How Long Should Blinds Last? A No-Nonsense Guide by the People Who Make Them
You want blinds that look great and last. But how long should they actually last?
It’s a good question and one we’re asked often. The truth is, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. But with the right materials, proper installation, and a bit of care, your blinds should last longer than most people think.
What Affects the Lifespan of Blinds?
- Material: The quality of the parts and fabrics will make a difference.
- Location: Having the right blinds in the right rooms.
- How they’re used: Daily use in a busy household? Expect more wear. A spare room? They could last decades.
- Installation: Blinds installed in the right position using the right brackets and fixings.
Average Lifespan by Type (Based on Real-World Use)
- Roller blinds: 7–10 years
There are a few things to look out for with your roller blinds.
Plastic Fixing Brackets are an easy way to spot a low cost blind. They will wear much quicker than metal brackets and can also suffer the effects of the sun.
Fabrics are also really important in making sure your blinds will last. Generally this is not about the reliability of the blinds it is more about the blinds doing what you need them to do. Choosing the wrong fabric means you will replace them much sooner than you should. Waterproof fabrics for bathrooms and kitchens, Blackout fabrics for bedrooms will all make a difference in how long you will keep your blinds for.
The fitting of the blinds is another reason why blinds are replaced before they need to be. Most Roller Blinds installed in the UK are installed with 2 brackets, one in the left corner of your window and one in the right. The problem is what if the place the brackets need to fit is not very secure. To ensure a poor fixing is never an issue some blind companies use a fixing plate that the brackets are fixed to that will allow you to use as many fixings as you need across the full width of the blind. A cassette option also gives the installer multiple fixings if needed.
- Vertical blinds: 8–12 years
- Again there are a number of things that can reduce the lifespan of your vertical blinds.
Pockets on the fabric is one of the most common issues we see. There are 2 ways of fixing the pockets. Firstly sewing which is the more traditional way and uses a coloured thread that matches your fabric and is designed to cope with the effects of sunlight and UV. Sewing the pockets can also be done with a clear nylon thread. This method is quicker as you use the same thread for every colour of fabric. But it doesn’t cope well with sunlight and over time the thread will fail and the pocket will open. The second way is welding the pocket using double sided adhesive that again will get effected by sunlight over time. If a company is looking to make the most blinds they can they will use the last 2 methods, if they are looking to make the best blinds they can they will use the first.
The rail is the other area where making the right choice in the first place really helps. There a 2 types of runners used in vertical blind rails, one runs on friction the other on wheels. The friction runner has a groove on either side that slots into the rail. Over time with your windows and doors being open this groove can fill with dust and dirt making the blind stiff to operate. The wheel version never has these issues but will cost more up front.
Vertical Blind fabrics are just as important to get right as with the roller blinds, blackout for bedrooms, waterproof for bathrooms and kitchens etc.
- Wood/Faux Wood Venetians: 5–8 years
In my experience there are 3 main issues with wood and fauxwwod venetian blinds. The material you choose for each room makes a difference. Wooden blinds don’t last in kitchens and bathrooms. Fauxwood also work well in children’s bedrooms for 2 reasons, firstly easily cleaned and secondly the slats will flex rather than break, wood slats can splinter.
Fixings are the most important aspect as these blinds are heavy. Most wood/ fauxwood blinds in the UK are supplied and fitted with end fix box brackets. As with the roller blinds these brackets fit right on the very end of the blind again leaving no option in where to fit. Reputable companies pay extra for multi fix brackets that can fit anywhere along the width of the blind, and they can use as many brackets as they need. As I mentioned these blinds are heavy and the other issue with the end fix brackets is their distance away from the raise and lower cords. Too far away and the weight of lifting the blind can flex the headrail and over time on a big blind will crack. Multi fix brackets allows us to put a bracket right next to the cords so no flex.
Operating your wooden venetian can shorten it life. These blinds are designed to be left down and the slats tilted to control the light and only occasionally lifted to clean your windows. Raising and lowering them daily will over time cause the cords to fray and eventually fail. Bamboo slats are a good option if you want to raise your blind more often as they are much lighter than traditional wood and fauxwood.
- Shutters: 15+ years (if properly fitted )
To be honest there are very few things that can go wrong with shutters.
Material choice again is important, with the right material in the right rooms.
Tilt operation is the only other regular issue we come across. There are 3 tilt options with shutters. Firstly tilt rods on the front. These are pretty hard wearing with no major issues. Second option is hidden tilt. This is where there is a metal bar fitted to the back of your shutter and small screws securing it to each slat. These screws can work loose over time. The third is concealed tilt. This is where the slats tilt on a track system built into the frame of the shutter. In my opinion this is by far the most robust option.
I hope this information helps and I must admit I did think twice about writing this as I thought it might put people off buying blinds, but these are the conversations we have everyday so why not help others in making the right choices.
