A close cousin of the Venetian blind, the aluminum blind is a modern solution to an age-old problem. With horizontal slats that can be manipulated in four directions, it’s a practical privacy and light control option for homes and office buildings alike. Also known as mini blinds, the aluminum blind system grew in popularity during the 1970s and remained the highest selling window covering well into the 1990s. Since then, other window treatments have taken its place at the top, but our aluminum blinds remain a popular choice amongst home- and business owners.
Its raise in popularity was due in part by its inexpensive manufacturing process. While not considered a cheap metal (compared to others, like steel) aluminum has a much higher strength to weight ratio than its counterparts. That means with very little mass (and therefore cost), a thin aluminum blind can withstand a lot of wear. The material is also moisture resistant, so it isn’t subject to fluctuating humidity levels, and it can easily be cleaned with a wet cloth and soapy water. By using a continuous casting method, slats are created when molten aluminum is solidified into a semi-solid product before it’s pushed through the desired, rectangular shape. This method provides superior quality and cost efficiency.
Another reason why aluminum blinds were widespread in the 70s was because this was a particular time for the North American housing market. Many people were moving to new homes and apartments with regularity, and they were in need of a window covering that was both easy and inexpensive to install.
It remains popular to this day not only because it’s an economical and durable choice. Home- and business owners appreciate the style and control it affords them. Minimal in design, aluminum blinds can easily keep up with the changes to trends in interior design. When fully extended, the horizontal slats (open or closed) create clean lines that complement any room’s design, and they fit in a neat stack at the top of the window when raised. Aluminum blinds also can come in a wide array of colours, so you can match your window treatment to any décor.
Customizable style is met with complete light control, as there are two sets of controls to allow you to regulate the amount of light that comes into the room. The slats are held together with cords that are knotted together in a design very similar to the legs of a ladder. By pulling the main lift cord, you set in motion a mechanism that drags the bottom of the ladder up and the upwards movement forces the slats to collapse on one another until the entire blind system sits flush against the top of the window. When the blinds are fully extended to cover the entire window, you can pull on another cord (called the tilt wand) to rotate the angle of the slats. Set horizontally (so the slats are parallel with the floor), you can have privacy with sun exposure, as the open slats let though enough light to illuminate your space without having to completely remove the slats from the window. Set vertically (so the slats are very close to parallel with the wall), the slats create an impenetrable wall, allowing little light through.
There’s little wonder why aluminum blinds have remained a popular window treatment for offices and homes alike. As a practical option that affords durability, style, and customized light control to any room, our installation experts are constantly helping home – and business owners to install a set of their own. Give us a call to see what options await you, and one of our installations technicians can mount a set in your rooms once you’ve made a choice.