To the average buyer most roller blinds look basically the same…but, Beware! All is not what it may seem….

The Market for roller blinds is competitive and there are many things that can influence the cost and quality of a roller blind. Whilst relatively easy to manufacture, not every blind is manufactured well.  In a market that is so competitive, many “basic” manufacturers will do anything to cut corners and costs just to win the sale.

So what are some of the things that set blinds apart?

Like a building or structure it is the foundation that is important. Using quality hardware in a blind can mean the difference between cheers and tears. Many blind manufacturers will use cheap hardware as a means to cut costs, and as the hardware is mostly hidden the consumer does not realise until it is too late that you “only get what you pay for”.

These include things such as the quality of the tube that the blind skin is wrapped around, and the control winder that is used. Tube that is too thin with no internal “ribbing” support can be a poor choice on wide blinds for big windows. Many manufacturers us a 38-40mm system in order to keep costs down.

However a 45mm system that is commonly used in commercial applications can be used very effectively in domestic applications. What this means is the tube is strong, robust and ridged. The result is that the blind skin does not flex and therefore causes no skin warping making your blind flat and more aesthetically pleasing. Whilst the manufactured costs may be a little higher, the quality of the product is streets ahead.

The next thing to consider is chain winder hardware. These are the controls that plug into the tube to make the blind go up and down. Like most things in life, the SE Asian market has done a good job at trying to replicate many of the popular winder systems, with some of the engineering interpretations having questionable results. On the other hand there are some very well engineered systems being made including some world leading systems developed right here in Australia.  Recently Spring Crest has shifted to use the Acmeda line of roller blind hardware. This system of components has been designed by Acmeda in Melbourne and is manufactured to an extremely high standard of engineering. This results not only in a longer product life cycle but also blinds that are easy to use due to their smooth running. Using the Acmeda SYS45 components together with their tube system makes for robust blind that ensures smooth running of the life cycle of the blind. Ensuring the blind runs smoothly, prevents issues of skin run off (where the skin wanders off the tube and rubs on the bracket hardware). This can excessive wear of “Fraying” on the edge of the skin.

Finally the other key consideration is fabric. The old saying “you get what you pay for “ is very true of fabric. It is important to have fabric that runs well on the tube and is manufactured to a high standard. Each type of Fabric, Block out, Translucent and Screen are manufactured differently. There are benefits and limitations of each type. We can show you the best solution for your requirements.

A key point is how the fabric is cut. Spring Crest uses the latest state of the art Ultrasonic cutting equipment. This ensures the cut edge of the blind is cut accurately and has good edge seal. This prevents fraying of the fabric.

One other important area that is growing rapidly is that of motorised and automated Solutions. Motorisation is becoming more affordable by the day. Once the domain of the wealthy and famous, motorised solutions can be purchased for fraction of the costs of what they used to be. Spring Crest are specialists in manufacturing motorised blinds and curtains. When buying motorised solutions you need to talk to someone who is a manufacturer of the product and not just a reseller. Spring Crest is a Somfy Automated specialist and can guide you through the most appropriate solution for you home or office.

So there you have it. Not all blinds are created equal but at Spring Crest we manufacture blinds that are more than equal.