Do blackout blinds truly eliminate all light?

Blackout blinds block up to 99 percent of light passing through the fabric itself. The material is coated or multi-layered to prevent light transmission. Hold a blackout swatch against a lamp and nothing will show through.

However, most blackout blinds still admit some light around the edges — the gap between the blind and the window frame. This is most noticeable with roller blinds, where a thin strip of light can appear at the sides and sometimes at the base.

Several strategies reduce edge light. Fitting the blind inside the window recess rather than face-mounting on the wall closes the gap significantly. Side channels, available on certain roller models, seal the edges entirely. Ordering the blind slightly wider than the recess also helps.

Perfect Fit blackout blinds are among the best options for bedrooms. They sit within the window frame with virtually no side gaps. The trade-off is that they require uPVC frames.

For nurseries and children's rooms, a blackout roller with side channels delivers the closest approximation of total darkness. This matters most in summer, when daylight begins before five in the morning and extends past nine at night.

Fabric colour does not affect blackout performance. A white blackout blind blocks the same amount of light as a charcoal one. The coating on the reverse does the work.

We supply blackout blinds in roller, Roman, and Perfect Fit formats. Fitting included.