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Conservatory Awnings
Drop & Sliding Arm Awnings
Fixed Louvre Arrays
Folding Arm Awnings
Motorisation
Moveable Louvre Arrays
Parasols
Roller Blinds / Screens
Tensile Stuctures / Shade Sails
Traditional Shop Blinds
Vehicle Awnings
Venetian Blinds
Walkways & Awning Stuctures
Window Canopies
Window Film
Anti-glare Blinds
Black-out Blinds
Cellular Blinds
Conservatory Blinds
Dim-out Blinds
Energy Saving Blinds
Insect Screens
Internal Planation Shutters
Mid-pane blinds
Non-Retractable Louvre Arrays
Panel Blinds
Pinoleum Blinds
Pleated Blinds
Roller Blinds
Rooflight Blinds
Shaped Blinds
Soft Blinds
Tensile Structures
Timber Venetian Blinds
Timber Vertical Blinds
Vertical Blinds
Bar &/ Servery Shutters
Bar / Servery Grilles
Industrial Folding Doors
Industrial Rolling Shutter Doors
Office Roller Shutters
Roller Garage Doors
Shop Front Shutters and Grilles
Vertical louvre blinds consist of two basic elements, a rigid headrail containing louvre carriers incorporating rotatable hooks and a set of louvres with each louvre hanging from one of the hooks. The carriers traverse along the length of the headrail and are connected to each other in such a way that they can be bunched together at one or both ends of the headrail or drawn out along the full width of the headrail. When drawn out, the distance between adjacent hooks is less than the width of the louvres. Therefore when the hooks rotate the blind to the closed position each louvre overlaps the louvre or louvres next to itself.
Vertical blind headrails are made in extruded aluminium that is either anodised or painted. They normally have a plain or ribbed face however some are available with a recessed front that accepts a piece of louvre fabric. Alternatively a clip on fascia may also be an option. This gives the whole blind a co-ordinated appearance. Components within the headrail are of injection moulded plastic with the exception of the links that control the spacing of the carrier trucks. These can be made of stainless steel or plastic. Operation can be dual control with separate controls for tilt and traverse or mono controlled via a wand or through a gearbox. Electrical operation is available. For bay windows, tracks can be curved or joined to one operating point.
Louvre blinds fitted with the usual control chains and cords should feature additional child safety devices when fitted in buildings where children live or may visit.
Louvres are normally weighted at the bottom and connected to each other by stabilising chains that are fitted near the bottom of the louvres. Louvres can include an enclosed bottom weight that does not feature stabilising chains. A third option features a bottom rail with controls operating both headrail and bottom rail. Blinds made in this way can be fitted at an angle and are suitable for skylights. Louvres can be made in a variety of materials. Woven, knitted or non-woven fabrics are used as the base to which specialist coatings are applied to endow the fabric with additional performance features. Such features include finishes such as solar protective coatings for improved solar and optical performance and flame retardant coatings. Totally opaque fabrics are available in a variety of substrates for black-out purposes. They are also available in washable fabrics. Although such fabrics can be completely opaque it should be noted that vertical blinds only offer a dim out option.
Aluminium or rigid, extruded PVC louvres are also available. Louvres are generally supplied in 127mm (5"), 89mm (3½) wide although other widths, such as 100mm, 63mm and 50mm are available.
Bunching Left hand or right hand bunch - all louvres bunch on left-hand side or right-hand side when the blind is fully open.
Split bunch Equal numbers of louvers bunch to each side when the blind is fully open. Centre bunch All louvres bunch in the centre when the blind is fully open.
Curved blind Blind with the headrail continuously curved to a specific shape to fit a curved window or similar installation. Blinds operated by one set of controls.
Dual controls Individual controls to operate the traversing and rotation of the louvres.
Electrical operation The use of one or two electric motors to operate the traversing and/or rotation of the louvres usually by remote control.
Free hanging blind Blinds with louvres that are not fixed at the bottom.
Jointed headrail blind Blind with one or more flexible joints connecting straight sections of headrail and made to fit a curved window or similar installation. Blind operated by one set of controls.
Mono control Use of one control to operate both the traversing and rotation of the louvres.
Pelmet A piece of reinforced louvre fabric supported on a bar fixed to the headrail to match the louvre fabric or contrast the colour.
Pitched blind Free hanging blind with the top and/or bottom not horizontal.
Stepped blind Free hanging blind with a section of the louvres cut to a different length to avoid an obstruction such as a radiator.
Top and bottom track blind A blind with the louvres held rigidly between two tracks. Suitable for use on a skylight or any other installation where the louvres are not vertical.
Headrail Anodised or painted aluminium extrusion.
Tilt rod Aluminium or alloy extrusion used to operate the louvre rotation gearing.
Fixing brackets Galvanised metal, painted mild steel or plastic.
End cap Moulded plastic. Fixed at each end of headrail. Used to support the tilt rod and blind controls.
Louvre carrier truck Moulded plastic. Incorporates the gearing to rotate the louvre hook. Self-aligning carrier truck Truck incorporating a hook mechanism featuring a clutch devise to protect the mechanism.
Fixed gear truck Truck with a direct drive between the louvre hook and tilting device.
Spacer link Stainless steel or plastic. Controls the spacing between the louvre hooks.
Tilt/rotation chain Metal ball and chain or cord with plastic balls. Turns the tilt rod to control the louvre rotation.
Tilt gearbox A geared drive to adjust the louvre angle.
Traversing cord Stretch resistant. Used to traverse the carrier trucks.
Cord weight Moulded plastic or metal. Fixes to traversing cord to prevent sagging.
Cord Tidy A device used to secure operating controls to window frame or surrounding reveal/wall.
Spring cord tensioner Mild steel. Alternative to cord weight.
Louvre insert/hanger Plastic. Fixed into top of louvre to connect louvre to the louvre hooks.
Louvre weight/ballast weight Metal or moulded plastic. Fixed to bottom of louvres to hold fabric under tension.
Stabilising chain Metal or cord with plastic balls. Fitted to bottom of louvres to prevent excessive movement in draughty conditions.
Wand operated and gearbox operated vertical blinds and contain no operating cord or chain so make them suitable for buildings where children live or may visit.
Always consider window blind cord and chain safety in buildings where children live or may visit. See more here.
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