How To Clean Your New DeVenco Wooden Blinds
Like any fine furniture, your DeVenco blinds will require regular dusting.
Your blinds will come from the factory with a fine glossy finish, so cleaning
and dusting should be a painless affair.
Use a soft dust cloth or feather duster for dusting. Products like Endust
will not harm the finish. Vacuum cleaners often come with a soft brush
attachment which may be helpful.
The lambs wool duster, commonly known as a Kiwi duster, is a new product
which is ideal for the purpose of dusting slats. Always dust the slats
in the tilted position.
Never immerse your wooden blinds in water. Warpage can occur when wood
absorbs moisture.
Every decade or so, general maintenance and refinishing of your blinds
will be required. This maintenance is generally conducted when the room
is repainted.
Maintenance:
Your blinds are exposed to the direct and devastating rays of the sun
every day of the year. The tapes and cords of wooden blinds subject to
Southern or Western exposure typically will have a life of 7 to 9 years.
Wooden blinds can be re-taped and re-corded by DeVenco for a very nominal
cost, in 2 days, and returned.
Eventually, however, refinishing of your wooden blinds will be required.
The varnish of a natural finish wooden blind will begin to breakdown
after 7 to 8 years of exposure to direct sun. you will notice a slight
dulling of the finish first and eventually a complete disintegration of
the finish all together. It is important to not allow your blinds to suffer
the effects of neglect beyond the point of no return. With badly deteriorated
varnish, the wood slats are vulnerable to fading from the sun as well
as warpage and water stain due to the effects of moisture and humidity.
Paint finished blinds are more durable to the effects of the sun than
varnish, however, eventually the paint will also begin to lose its luster.
This is a sign that the finish is beginning to break down. Maintenance
is always better served a little sooner than a little too late.
Refinishing:
DeVenco can refinish your wooden blinds and return them in 2 to 3 weeks
in virtually new condition, assuming the effects of neglect have not taken
too great a toll. Note: Wooden blinds can not be stripped. Old paint containing
lead and/or mercury cannot be removed. In the case of blinds with the
above named conditions, DeVenco offers the option of surface sanding and
painting over the substandard surface or replacing the old slats with
new slats.
Refinishing of your blinds consist of the following: a) Sanding and buffing
the old finish, b) Re-painting or re-varnishing with a minimum of three
coats*, c) Servicing the hardware, d) New tape and new cord. Any parts
which may be broken or worn out can be replaced at your request for a
nominal fee.
*DeVenco uses only the finest Professional Grade coatings, whether paint
or varnish. We can match the color that you specify and of course, all
work is guaranteed.
For those who prefer to do the refinishing and other maintenance themselves,
DeVenco is glad to offer accessories in bulk quantities. Replacement parts
which may be required: (slat stock, cord lock, tiltor gear, wood tassels,
cord, tape, brackets, etc.)
The Life of Your Blinds
Call DeVenco for more information on maintenance or replacement parts
for your wooden blinds. With regular and proper maintenance your wooden
blinds should last many decades. In Williamsburg, wooden blinds were listed
specifically in the will as part of the assets of the estate and were
maintained for many generations. Other historic cities such as Boston,
Savannah, and Philadelphia have buildings dating back from the 1700’s
and the 1800’s, some with the original wooden blinds still in use
today. Regular maintenance each and every decade is the key to a long
life of your wooden blinds.
P.S. If you know of a historic building with the original blinds in need
of proper repair or replacement, why not pass on our name and phone number
in the interest of preservation. Wooden blinds have been our specialty
at DeVenco for more than half a century.
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