Both vertical and horizontal blinds have the same properties in that they control heat, glare, UV rays, and lighting in the rooms of your home. They also give you privacy control and look aesthetically pleasing in many different fabrics and colors. The main difference between the two types of blinds is that they have the vanes oriented differently from each other.
What are Vertical Blinds?
Vertical blinds have vertical vanes that are hanging from a sliding track and the top, and you open and close them horizontally with a plastic chain to open and close the vanes or with a plastic wand to tilt the vanes open or closed. There’s a chain on the bottom of the vanes with weights on them to keep the vanes in place whether they are entirely open, closed, or anywhere in between.
What are Horizontal Blinds?
Horizontal blinds have horizontal vanes that are attached together by cords so that they move together while evenly spaced to open and close them. You can also tilt the vanes in any position to allow filtered light into your indoor spaces. If you tilt the vanes so that the light shines upward on your ceiling, then you will get some light without the harsh glare of the sunlight being directly in your eyes. This helps to keep your phones, computers, and laptop screens as well as televisions from having a glare on them.
The Difference Between Vertical and Horizontal Blinds
Both vertical and horizontal blinds can have vanes made of wood, aluminum, vinyl, or fabric in many different colors to match any type of decor you may have in your home. Vertical vanes are wider and are often 3.5 inches wide to give you more light when they are tilted open than horizontal blinds with more narrow vanes. Vertical blinds slide open from left to right or right to left, depending on how they are installed.
Horizontal blinds commonly have 2-inch tall vanes. The smaller vane size gives you less light when they are tilted open in comparison to vertical blinds. Horizontal blinds open from the bottom to the top of your windows, so you can partially open them for light at the bottom of a window, and privacy at the top of a window.
Are Vertical or Horizontal Blinds Better?
Each of the two types of blinds works well in a home, however, because of their different construction of them, there are some instances when one works better than the other for you. Vertical blinds move from left to right across a window to open and close them, making them best for east and west-facing windows to block the sun depending on the position of it during the day. Horizontal blinds work well on north and south-facing windows because you can adjust them up and down to keep the sun out of your home when it’s at different angles throughout the day.
When to Use Vertical Blinds Instead of Horizontal Blinds
Vertical blinds work well for large sliding glass doors because they can open partially and not be in the way of the door operating properly, whereas horizontal blinds on a sliding door would impede the operation of the sliding door. Some areas where vertical blinds work best are large French doors, sliding glass doors, bay windows, very large windows, and wide windows. It works best to choose larger vanes for the large windows and doors to have better light control and not to look too busy.
Pros of Choosing Vertical Blinds
Vertical blinds look really great on large expanses of a glass of any type with a more modern appearance than horizontal blinds. They also are the blind of choice for large windows and sliding glass doors because horizontal blinds can be too heavy and wear out the lifting mechanism very quickly. Vertical blinds only support the weight of each vane individually on the top track to last longer. The lighting is easy to control by tilting the vanes at any time of day, and they are very attractive with many different finishes, styles, textures, and materials from which to choose. Vertical blinds also make the ceilings in your rooms look taller, and they are easier to maintain because dust doesn’t settle on them as it does on horizontal blinds.
Buy Vertical Blinds from The Window Design Studio
If you are searching for vertical blinds in San Francisco, The Window Design Studio is your clear-cut winner for expert window treatments in the area. We have the largest selection possible, so you can choose from many different options. We offer you the finest quality vertical blinds from leading manufacturers such as Hunter Douglas, Graber, Norman, and Lafayette for long-lasting and durable San Francisco window treatments. Contact us today so we can create something both beautiful and functional for you!
