Venetian blinds — horizontal slats you can tilt, raise and stack — are the light-control champions. No other blind lets you have privacy and daylight at the same time in the same way. The trade-offs are weight, dusting, and a fitting job that’s a bit less forgiving than a roller.

The three materials

  • Aluminium. Thin 25 mm slats, light, cheap, moisture-proof. The standard choice for kitchens, utility rooms and offices. Can feel flimsy and rattly on large windows.
  • Real wood. Warm finish, light for its size, takes stain colours PVC can’t. Not for bathrooms or above kettles and hobs — humidity can warp and discolour slats over time.
  • Faux wood (PVC). The bestselling compromise: looks close to wood, wipes clean, tolerates moisture. Its one real drawback is weight — faux wood is much heavier than timber, and that matters as windows get wider.

Measuring

The general rules are in our measuring guide. Venetian specifics:

  1. Recess fit: give the exact recess width (smallest of three measurements) and drop. The retailer deducts a little from the width so the slats don’t scrape the reveal.
  2. Check the depth. Venetians have a headrail that needs room — and the slats project further when tilted. For a flush look you typically need a deeper recess than a roller; each product page states its minimum. Protruding window handles are the usual problem: 50 mm slats tilted open can clash with them.
  3. Outside fit: decide the finished width including overlap. Remember the raised blind stacks into a block at the top — on a tall window that stack can be 150–250 mm deep, so allow drop for it if you want the glass fully clear when raised.

Fitting: the weight problem

A small aluminium venetian fits like a roller — two brackets, ten minutes. A 1.8 m faux wood venetian is a genuinely heavy object that needs three or more brackets, every one of them into solid fixing, and ideally a second pair of hands to hold the blind while you click the brackets shut.

This is where DIY fitting starts to justify professional help:

  • Wide faux wood blinds sag or pull fixings out of plasterboard if bracket positions are wrong. Into plasterboard, you need proper plasterboard fixings rated for the load — not the plastic plugs in the box.
  • The headrail must be dead level. A few millimetres out and the blind climbs unevenly and the bottom bar sits visibly skewed.
  • Into a concrete lintel, you’ll be drilling three or four clean masonry holes in a line — tedious with a cheap drill.

If the window is wide, the recess is tiled, or the fixing surface is uncertain, weigh up a professional: our DIY vs professional guide covers where the line sits, and the cost guide covers what you’d pay.

Cost picture

Aluminium venetians are among the cheapest blinds made; faux wood sits in the middle of the market; real wood, especially in wide spans or with tapes, is a premium product. Because venetians are heavier and slower to fit than rollers, fitters sometimes charge more per blind for them — another reason to get a per-blind price in writing before booking (see questions to ask a fitter).

Living with venetians

Be honest about dusting: every slat is a shelf. A microfibre glove makes it a five-minute job, but if you know you’ll never do it, a roller or vertical blind will age better in your house. And venetians are the worst blind type for young children’s rooms if corded — always specify wand tilt and cordless lift where available (child safety guide).

Frequently asked questions

Are faux wood venetians as good as real wood?

For bathrooms and kitchens, faux wood (PVC) is usually the better choice because it shrugs off moisture that warps real wood. Real wood is lighter for the same slat size — which matters on wide windows — and many people prefer its finish in living rooms and bedrooms.

What slat size should I choose?

Common slat widths are 25 mm (mostly aluminium), 35 mm and 50 mm. Bigger slats mean fewer slats, a clearer view through when open, and a look that suits larger windows; smaller slats suit shallow recesses because the stack and projection are smaller.

Do venetian blinds block out light at night?

No. Even fully closed, light seeps between and around the slats. Venetians are about daytime light control and privacy. For dark bedrooms, pair them with curtains or choose a blackout roller instead.