Timber vs. PVC Blinds

Timber Venetian Blinds ClosedIf you're deciding on blinds for your home, you'll be weighing up and discussing materials that perhaps you had never given a second thought to. Timber and PVC are two materials that are often discussed in tandem as rivals for the spot of your window coverings.

At Total Look Blinds, we manufacture a range of blinds right here in Auckland. Two of our most popular and most debated are certainly timber and PVC. So which will you choose? Let's go over the pros and cons of each.

Pros of Timber Blinds

The biggest advantage of choosing timber blinds is their aesthetic appeal. Timber furnishings and furniture in general, have charm due to their warm and natural look full of interesting grain patterns. Timber blinds will suit any decor, from contemporary to traditional, and no material can beat their visual effect. They tend to look as though they are built into the home and architecture rather than standing out.

Timber blinds are also great because they offer variety in style, shape, size and colour, they are also very light, this results in minimal ladders being used throughout the blind, which results in a cleaner look. Timber, as a material, is ecologically sustainable, in that timber is a renewable resource that is readily available.

Cons of Wooden Blinds

On the downside, as a natural material, wood can expand and contract with changes in moisture. This can lead to twisting and warping in the vanes, especially if the timber blinds you use are lower in quality. Timber is also more prone to chipping, cracking and fading, especially when exposed to the sun or elements. In addition, while timber does provide some thermal insulation, it does not compare to PVC in that regard.

Benefits of PVC Blinds

As an artificial timber product, PVC blinds have the benefit of giving you a similar look and feel of wood. They are great for when you want the look of painted timber on a budget, and you can even choose between many different durable paint finishes.

As PVC is a synthetic material, it is incredibly strong and manufactured to be able to withstand everything from strong winds and rains to high levels of UV light from the sun without warping, cracking or fading. The chemical structure of these blinds is resistant to oxidisation, so you can feel free to use them in any moist environment without fear of rust.

PVC also has more insulation properties than timber, which helps you keep your home warm in the winter and cool in the summer, helping you to save on heating and cooling costs. In addition, you'll find that it uses up fewer natural resources than other synthetic materials to produce, as it is made up of 57% chlorine, which is derived from salt. This high chlorine content also serves to make PVC blinds fire retardant.

Cons of PVC Blinds

In terms of cons, there aren't too many to speak of. One con is the weight which results in more ladders being used which sometimes give a cluttered look.  Some customers may have reserves about purchasing a synthetically made product, but we feel the pros far outweigh the cons.


Speak with one of our experts at Total Look Blinds for more help deciding which material is right for your blinds. Call us today to schedule a free consultation, measure and quote, or get a free quote online now.

