Many people ask us about the difference between Venetian blinds and Plantation shutters. They are both window treatments designed to control the access of light and to make homes more private; but that’s about all they have in common, so let’s go into more detail and see which solution is best for you.
The Materials
Plantation Shutters:
- Made from wood, aluminium, composite materials or uPVC.
- These materials have superior thermal performance, saving you money on heating and air conditioning.
- When closed, they block visibility from the outside to the inside.
- Heavy duty materials mean shutters can be mounted internally or externally.
- Shutters can be cleaned regularly.
Venetian Blinds:
- Made from fabric such as sun filter or plastic
- No thermal performance, so no protection against hot or cold conditions.
- Depending on the fabric, blinds may or may not block visual access
- Must be mounted internally – they are not weather proof.
- Cannot be cleaned very often before showing wear and tear.
The Mechanisms
Plantation Shutters:
- The slats on shutters can be adjusted for optimum light and insulation control.
- They can double as burglar proofing and can be fitted with lockable catches.
- Being of heavy construction, they take up more space than blinds.
Venetian Blinds:
- Venetian blinds and vertical slat blinds can be finely adjusted to control light.
- Roller blinds do not have fine adjustment but can be partially or completely lowered, providing some degree of light control.
- Being made of lighter material, blinds take up very little space when rolled up.
The Formats
Plantation Shutters:
- Slatted, solid or roller shutter format.
- Hinged shutters usually mount on the sides of the window reveal and stack away to the sides.
- Roller shutters are usually only mounted outside where they offer protection from burglary and fire, if they are made from the requisite materials.
Venetian Blinds:
- Venetian slats, vertical slats or roller format
- All blinds are top mounted – they do not have the rigidity to hold themselves up, so have to be mounted to hang.
The Decision
Choosing between shutters and blinds is really more a case of what you can afford. Shutters offer far more protection on all fronts and will add real value to your home. Blinds are more in the drapes family and while they do offer some protection, they can never take the place of shutters.
