Here are some things to consider when you are choosing wind chimes:
- What kind of wind chimes do you want?
- How loud do you want your wind chimes to be?
- Do you want handmade wind chimes?
- What is the purpose of your wind chimes?
- Where are you putting your wind chimes?
- What is your budget?
Wind chimes are a great addition to any home.
Read on if you need some help picking out your wind chimes!
What Kind of Wind Chimes Do You Want?
Wind chimes come in a variety of styles, sizes, materials, and more.
The sound of your wind chime is greatly impacted by its material, its tubes, and its size.
Here are some common kinds of wind chimes.
Classic
Your classic wind chime is probably the first image that pops in your head when you hear the words “wind chime.”
They tend to have metal tubes with a wooden striker and a wooden or metal suspension ring, as well as a wind sail.
Bamboo
Bamboo wind chimes can be made out of any type of wood, but are most popularly made of bamboo (which is technically a grass, not a wood!)
Other materials include driftwood, coconut, and hard and soft woods.
Bamboo wind chimes come in a huge range of styles. They are often handmade, carved, and painted. They tend to have a soft sound.
Glass
Glass wind chimes are made out of durable glass which is colored and cut into shapes to create a design or image.
Some themes include animals, holidays, and objects. Glass wind chimes create a gentle sound.
Capiz
Capiz shell is a shell from windowpane oysters and has been in use for thousands of years.
It can be dyed and is usually cascaded to create a chandelier effect.
They make very soft sounds and move at the slightest breeze since they are so lightweight.
How Loud Do You Want Your Wind Chimes to Be?
The loudest wind chimes are large, metal ones.
They produce a loud gong that is low in tone.
However, you may be able to hear higher-toned wind chimes more easily even if they are not technically louder.
High pitched noise cuts through silence or background noise better than low tones do.
Whether you are going for a large, low-pitched wind chime or a small, high-pitched one, metal is the loudest material.
Consider where you live.
If you live on a mountain or near a body of water where it is very windy, your wind chimes will be ringing more frequently.
If you are listening to them all day, how loud do you want them to be?
Do you just want to hear them when you’re outdoors? Or do you want to hear them when you’re inside too?
If you are getting very loud wind chimes, it’s best to consult with your neighbors.
Excellent Advice: You want everybody to be on the same page and you should let them know that if the noise comes to bother them, they can tell you and you will take your chimes down.
Do You Want Handmade Wind Chimes?
Handmade wind chimes are very beautiful and possess a charm that store-bought wind chimes often don’t have.
Whether it’s wood that was painstakingly handcarved, glass that was dyed by hand, or capriz that was carefully arranged, there is something special about handmade wind chimes.
Comparing wind chimes of the same size and material, handmade wind chimes tend to be more expensive because of the labor that goes into making them.
Handmade wind chimes can be found online on specialty or market websites, or at flea markets.
What Is the Purpose of Your Wind Chimes?
Do you want your wind chime to be loud and musical?
Or do you just want a light tease in the wind?
Some wind chimes are best for sitting under and reading a good book. Others make a great addition to outdoor parties.
Others still are great to hear even when you are indoors.
Is your wind chime going to go off frequently? If you want wind chimes that are very loud, you have to realize that you will hear them a lot.
If your wind chimes are a gift, think about what the other person would want to use their wind chimes for based on their personality.
Where Are You Putting Your Wind Chimes?
Are you putting your wind chimes on your front porch where you sit and drink tea in the morning?
In that case, you may want a more gentle, soothing sound.
If you want your windchimes to be a statement piece, get ones that are colorful or loud- or both!
Great Idea: If you throw parties in your backyard a lot and want windchimes that can cut through the noise, get chimes that are high-pitched.
What Is Your Budget?
You always have to consider your budget whenever making a purchase.
You may not have the budget for handmade wind chimes or very large ones.
But don’t fret! You can still get very beautiful wind chimes at a low price.
On the other hand, if you have a high budget, you can get large, custom, handmade wind chimes specifically to your liking!
Final Thoughts
There’s a lot to think about when buying wind chimes.
If you know what you want the purpose of your wind chimes to be, you can work backwards from there to figure out what material and size you want.
Then you can find the perfect chimes!