Faux wood blinds are much heavier than real wood blinds. As such, for larger windows the weight becomes more and more of an issue.
Consider this - faux wood blinds weigh approximately 2x's more than real wood blinds. So, if a 36" x 48" wood blind weighs about 10 pounds, then the same size faux wood blind would be approximately 20 pounds. These weights are just rough estimates for the purposes of this blog article.
However, when we are talking about larger windows the weighs become more significant. Please kindly follow the logic. If a 96" x 60" wood blind weighs 25 pounds, then the same size faux wood blind could be 50 pounds. As you can see, we are now dealing with weight that would stress the cords, lock mechanisms and even your ability to lift it. In fact, some of these larger faux wood blinds can be so heavy that they are impossible to lift with just the cord, and as such require a hand underneath the bottom rail to help carry some of the weight.
The industry deals with this weight issue by limiting the size of these blinds. For instance, top line brands might be willing to make faux wood blinds as wide as 86" as long as the height of the blind does not exceed 48". If a fabricator is willing to make a large faux wood blind, then they will advise NOT using the lift function of the blind and/or will require a warranty waiver. For the mid-level or cut-down faux wood brands, the width of the blind generally will not exceed 72" with a maximum height of 96".
This is why larger windows are almost better handled with real wood blinds, whenever design parameters work with that choice.
Of course, we would love to help you work through the weight issues of your faux wood blind project. Also, for a rough idea of what your project might cost, check out our online wood and faux wood blind calculator.
Consider this - faux wood blinds weigh approximately 2x's more than real wood blinds. So, if a 36" x 48" wood blind weighs about 10 pounds, then the same size faux wood blind would be approximately 20 pounds. These weights are just rough estimates for the purposes of this blog article.
However, when we are talking about larger windows the weighs become more significant. Please kindly follow the logic. If a 96" x 60" wood blind weighs 25 pounds, then the same size faux wood blind could be 50 pounds. As you can see, we are now dealing with weight that would stress the cords, lock mechanisms and even your ability to lift it. In fact, some of these larger faux wood blinds can be so heavy that they are impossible to lift with just the cord, and as such require a hand underneath the bottom rail to help carry some of the weight.
The industry deals with this weight issue by limiting the size of these blinds. For instance, top line brands might be willing to make faux wood blinds as wide as 86" as long as the height of the blind does not exceed 48". If a fabricator is willing to make a large faux wood blind, then they will advise NOT using the lift function of the blind and/or will require a warranty waiver. For the mid-level or cut-down faux wood brands, the width of the blind generally will not exceed 72" with a maximum height of 96".
This is why larger windows are almost better handled with real wood blinds, whenever design parameters work with that choice.
Of course, we would love to help you work through the weight issues of your faux wood blind project. Also, for a rough idea of what your project might cost, check out our online wood and faux wood blind calculator.
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