A guide to choosing Blackout Blinds
What are blackout blinds?
Blackout blinds are designed to block unwanted light from passing through the fabric of the blind and into a room. Blackout blinds also prevent natural light from shining onto TV or computer screens and disrupting your view.
These qualities make blackout blinds most suited for bedrooms or rooms with screens.
Blackout blinds are also recommended for those wishing to improve their sleep schedule – as even a small amount of natural light can interrupt your sleep. This is because, when exposed to light, your body will no longer produce enough melatonin (the hormone that makes you sleepy).
Excess light in bedrooms can negatively impact your sleeping schedule and how easily you fall asleep. Sleep deficiency can cause a range of issues such as poor concentration, tiredness and long term health problems in the future. Ensuring you have the perfect sleeping environment is a must for protecting your own health and wellbeing.
Below, we’ll break down the different types of commercial blackout blinds and their individual advantages.
Types of blackout blinds
Here are the three main types of commercial blackout blinds:
Roller blinds – Roller blinds are made up of a single piece of fabric, wrapped around a casing, which fits into the top of your window frame. The blind can be motorised or operated by a pull cord or chain. At Umbra, roller blinds are our go-to recommendation for blackout blinds.
Vertical blinds – Vertical blinds come in the form of long slats, which you can tilt accordingly to control how much light enters a room. They are ideal for large or lengthy windows.
Roman blinds – Roman blinds are renowned for their thermal properties. They come with a front-facing fabric and a blackout backing fabric, blocking any light from entering your bedroom. The insulating nature of the blind will help keep your home warm in the winter months.
Roller blinds
At Umbra, we are more than commercial blinds manufacturers. We pride ourselves on combining both technology and aesthetics to come up with powerful solutions to complex problems – our blackout blinds are just one example of that.
For those wanting a blackout effect, roller blinds are the best choice. They offer a simple, sleek window covering – remaining stylish, but practical too. They are designed to fit perfectly within the window frame, offering maximum coverage and protection from any unwanted sun or street light.
Another advantage of roller blinds is their versatility. At Umbra, we offer roller blinds in a wide range of colours, patterns and styles, meaning that, not only can you block out sunlight, but you can tailor your binds to your personal taste and style too. Blackout Roller Blinds are not only functional but a great stylish addition to your bedroom that can be customised to suit your existing design and decor.
We offer three main types of blackout roller blinds:
KuroLok The zipped-edge fabric retention is what makes our KuroLok blinds so unique – it prevents fabric coming out of the side channels. The fabric is fully retained, allowing for the blinds to be installed even on sloped windows, with the headbox and side channels able to be recessed into walls or ceilings for the ultimate built-in look. Our KuroLok blinds are robust and maintenance-free, whilst remaining easy to install and customise. Kurolok can be motorised or operated manually with a chain or crank handle. KuroLok can be tailored to fit project specifications and your own personal taste.
Kuro Our Kuro blinds offer superior light exclusion. They are fully cassetted blinds, with a headbox and side channels, to prevent any light penetration. As with all our blinds, they are easy to install and are able to withstand high usage. Our full range of fabrics can be used with the Kuro system, which can be motorised or operated manually.
ExtraLok Our ExtraLok blinds are designed with larger projects and damp or corrosive environments in mind (e.g. swimming pools). Zipped-edge fabric retention ensures the blind fabric remains locked into the side channels, reducing the need for maintenance in future. They can even be fitted to sloped or roof windows. For more heavy-duty environments, ExtraLok is the way forward.
The importance of fabric selection
Careful fabric selection is a must when choosing your perfect blackout blinds. Blackout fabrics can offer a whole host of benefits, including:
- Thermal insulation – blackout blinds also have thermal properties, meaning they can stop drafts from the windows and keep your room warm during winter, and also keep your room cool during hot summer days.
- Noise reduction – As well as blocking out light, blackout fabrics can also offer a level of noise reduction. This is an ideal feature for a home on a busy street, for people sleeping during the day or for children that have an early bedtime.
At Umbra, we offer a range of fabrics for you to choose from – varying in blackout intensity, patterns and colours. Our blackout blinds can be tailored to perform their light-blocking duties, whilst also suiting your design needs.
If you’re interested in learning more about or installing blackout blinds, contact us. Call us at 01792 562015 or alternatively, fill in the following form. A member of our customer service team will be in contact.