The Difference Between Vertical and Horizontal Window Blinds

February 26, 2018

What is the difference between Vertical and Horizontal Window Blinds? In homes and commercial spaces, you’ll find a couple of different types of window blinds. They are Vertical Blinds and Horizontal Blinds. One (or both) of them may be perfect for your private residence or place of business.

• • The Vertical Blinds have bigger slats. These slats hang from rail tracks at the top of the window. Vertical window blinds may be closed or opened via wands or chain pull systems. These styles of blinds are optimal choices for covering bigger windows. They are also ideal for covering sliding glass doors.

• The Horizontal Blinds are the most popular window blind designs. They have a traditional look, so consumers are very familiar with them…and very comfortable with them! With horizontal styles, the slats usually measure between one and two inches. They are common choices for windows of small or medium size.

Bear in mind that each style of blind has its trade-offs. When you understand the pros and cons before you shop around for new window blinds, you’ll empower yourself as a consumer.

Design Your Blind is here to help you find what is exactly right for your home or office windows. Before we discuss the advantages and drawbacks of each blind type, let’s talk about how they are similar.

How are Vertical Blinds and Horizontal Blinds Similar?

Vertical and horizontal blinds are similar in two important ways. Both protect home and office interiors from sunlight. The blinds keep glaring daylight at bay, whether they have vertical or horizontal orientations.

The best window blinds block light to “blackout” levels, or very close to it. They are effective ways to protect a room and its occupants from harsh light. Choose vertical or horizontal blinds for bedrooms, common living spaces (at home or commercial spaces) and offices.

The possibilities are virtually endless.

The second similarity between vertical blinds and horizontal blinds is that they are crafted from the same types of materials. For example, our brands of vertical and horizontal window blinds include faux wood, vinyl (PVC) designs and aluminum. All materials offer lightweight performance which facilitates day to day operation, whether a blind is big or small.

We are also pleased to provide horizontal blinds in genuine wood, in addition to vinyl (PVC) and imitation wood.

Advantages of Vertical and Horizontal Blinds

You’ll get quality protection against sunlight, no matter which blind type you select. However, certain types of blinds do offer specific advantages. This is the reason why it is so important to choose the blind type that will work best with the various sizes of windows in your home or commercial space.

Vertical Blind Advantages

These blinds are tailor-made for wider windows, as well as sliding doors. Traditionally, till the early 1950s, custom blinds were horizontally installed for wide windows and sliding doors. However, the horizontal designs are not the most appropriate choices as they stack at the top and obstructs the view from a window. Vertical styles provide a superior fit and they are simpler to open and close. Also, they cover large areas to perfection and stack on the sides of the window rather than on top.

Vertical Blinds are low-maintenance, because they are just so easy to clean. They collect less dust than the horizontal styles and are easy to wipe-down. The vertical designs are also easy-maintenance because they are manufactured from materials which resist moisture, like vinyl (PVC) and faux wood.

Also, you’ll be able to choose from a bigger assortment of cleaning products. Most household cleaning products are safe to use on these materials. You will have no trouble finding cleaning products which work well, without staining your blinds or fading their finish.

Vertical blinds prevent light from seeping in because they have wider slats than horizontal blinds. Just one vertical window blind will have the capacity to keep out more daylight than biggest, custom-made horizontal blind.

Benefits of Horizontal Blinds

When you go horizontal, you’ll amp up privacy. These types of window blinds offer more privacy than their vertical counterparts. One disadvantage of vertical styles is that they often move from side to side. Sometimes, a slat may get out of synch with the rest of the slats and this means gaps which let in light.

The horizontal slats can be tilted downwards, allowing you to look out, keeping full privacy from the outside. With horizontal styles, there is far less chance that the interior of your home or commercial space will be exposed.

If you want to cover small, medium or narrow and tall windows, horizontal blinds will be the smartest choices. This is because horizontal blinds have the right type of construction, size and design for these windows.

Also, horizontal window designs won’t touch flooring. If you want to avoid dust and dirt build-up at the base of your window treatments, you’ll like horizontal blinds. They often rest on the sills of windows, rather than the floor.

Another benefit of horizontal blinds is that they are quieter in operation. Vertical blinds tend to be a bit noisier when they are being adjusted. The noise factor for vertical blinds goes up when they aren’t maintained properly.

Horizontal blinds offer whisper-quiet performance.

Horizontal blinds from trusted manufacturers should stand the test of time. Expect these blinds to last for years. Vertical blinds run on tracks and have more moving parts. This means that they are more likely to suffer from everyday wear and tear. They are also more likely to require repairs or replacements.

You’ll Love Our Vertical and Horizontal Window Blinds

Now that you have the inside scoop on the differences between vertical and horizontal blinds, as well as their similarities and pros and cons, isn’t it time to find ideal window blinds for your residence or commercial space?

Our inventory of vertical and horizontal blinds is extensive. We offer styles from the world’s most respected blind manufacturers, including Hunter Douglas and Graber.

Whether you want basic and affordable blinds, mid-range styles or high-end blinds, you’ll find that we offer impressive options.

Also, you should know that your blinds may be personalized and outfitted with extra features such as cordless operation and motorization. We’re here to help you choose the perfect fit for all of your home or office windows.