum Blinds

Affordable, lightweight, and a clean, modern vibe make aluminum a popular material for blinds. Just be careful not to damage them accidentally.

Benefits:

• Lightweight material that’s easy to raise and lower
• Rust-resistant aluminum suitable for humid environments
• Modern vibes

Drawbacks:

• Cling-clang noise can be bothersome
• Slats will be permanently damaged if bent too far
• Some customers find material cheap-looking

Vinyl Blinds

Like faux wood, vinyl blinds are an affordable option that’s easy to clean and durable. The PVC material resists stains, yellowing and warping, and UV rays.

Benefits:

• Cost-effective window blind material
• Available in a wide range of colors and textures, depending on the manufacturer
• Easy to clean and maintain
• Looks great in contemporary-styled homes

Drawbacks:

• Artificial materials can give off an artificial vibe
• Easily damaged if handled roughly, making it unsuited to homes with little kids

Bamboo Blinds

Bamboo is one of the best window blind materials for sustainability-conscious consumers and those looking for a lightweight material. And like wood, bamboo blinds will bring a calming outdoor vibe to your home.

Benefits:

• Lightweight and easy to operate
• Durable
• Well-suited to warm climates

Drawbacks:

• Doesn’t block light quite as well as other materials
• Aesthetically not as versatile as other materials
• Not very good at insulating windows

Factors to Consider When Choosing Window Blind Materials

Now that you have a good overview of the various window blind material types, how do you actually go about choosing the best window blind material for you? Unless you’re dead set on a certain material, it can be helpful to look at it through the specific benefits that each material will provide. Let’s go over some of the factors to consider.

• Durability and longevity: How important is it that your blinds be especially robust and have a maximum amount of longevity? For customers with little kids or those on a limited budget, selecting a durable, long-lasting material will be paramount. Faux wood blinds are a great choice in this respect.
• Sustainability: Trying to be as eco-conscious as possible? Bamboo and wood blinds are made from natural materials, helping you limit the amount of plastic in the environment. On the other hand, vinyl and faux wood tend to be more long-lasting, reducing landfill waste.
• Light control and privacy: Most blinds can be fitted with light-blocking material to seal gaps, but some materials are naturally better at this. Fabric, faux wood, and vinyl tend to be the best in this regard.
• Maintenance and cleaning requirements: Are you going to be able to commit the time to maintain and clean your blinds so that they’ll last as long as possible? Some blind materials are much easier to maintain than others. Fabric tends to attract dust and is tricky to clean, while wood can’t get wet and needs to have wood polish applied regularly. Faux wood and vinyl are by far the easiest to clean and maintain.
• Style and aesthetic compatibility: Custom blinds are a huge investment, so you want them to look nothing less than fabulous. What kind of look are you going for, and how does each material compliment your home? Wood blinds are great in traditionally styled homes. Vinyl vertical blinds are fantastic in contemporary homes with large windows. Faux wood blinds stand out in creating a warm and inviting modern home.
• Budget: Last, but certainly not least, you’ll need to consider your budget. Material prices vary wildly, so you’re best off contacting Stoneside directly for a more accurate quote. A general rule of thumb is that natural materials tend to be more expensive than synthetic ones.

Expert Tips for Selecting the Right Material

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by all the choices for blind materials and their corresponding pros and cons, you’re not alone. Selecting the best window blind material is not an easy decision. This is why we rely on experts to guide our decision-making. Here are some tips, in order of importance, to narrow down your search.

1. Climate: Are there unique environmental considerations for where you’ll be hanging your blinds? Wood and bamboo are ill-suited to humid environments, fabric will absorb cooking odors in a kitchen, and aluminum can be easily bent by small kids or pets.

2. Budget: How much are you willing to spend? There are a lot of factors that will influence the cost of your blinds, but you may want to avoid fabric, bamboo, and wood if you’re on a very limited budget.

3. Aesthetic: You’re going to have to look at your blinds every day for years to come, so why wouldn’t you want something that looks amazing? Let your aesthetic preferences guide your decision-making.

4. Specific functionality: Some materials have specific functionality. Aluminum can be outfitted with a reflective coating to block sunlight in summer, while bamboo will allow a slight breeze through when closed, for example.

Stoneside Will Help You Choose the Best Blinds

Fabric, wood, faux wood, aluminum, vinyl, and bamboo–there are a lot of choices when it comes to finding the best window blind material for you. Each has benefits and drawbacks. Hopefully our expert guidance has given you a good starting point in finding the window blind material best for you. Contact Stoneside today to schedule a free design consultation and get started on finding the absolute best window blind material type for your home.