Blackout roller blinds are textile products of unusual design, created using the latest technologies. They can be used in any room, home theater, darkrooms, medical facilities, public spaces, conference rooms and office cubicles. They blend harmoniously into the space of the room without disturbing the overall design style.
Blackout curtains are designed for both apartments and office spaces
The birthplace of curtains is Finland. Geographically, white nights in this country last a long time. The innovative material does not let street light into the room at all, ensuring healthy sleep for people. The latest development has spread very quickly throughout the world, Russia is no exception.
Features of the material
Let us dwell on the significant differences between ordinary curtains and curtains made from blackout fabric.
According to numerous reviews of blackout curtains, consumers and experts highlight the following points:
- special reliability of the material;
- resistance to fading under the influence of sunlight;
- long service life (at least five years);
- have thermal insulation and dust-repellent properties;
- do not cause allergic reactions;
- do not wrinkle, i.e. do not require ironing after washing.
An equally important point for consumers is the opportunity to choose from a wide range of stylistic trends presented in salons and stores.
Care
Blackout fabric is very easy to care for. To wash it, you can use either the manual method or a washing machine.
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The products should be washed on a delicate cycle at 40 degrees. Machine spinning at 400 rpm is also allowed.
It is better to dry the fabric in a dark place in a straightened state - in this case, further ironing will not be necessary.
To protect curtains from dirt and dust accumulation, vacuum the fabric weekly using a small attachment on the vacuum cleaner hose.
Self-production
Achieving the quality of factory production at home is extremely difficult, or rather, almost impossible. However, this does not mean that doing this business is a waste of time.
Compliance with certain rules and following the recommendations of experienced specialists will help you produce blackout curtains for the bedroom with a very high percentage of opacity. But what you definitely should not do in a residential area is impregnating fabric with special solutions to increase the level of fire safety!
How to choose them before purchasing
Usually, we decide which curtains to buy at the stage of planning the design of the room, or at worst, after finishing the walls and floors.
It is important to decide whether they will match the color of the wallpaper or whether they will be assigned the role of a bright accent. What do they need to be in harmony with - with walls or furniture. What are they for, will they perform some practical role or just decorate the room.
Before purchasing, try shining a light through a sample; if the light hardly passes through the fabric, then it is a quality specimen that can be purchased.
Step-by-step instruction
- Window openings should be measured. When cutting two fabrics, it is necessary to provide a seam allowance of five to seven centimeters on both sides.
- The next step will be stitching, turning and ironing the fabric of the future curtains.
- Space is provided for the weighting material. For this purpose, you can arrange a special pocket.
- Using a stapler, a hole is made along the diameter of a metal rod or wooden block.
- The fasteners are screwed into the window opening and a block with a curtain is inserted.
- All that remains is to thread the decorative cords that will lower and raise the curtain you made with your own hands.
- In order to decorate the window opening, a small lambrequin can be strengthened above it.
How are they produced?
They are not just fabric, but curtains with a complex composition. They have their own production characteristics.
Different models have different numbers of layers, which affect the product’s resistance to light and heat penetration. It is safest to purchase curtains with 3 layers. They can provide the best protection. Each layer has its own function.
In the case of curtains made of 2 layers, then, as a rule, the outer layer is sprayed. The interior is decorated and looks beautiful. As an external one, a special light-colored mixture is used, which will repel the rays of the Sun.
But this design has its own disadvantages - this coating is usually short-lived and after some time it will begin to crumble and crumble. As a result, the protective function will noticeably weaken and the thing will perform its task much worse.
If you choose similar curtains at IKEA or another similar store, it is better to give preference to fabric options, which are much more durable. In such products, the threads are intertwined to form a single fabric.
The side on which it will hang facing the street is made of white fabrics that repel bright light. The middle layer is made of black threads. They do not allow the remaining rays to pass through and perform an equally protective role. And the inner side, which has a decorative purpose rather than a protective one. Its color may vary, but, as a rule, high-quality curtains are made in dark colors. The material can also be impregnated with fireproofing solution, as well as acrylic.
Their production is quite labor-intensive and therefore the price tag will not spoil the buyer, but this is a quality product that will last for years. In this regard, this type of window protection from bright light and prying eyes has its buyers.
