Should I Buy Wooden Blinds With Or Without Tapes?

Ah, the age-old debate in the realm of window dressings: to tape or not to tape? That is the question. All jokes aside, many customers often struggle to decide on whether to buy wooden blinds with or without tapes. So, today, we thought we would take a few moments to regroup and outline the factors to consider when making your choice. 

It often feels as though there are a million and one different ways to dress your windows these days. Along with all of the standard types of blinds and shutters on the market – pleated, roller, venetian, wooden, roman and all the rest – there are also a vast variety of different customisations that are available, too. So, it can often feel like a bit of a minefield trying to make the right choice for your home. ‘Tapes’ or ‘ladder tapes’ are just one of the customisations we offer here at Flair Blinds.

So, what exactly are wooden blind tapes? 

Wooden blind tapes, also known as ‘ladder tapes’, are vertical strips of fabric that run from top to bottom all the way through the slats of your wooden blind. These tapes serve to support the slats and keep them orderly and uniform by holding them in place.

These tapes are designed to be a visible part of the blind’s aesthetic design, and how many tapes a blind requires will depend upon its width. So, the larger the blind, the more series of tapes it shall require. Simple, right?

If wooden blind tapes aren’t quite your cup of tea, your blind will be fitted with standard lift cords. These are the small, fine strings that hold the slats of your blind together. They’re hardly visible at all, and are intended to be purely functional, opposed to the aesthetic nature of ladder tapes, which are a design element in and of themselves.

Ladder tapes are intended to be seen, to pack a visual punch per se. Customers can opt for either contrasting colours for their tapes or can select something more subtle that is intended to blend in with the slats.

What’s the visual effect of taped blinds?

Opt for wooden blinds without tapes and you achieve the visual effect of the wood and the wood alone being the aesthetic focal point. Choosing to omit tapes means you’ll achieve a more natural and visually fluid appearance for your window dressing, setting the colours and textures of the wood centre stage.

Wooden blinds with tapes, however, are intended to go one step further. With this customisation, the tapes themselves are an element of the design, and can either contrast with or coordinate with the wood of your blinds. Wooden tapes allow for a more visually dynamic impact, presenting greater interest due to the interplay between the different materials and textures. Many feel that the tapes help to break up the visual effect of the wood, eliminating the hardness from the design and bringing something a little soft and playful, instead.

The colour you choose when it comes to your tapes is, of course, central to the finished product and a major factor. For a more subtle effect, you can choose to match the tape colour with the shade of the wood itself. For something bolder and a little more daring, you can opt for a statement colour that contrasts with your blinds. The tapes also provide an opportunity to further develop a wider colour theme that is at play within the room at large, should you opt to reiterate one of your accent colours.

Are there any downsides when it comes to taped wooden blinds?

• Opt for tapes over lift cords and you may find that you have to spend a little more time and attention on the cleaning of your blinds. Due to the fabric material they are composed of, they can attract a little more dust and dirt than cords do. They’re also more likely to stain and become marked over time, so it’s important to care for them.
• Unfortunately, ladder tapes for your wooden blinds are not water resistant. This means they could be something of an unsuitable choice when it comes to, say, a room such as the bathroom, where humidity and moisture are forces at play.

Ultimately, it’s a question of personal choice when it comes to deciding between wooden blinds with tapes and wooden blinds without tapes. Of course, there are one or two functional matters at play, but really, it’s about what sort of aesthetic effect you are looking for!

Looking for wooden blinds that will stand the test of time and bring an element of style to your room? Get in touch with our friendly and knowledgeable team today to find out more and to receive a free, no obligation quote.