Window Field Guide · New Orleans & Gulf Raised Housing

New Orleans and Gulf raised housing: shotguns, humidity, and reorder specs

New Orleans, Metairie, Mobile, and Gulf Coast rental stock mixes shotgun doubles, camelbacks, raised basements, and humid wood-frame walk-ups — tall narrow openings, French-door rear additions, and moisture exposure that punishes wrong material choices. Landlords standardize on moisture-resistant vinyl mini in bedrooms and faux wood or vertical on living and rear openings when depth allows.

Common in: New Orleans · Metairie · Mobile · Baton Rouge · Lafayette

Quick answer

What Gulf Coast landlords standardize on:

  • 1" vinyl mini — bedrooms and baths; PVC, not untreated wood
  • 2" faux wood on living rooms when humidity and depth allow
  • 3.5" vertical on rear French doors and sliders — measure stack clearance
  • Raised houses: long drops on front camber windows — confirm ladder access
  • Ship nationwide — local installer for historic trim and upper floors
  • Ships nationwide from Texas
  • Custom cut to measured size
  • Mini, vertical & faux wood lines
  • Mount notes by material

Gulf raised housing types behind the measurements

Louisiana and Gulf rental archetypes reflect flood-aware construction, narrow lot widths, and wood-frame stock that swells with humidity — turnover specs should favor PVC and vinyl over wood blinds.

  • Shotgun double (side-by-side or up/down): narrow front rooms, aligned doorways, varied rear additions
  • Raised basement cottage: living above grade, moisture at lower openings — material choice critical
  • Camelback and partial second story: second-floor openings differ from first — measure separately
  • Historic wood sash with deep trim — outside mount common on decorative casing
  • Rear French doors and sliders — vertical or roller; screen and storm door clearance
  • Humidity and hurricane shutter hardware — blinds must not block shutter operation

Products Gulf raised housing orders use most

Vinyl mini in bedrooms. Faux wood in living rooms. Vertical on rear doors.

Typical opening → blind size

Typical reorder bands — shotgun rooms run narrow; measure each opening:

Opening (approx.)Order sizeRoom
24"–28"23.5"–27.5"Shotgun front room / bath
30"–36"29.5"–35.5"Bedroom
48"–60"47.5"–59.5"Living / dining
68" × 84" slider68" × 84" verticalRear French door / slider

Mounting by material & situation

Humidity and historic trim drive product and mount choices — favor moisture-resistant materials and confirm shutter clearance before ordering.

1" vinyl mini blinds

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Bedroom and bath default — PVC slats handle Gulf humidity better than wood on turnover budgets.

  • Inside mount on replacement vinyl

    Post-Katrina and post-storm vinyl replacements often have adequate returns. Measure width at three heights.

    Min depth:
    ≈ 1" clear

  • Outside mount on historic casing

    Pro often used

    Original shotgun casings may leave shallow effective depth — outside mount on flat trim with overlap.

  • Hurricane shutter clearance

    Treatments must not interfere with operable shutters or exterior hardware. Confirm with tenant and local code habits.

2" faux wood blinds

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Living-room line — moisture-resistant PVC faux wood, not real wood blinds.

  • Inside mount — living and dining

    Pro often used

    Use faux wood selectively on street-facing rooms. Bedrooms stay vinyl mini on turn budgets.

    Min depth:
    ≈ 1½"–2½"

3.5" vertical blinds

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Rear French doors and sliders on shotguns and raised cottages.

  • Face-mount above French doors

    Pro often used

    Historic rear additions often need face-mount track. Keep stack clear of door handles and storm doors.

When to hire a pro in New Orleans rental stock

Historic trim, camelback second floors, and long front-window drops make professional install common. We ship custom-cut blinds nationwide; on-site installation is DFW-only. Provide your installer shutter clearance notes and per-opening SKU lists.

Frequently asked questions

Should I use wood blinds in New Orleans rentals?

On turnover budgets, vinyl mini in bedrooms and PVC faux wood in living rooms outperform real wood — Gulf humidity warps wood slats faster. Our faux wood line is moisture-resistant PVC.

How is a shotgun double different from a Rust Belt double?

Shotgun doubles have narrow, aligned rooms front to back with historic wood trim and humid climate exposure. Rust Belt doubles are more often brick with cold-climate sash. Use this guide for New Orleans and Gulf raised stock.

Do you ship to New Orleans?

Yes — nationwide shipping from Texas. Include clear delivery instructions for raised houses and walk-up access.

Metro guides

This housing archetype appears in these markets — browse local building stock and related field guides.

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