Before purchasing, we recommend that you look at photos of blackout curtains and think about it, perhaps this is what is missing for your interior and a new purchase will allow your home to shine with new colors.
Number of sections
If you look closely at the photographs of blackout curtains in the Roman style, you will notice that the number of folds is always odd.
The quantity is calculated as follows: five centimeters of allowance is subtracted from the height of the curtains, and the remaining value is divided by an odd number depending on the desired number of sections. The optimal option is considered to be seven folds, which are separated by twigs.
Color spectrum
Due to the presence of several layers in the canvas, its base can be of absolutely any color and have any print; thanks to this feature, you can purchase both bright and completely white blackout curtains.
It is for this reason that these curtains are suitable for almost any interior style.
Fabric yardage calculation
And here you can’t do without knowledge of elementary arithmetic! For the facing material, five centimeters must be added to the existing width on the side folds. Experts advise adding 9 centimeters to the length on the top layer and five on the bottom.
The width of the back cut should be equal to the width of the front fabric. With height the situation is somewhat different. It is necessary to add up to three centimeters for the placement of twigs (note that you need to place at least three elements), plus another couple of centimeters for the lower and upper lapels.
Blackout production
Blackout production is an interesting technological process, where each operation has its own meaning and significance:
- To make the fabric, three threads are used, which form a complex weave.
- The outer layers are a decorative surface that should be pleasant to the touch, aesthetically pleasing and resistant to wear and stains.
- The inner layer of blackout is a black polyester thread that absorbs light, thereby preventing it from penetrating through the fabric layer.
- To achieve maximum opacity effect, acrylic foam is applied to the fabric layers.
- The final stage of production can be painting, drawing, processing to give the material fire-resistant qualities and greater resistance to dirt.
Sewing instructions
Having completed all the necessary calculations, you can begin making curtains.
- Iron the lining fabric and run the iron along the folds.
- Mark lines for twig pockets.
- Iron the facing fabric and its folds.
- Velcro tape is sewn at the top of the fold.
- The front and back fabrics are connected with pins.
- The places where the rings are attached are marked and they are sewn to the curtains. Step back ten centimeters from each edge. Maintain the distance between the rings at thirty to forty centimeters.
- The cords are sewn on. All that remains is to attach the curtains to the cornice.
Flaws
One of the disadvantages of opaque fabric is its weight. Ready-made curtains should be hung on windows carefully, on a carefully selected and reinforced cornice.
The 100% blackout, which is stiff from the filter coating, does not drape very well. It develops wrinkles from storage. Over time they straighten out.
It will be difficult to trim or hem curtains yourself without experience. The black thread interior may fray.
It is easy to fall asleep in a dark room, but waking up in pitch darkness is more difficult than from the rays of the sun.
Curtains in branded stores
In one of the most prestigious online stores in Leroy Merlin you can purchase high quality blackout curtains from the most famous manufacturers and at low prices.
It should be noted that the models proposed for sale can be placed not only in bedrooms, but also in living rooms and children's rooms. The range of products is extremely wide and consumers will definitely be able to find a product to suit their taste and budget.
In no less popular and frequently visited IKEA centers, blackout curtains of roller, classic, Japanese type and pleated design are offered for sale. Like all the company's products, functional curtains are made of high-quality and environmentally friendly materials.
What are they?
Their name comes from English and means “to darken.” In fact, that's what they do. They are made from special materials and using special technologies that help absorb all or almost all light from the street.
Light-proof curtains were created thanks to the Finnish white nights, when in June even at midnight it is as bright as day. However, subsequently they began to be used in many countries around the world, both in homes and in office spaces.
There is nothing wrong with the sun's rays illuminating the rooms, but in the summer, when the dawn is very early, and this light also increases the heat, you want to shade the bedroom so that you can get some more sleep on the weekend. That’s when a set of curtains that can cope with these problems comes in handy.
It is not uncommon for offices to be located in multi-storey buildings with huge windows through which the sultry Sun can shine. This heat will interfere with work and negatively affect performance and productivity. These curtains will help save your office from excessive brightness and heat.
Pleated curtains
Such models are quite in demand. This is due to the fact that the accordion-type mechanism with which they are equipped allows you to change the lighting in the room. The highlight of the pleated design is its unique configuration.
Note!
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