Laura's Home and Gardening Blog

Outdoor louvers or blinds can be a great choice for protecting windows against high winds and strong rains and for creating walls around a patio or other such area. Louvered walls around an outside seating area allow you to control how much sun and wind you're exposed to when on that patio or deck, and exterior louvers on the windows might also block more sunlight to the home, versus interior window treatments. When you're ready to choose outdoor louvers, note a few quick tips on finding the right material and style, and this will ensure you're happy with those pieces and that they provide the protection you expect.

Direction

The direction of louvered slats will affect the amount of protection you get from sun and the elements. Horizontal louvers for an outdoor seating area can allow you better protection from a light rain, as the rain that hits horizontal louvers is likely to run off the front or back of those slats, rather than make its way through them and to your seating area. However, if you're looking for protection from the sun, note if vertical louvers are better, as then you can close them over one side of the patio wall, adjusting the location of the closed slats as the sun moves.

This might also be important when choosing outdoor louvers for windows; if you want protection from the sun for a window that is exposed to direct sunlight, vertical louvers allow you to move those slats from one side to the other, as the sun moves. This can mean more shade in the home, and allows you to keep the home cooler during hot summer months as well.

Material

Wood blinds have a very natural and attractive look, but may need the most maintenance, as they can absorb moisture and then expand and shrink. You'll need to consistently reseal the louvered slats to prevent this from happening. The colour of wood is also likely to fade over time, so wood louvers will also need consistent repainting.

While aluminium louvers may be more durable than wood, and won't need that much maintenance, note if they would make noise during a rainfall or in high winds. If you live in an area that is prone to lots of storms, you might invest in wood louvers simply so that they're quieter. Wood louvers might also simply be more attractive, especially if your property has a wood fence or other wood features that you want to coordinate with the outdoor louvers.