If you’re a shift worker or a particularly light sleeper you might have considered blackout blinds to help you get a good night’s sleep.
But what are blackout blinds? How do they work? And are they worth it?
What Are Blackout Blinds And Where Are They Used?
Blackout blinds block 100% of the light filtering through the fabric, and they are ideal for blocking out sunlight and adding privacy in your home.
The blind is a made from a single piece of blackout fabric, wrapped around a casing, that is ideally installed inside the window recess or it can be positioned outside the recess.
This type of blind operates via a pull cord which is attached to the bottom of the blind or a sidewinding chain mechanism that is attached to the casing itself. They are simple to use and are popular for homes and businesses alike.
Blackout blinds can block out daylight, street light, car lights and provide more privacy compared with standard blinds, in winter months they help keep the room warmer, and in the summer months keep the room cooler.
With Blackout blinds, you can control how much light can enter a room.
Blackout blinds are perfect for blocking out the sun in your bedroom on a bright sunny morning, and they can offer you extra privacy in a bathroom or downstairs toilet.
How Do Blackout Blinds Differ From Regular Blinds?
Blackout blinds are made using triple weave technology, special yarns are woven tightly into a multi-layered backing.
It is this backing that enables the roller blind to block out the light, provide insulation, and increase privacy.
A ‘standard’ roller blinds fabric is produced using a different method to the blackout fabric, and this ‘standard’ fabric will reduce only a limited amount of light into the room. A ‘standard’ roller blind is designed to dim out the light, not completely blackout the room.
Do Blackout Blinds Work?
In short, yes – blackout blinds do work.
Anyone looking to create the perfect sleeping environment should consider a blackout blind as they provide the darkness needed to get a night of restful sleep, which can help to improve your general health and wellbeing.
Not only do blackout blinds benefit adults they are invaluable for a children’s bedroom, especially in the summer months with early sunrises and lighter evenings.
However, to get the full benefit of a blackout blind it’s important that they’re fitted correctly, ideally in the window recess, or else there’s the possibility of leaving a slight gap at the sides on the window which will allow the light will get through.
If you can’t install your blind in the window recess, or you still find light coming through and disturbing your sleep, you might want to try adding a pair of blackout curtains to help darken the room fully.
Are Blackout Blinds Bad For Your Health?
Too little sunlight and the process used to produce blackout blinds could cause minor health issues.
Chemicals used to produce certain blackout fabrics contain Volatile Organic Compounds, or VOC, which are considered toxic by some. However, we should stress that unless you have an allergy to a specific VOC, breathing in the air around a blackout blind is highly unlikely to trigger a reaction.
But don’t worry, all of our blackout roller blinds, curtains and fabric, are odour free and protect the environment.
Are Blackout Blinds Better Than Blackout Curtains?
Both products block out the light and are thermally efficient since they are made using the same triple weave technology.
Blinds are incredibly practical and versatile – they can block out light in a bedroom, add privacy in a bathroom or toilet, and they can fit either inside or outside the window recess.
Blinds offer a smoothness that curtains seldom offer. Full or limited privacy during the day and night. Effortless to maintain and clean, and you have the ability to control the amount of light entering the room as and when required.
Curtains frame the window and make a feature of your room, when open they allow the light in and when closed they make a room dark and give you privacy.
To achieve total darkness in a room, why not use blinds and curtains together on the same window.
Are Blackout Blinds Easy To Install?
Roller blinds are the easiest blind to install and take around 20 minutes to fit with only a handful of tools. By comparison, it can take anywhere between 20 to 45 minutes to fit a pair of blackout curtains.
Are Blackout Blinds Worth It?
For those of us that want that better night sleep, in total darkness, there is no doubt that 100% blackout blinds are the best option when compared to a regular blind which will allow light into your bedroom, there are many reasons why Blackout Blinds are recommended, and the main reasons are listed below.
- Reduces lighting level in bedrooms to aid a calming atmosphere, for better sleep.
- Reduces glare to TV and laptop screens.
- Additional privacy to a downstairs toilet, and bathrooms.
- Keeps room warmer in the winter, trapping the heat in.
- Keeps room cooler in the summer by reducing sunlight levels
- Easy clean, with a damp sponge.
- Budget friendly.
- Easy to install and can be cut to size.
