Wood Window Treatment

February 21, 2008

Wood conveys a very warm and relaxing atmosphere that provides you the homey feeling you’ve always wanted. There are a variety of approaches for wood window treatment. You may be able to pull the whole thing off yourself over the weekend. Here are a few ways on how you can effectively design any window in the house.

Your Options on Wood Blinds

Wood blinds can come from a variety of nice sources such as cedar, oak, cherry, walnut, bamboo and basswood. Prices will vary depending on the type of wood, quality of the material as well as the size the perfectly matches your window. These real woods also come in various shades and colors so you may have to pick tones that compliment the area where you’re planning to treat. Oak, cherry and other dark wood will look great in living rooms and kitchens where lots of natural light come in through the windows. Dark wood also looks great in bedroom windows providing a very romantic and tranquil aura.

Mini-blinds work well in children’s rooms while Roman blinds is a great alternative in terms of design in the living room or dining room windows. Bamboo blinds convey an oriental feel. It is also a great alternative to dark wood since bamboo comes in shades of olive green, light brown, burnt sienna and beige. You can find several wooden blinds in your local hardware store but the best ones come from certified manufacturers who customize everything. Getting wooden blinds and shutters from skilled makers will ensure that the wood is of premium quality. All color finishes, polish or paintjob and mechanism can be specifically customized to suit your needs and style.

When it comes to wooden shades, you may have to choose between real wood and faux wood. Real wood are the ones mentioned above and appears more natural-looking. The ladders in real wood are also more durable plus color can be re-stained or painted. Generally, real wood has lighter weight than faux so fewer ladders will be needed increasing the window’s view. Faux wood is less expensive and typically lasts longer than real wood. It is easier to clean and stain-resistant. Heat, moisture and humidity are potential risk factors for real wood so people usually prefer using faux wood in areas with lots of these like the bathroom and kitchen windows.

Being Certified

You can validate the quality of your wooden shades, rollers and shutters by asking for certification from the National Wood Window and Door Association or NWWDA. The group provides hallmark certification to approved manufacturers after checking that their products meet the set standards. Your window’s performance and durability will be tested so you can be sure that you get what you pay for. You can also ask for certification from the National Fenestration Rating Council or NFRC to assess the thermal performance standards of the wood.

When buying wooden window treatments, talk to the dealer and ask about the source, type and quality of wood. You may want to visit more than one manufacturer to compare the difference in price. Some actually charge more depending on the wood color or if you want to have the wood cut or customized to fit your window. Some manufacturers include a water repellent but quality may be compromised as well with the addition.

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