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Mary McDonald ★★★★★ Having worked with Total Look Blinds previously, they were our number 1 choice when we decided to install Shutters in our new home - we are absolutely thrilled with the result. Adds a 'wow' factor ! Thank you so much TLB - everyone we have dealt with has been fantastic. We highly recommend dealing with this Team - they are great and their product - TOP NOTCH!hong he ★★★★★ Love the company and the products they provided and installed. We are very grateful for their wonderful support and help!David Subritzky ★★★★★ Total Blinds completed the blinds at our workplace. The finished product was high quality. The whole process was easy. Competitive pricing. Quick delivery. Professional installers Highly recommendPia Grassa ★★★★★ I’ve used Total Look Blinds many times in the past few years. Terry the sales representative is very organised and easy to deal. The company never fails to deliver on time. The whole team from sales, reception, admin and installers are all so professional. We couldn’t be happier with the blinds and shutters they’ve installed for us. I will use them again and would definitely recommend them.Gary Patterson ★★★★★ Great advice, service, installation and price. Terry listened to the challenges we were trying resolve and provided a couple of different solutions and steered us accordingly. We have installed black, blackouts in a bathroom with black tiles (with mounting into tiles, with the installation done expertly!), the rest were a combination of 2% & 5% shade in white. They have come up great. The installation by Joe and another Terry was fantastic, both lovely guys! Highly recommend.Pete Jay ★★★★★ The process with TLB has been exceptional. From initial measure, color selection and quoting to the final fitout has been amazing. The attention to detail the installer took to make sure all the little things were taken care of was great. Would recommend to anyone in the market for blinds and shutters - it has really made our new home even better! Thanks again.Graham Booker ★★★★★ What a fantastic company to deal with from the lovely communication from Gayle in the office to the install all of the blind by Graham just great and we love the blindJohn Trotman ★★★★★ We had Total Look Blinds install blinds in our House they were very professional and efficient,from when Terry first measured and Quoted until the blinds were installed,would recommend them for all your blinds and curtains you may need,Thanks again for a great service.Jackson Whitham ★★★★★ Outstanding service from everyone at Total Look Blinds. Jo was incredibly helpful in quoting a sun screen blind over the phone including looking up previous work done at home to match measurements, ordered over the phone and installed in less than 2 weeks - well ahead of schedule - high quality, friendly installer. Definitely recommend using this company!D Smith ★★★★★ I've used Total Look Blinds on a number of occasions and have always have excellent quality and service, Lauren is fantastic to deal with. I highly recommend them!Audrey Usmar ★★★★★ Amazing customer service and product!! From Lauren doing the quote and recommendations, to Carl doing the install, to the amazing office support with Jo... Highly recommended. You can't go wrong with this awesome group looking after you THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!Emily Anderson ★★★★★ Love my new shutters - they have transformed our guest room and bathrooms! From the sales visit to the installation, so easy to work with the great people of Total Look Blinds! Love that they are made here in NZ too! Thanks!Krizelle R ★★★★★ Seamless and amazing service. Quick responses and quotes. I had tried other companies but Total Look Blinds had the best offer. It's also great to know that I'm dealing with a local business that manufactures and supplies their own blinds.Appreciated Lauren coming to the Waikato for a measure, originally thought it was for Auckland only. I had intended to go for a different set of blinds but after consulting, the one I ended up choosing turned out way better as it matches the house.Installation was a breeze, Carl was apparently quite new but it sure didn't seem like it! Blinds look amazing. There was one I pointed out that appeared a bit slanted and Carl took it back with him to have it fixed. The team worked on it with no fuss and now I have perfect blinds to enjoy (:Highly recommended, will be requesting again for my other windows! Thanks team.Darc Swan ★★★★★ Excellent people to deal with and products that look great/good quality/well priced. Would highly recommend.Angela Shepherd ★★★★★ Roger did a fantastic job of installing our new shutters. He was very professional and very friendly. His attention to detail was impeccable. (Terry was involved in the initial consultation and was also very knowledgeable and helpful.) We would definitely recommend them. AAAA++++Royden Motu ★★★★★ Hi. Love our new blinds. Great service from start to finish. Highly recommend Carolyn and the TLB team.Sarahlou Clark ★★★★★ AAA+++ service professional recommended to all. I thought I could imagine what it was going to look like but I am absolutely rapt looks so fresh, clean and high end it’s mind blowing and great price Thank you so much.Antoinette Cooney ★★★★★ Happy to recommend the service and products provided by Total Look Blinds recently.Terry did the initial measuring with helpful suggestions. Roger the installer was great and a perfect tradesman to help us ‘oldies’ - no rushing through the job or explanations. Pleased with our vertical and roll up blinds👏Vicki Landon ★★★★★ Cannot fault Caroline and the team from Total Look Blinds. Very professional and accommodating. Friendly people from the measuring, advice on product and installation. We have used them in several houses and will continue to do so. Highly recommend Total Look Blinds.Debbie Somervell ★★★★★ We received excellent service from beginning to end.We are returning customers and would highly recommend.Thanks.john millanta ★★★★★ Roger was wonderful put them in nicely great service total look 👀 blindsTracy-Ann Willcock ★★★★★ Thank you Jo and Roger at Total Look Blinds. Your service and after service and products are absolutely fantastic. From 3 years ago when Roger installed the Blinds to the fantastic after sale service today, absolutely brilliant. Jo and Roger are just such nice people. Thank you!Jo Makin ★★★★★ Amazing service from the beginning thank you, my blinds look beautiful, having them on remote as well makes life easyPrabhath Lewke Bandara ★★★★★ Pros:Swift and efficient measurement and quote processShortest lead time in the industryOutstanding product quality and craftsmanshipGenerous and reliable warrantyProfessional and attentive teamCons:None to mention – Shutters exceeded all expectations.nicola taylor ★★★★★ Amazing company, amazing team and amazing service. Totally recommend Total Look Blinds.Zarintaj Malihi ★★★★★ Happy trading with total look blinds. A professional team from the first day of making contact, to the installation day. Perfect timing, clear and straightforward communications ! Thanks for this perfect service.Mark Jeus Buenavista ★★★★★ Great company to deal with. Terry is very knowledgeable. Happy with the outcome of our kitchen windows with shutters. Next project would be shutters in our living room windows. Thanks Total Look Blinds team!Gaye Heywood ★★★★★ Total -Look BlindsWould recommend them they are organised, friendly, great communication, quick installation. Nothing is a problem. Very happy with their service from start to finish.Paula Reason ★★★★★ Total Look Blinds are amazing ! Fantastic fast service , top quality product, friendly, and best of all , installed early !Leila El-yassir ★★★★★ I cannot recommend Total Look Blinds enough. From start to finish, their professionalism, expertise, and attention to detail were truly commendable. The quality of their blinds is exceptional.The customer service provided was second to none. Brent and David were knowledgeable, friendly, and always ready to assist. They patiently answered all my questions and helped me make informed decisions that perfectly matched my style and requirements.They went above and beyond to ensure that I was completely happy with my blinds. Any concerns or issues I had were promptly addressed and resolved to my utmost satisfaction.I highly recommend Total Look Blinds to anyone in need of high-quality blinds and outstanding service. I am extremely pleased with my blinds and the overall experience. Five stars all the way!James B ★★★★★ Lovely blinds with professional service.Sincere thanks to Laren for your helpful advice and Carl for excellent installation…..much appreciatedlouise O'Sullivan ★★★★★ We've used Total Look Blinds over a number of years for the blinds in our house. Terry and his team always provide great service, product and price. Would happily recommend.Christine Chang ★★★★★ Absolutely a great company. The sales consultant, Terry is so passionate with his job & Richard the installer was great.Would totally recommend to anyone. The pricing is very competitive. Keep up the good job!!! & I am very happy with the outcome.Gemma Vavasour ★★★★★ Fast. Efficient. Fabulous blinds we paid the extra for fabric for block out roller blinds. Highly recommend.Nitin Kailani ★★★★★ Very good service and product quality ,the whole process from Sales to Install to payment it’s was just professional , spot on & seamless.Well done guys !!Diane Andrew ★★★★★ Recommend this company highly. Efficient and quality service. Very happy with my blinds. Very reasonably pricedMarley Brady ★★★★★ We had stunning shutters installed throughout the house. The staff were great and we love the final look! 5 starsjs_loader
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