
Block out roller blinds can be used effectively to control heat and glare whilst adding a stylish and sleek appearance to your home. Whilst Translucent or Light Filtering Fabrics as the name suggests, are fabrics used to achieve some degree of light filtration or translucency.
Sun Screen fabric
Made from Screen fabrics which are created or woven differently than either block out or translucent blinds. They enable you to see through the blind during the day to the view outside, whilst cutting the glare and providing light filtering at the same time.
During the daytime you cannot see through them from outside to inside - therefore creating privacy.
Screen fabrics come in a huge range of colours and textures - and can be used very effectively when used in conjunction with a block out blind - creating dual blinds.
The picture below has motorised screen fabric blinds – many blinds in one room can be tedious to operate if not motorised, and several blinds in the one room looks messy with individual control chains.

- Economical
- Good for wet/damp areas (kitchen, bathroom, laundry as fabric can be wiped down easily)
- Healthy option for allergy sufferers (asthma)
- Contemporary streamlined look, minimalist
Disadvantages of roller blinds
- Strips of light either side if reveal fitted inside window frame
- Width restraints – most fabrics are only 3 mts wide (don’t let anybody mislead you into turning the fabric sideways to create a wide blind, as some fabrics will “cup” and warp – ask to check the fabric manufacturers guarantee)
- Not good on long skinny windows as the fabric tends to ‘roll off”.
- Be aware when comparing prices! Roller blinds can vary greatly in price so it’s important that you understand why.
- Wide blinds need heavy duty 45mm or 60mm tube & spring assist controls – this is more expensive but if not used then the tube will bow. The blind pictured below uses heavy duty 60mm tube.
- Fabric should not be turned on its side in order to make a wide blind as it will “cup”. If you have a wide space to cover then use more than one blind and consider “linking” them.
- Always specify stainless steel control chain in coastal salt water areas to avoid corrosion Stainless steel is more expensive than other metal chains, and plastic chains look cheap and break easily.
- Many blinds in the one room can be tedious to operate if not motorised.
- Several blinds at one big window will look messy with all those individual control chains – consider linking blinds together that operate together, or motorise.

Good option for behind a curtain. Mount the blind in the window reveal for a neat look that hides the controls. In the picture below the screen fabric roller blind provides soft filtered light and daytime privacy. At night time the curtains provide block out from the city lights.Dual rollers option – one blind is block out, the other screen or translucent.
In the picture below the dual blinds are used with great effect – the sunscreen allows the room to be filled with light, does not block the view and gives privacy at the same time (from the outside you cannot see into the room through the sunscreen roller blind during the day). At night, the block out roller blind provides privacy.

Fabric covered base bars look good when the fabric used is the same fabric as the curtains in the same room.
For more information go to our Contact Us form to email your enquiry and register to download our free ebook “All About Choosing Window Coverings and Soft Furnishings”
By Coleen Radford