| BLACKING OUT A WINDOW USING BLINDS | | | | blackout around 80 - 90% of the sunlight. |
| Shiftworkers, people with young children and light | | | | PLEATED BLINDS |
| sleepers are all people who may wish to blackout the | | | | Normally pleated blinds cannot give 100% blackout as |
| sun with some type of blind to enable them to have | | | | holes have to be drilled into the fabric in order to |
| better and longer sleep. So what benefits will the | | | | accommodate the cording. Pleated blinds with a |
| different types of blind provide when trying to achieve | | | | suitable blackout backing, if fitted close to the glazing |
| a blackout affect? Below we look at how efficient | | | | and with some type of side channel should however |
| different types of blind are at achieving blackout | | | | achieve a blackout of around 90% |
| conditions. | | | | ROLLER BLINDS |
| VERTICAL BLINDS | | | | With possibly the widest choice of blackout fabrics |
| Although many blackout fabric options are generally | | | | you would imagine that roller blinds would give the best |
| available for vertical blinds you can never achieve | | | | opportunity of achieving total blackout. Whilst in some |
| anywhere close to 100% blackout with a vertical blind, | | | | respects this is true, a normal roller blind with a blackout |
| whether it is fitted inside or outside the window recess | | | | fabric will not give you 100% blackout. If the blind is |
| with a suitable overlap. 100% blackout can only be | | | | fitted inside the window recess there will be a |
| achieved where there is actual fabric and due to the | | | | 15-20mm gap between the fabric ane the walls in |
| characteristics of the vertical blind there will be light | | | | addition to a gap between the roller and the top of the |
| gaps at the top of the blind (between the headrail and | | | | window recess. Fitting outside of the recess with an |
| top of the louvres), at the bottom of the blind (Where | | | | overlap around the window will give slightly better |
| there should be a gap of about 10mm), and also | | | | blackout results however the fabric still has to stand |
| between the louvres where there is a small gap even | | | | off from the wall slightly leaving a light gap all around |
| when the blinds are fully tilted in the closed position. | | | | the blind. A normal roller blind with a blackout fabric |
| As a general rule guide I would estimate that a vertical | | | | should black out around 90-95% of the light. |
| blind with louvres in a blackout fabric will be around | | | | 100% blackout with a roller blind is possible by using a |
| 80-90% efficient at blacking out the light coming | | | | full cassette roller blind system which has the roller fully |
| through the window. | | | | enclosed at the top and also has side channels. This |
| VENETIAN BLINDS | | | | type of system obviously adds to the cost and the |
| As with vertical blinds, although the sunlight will not pass | | | | addition of side channels around your window may not |
| through the slats, be they aluminium or wood, there will | | | | be aesthetically pleasing when the blinds are open. |
| be light gaps between the closed slats and also | | | | So, do you really need 100% blackout? I personally |
| through the holes which need to be punched in the slat | | | | believe that any of these blinds will blackout the sun |
| to accommodate cords. Aluminium slats may give a | | | | sufficiently to enable you, or your children, to sleep |
| slightly better blackout affect as the slats are formed | | | | even in the brightest sunshine, even without the |
| into a slight curve meaning that they give a tighter | | | | addition of curtains which if also fitted will increase the |
| closure, it is not possible to form wooden slats into this | | | | effectiveness of the blackout affect. |
| shape. In my experience venetian blinds will again | | | | |