Solar & Screen Blinds

Screen and solar-control roller fabrics cut glare and soften strong sun while keeping a view out. They suit home offices, south-facing rooms and large glazing where you do not want to close the room off.

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What a screen fabric does

A screen fabric has a fine, open weave. It filters sunlight, cuts glare on screens and surfaces, and lets you see out while the blind is down. Some solar-control fabrics also have a reflective or coated back to help manage the sun. These fabrics are most often used on roller blinds, and on some vertical and other systems.

Transparency varies

Screen fabrics range from very open weaves, which keep more of the view and let in more light, to tighter weaves that cut more glare and give more daytime privacy. Darker colours usually give a clearer view out; lighter colours reflect more light. We bring samples to your survey so you can see the difference at your own window. We do not publish performance figures unless they are confirmed for the exact fabric.

Privacy reverses at night

In daylight, a screen blind makes it hard to see in while you can still see out. After dark, when the room is lit, that reverses: people outside can see in more easily than you can see out. For rooms that need night-time privacy, pair a screen blind with a second layer, or choose a Day & Night blind or a double roller.

Glare versus heat

Screen fabrics are very effective at glare. Their effect on heat is more limited, because an internal blind catches the sun after it has come through the glass. For rooms that overheat, shading outside the glass is generally more effective; see external solar shading and heat and glare.

Where they work well

Home offices and rooms with screens
South and west-facing living rooms
Large glazing and garden rooms where you want to keep the view
Conservatory side windows

Light control: Light-filtering
Motorisation: Available on selected ranges

Honest suitability

Is it right for your window?

Every recommendation comes with a reason. Where something else would serve you better, we say so — and suggest what to consider instead.

Where this works well

Home offices and screen glare Recommended
Cuts glare on monitors while keeping daylight and a view out.
South and west-facing rooms
Softens strong sun without closing the room off.
Worth knowing: Helps with glare more than heat.
Keeping a garden or street view
The open weave lets you see out while the blind is down.
Worth knowing: More open weaves give less daytime privacy.
Rooms that seriously overheat With conditions
Reflective-backed fabrics can help a little.
Worth knowing: Internal blinds catch heat after it passes the glass; external shading is generally more effective.

Where we’d suggest something else

Night-time privacy on its own
Why: When the room is lit, people can see in through a screen fabric.
The limitation: Privacy reverses after dark.
Consider instead: Day & Night blinds
Bedrooms needing darkness
Why: Screen fabrics are designed to let light through.
The limitation: They will not darken a room.
Consider instead: Blackout blinds

Fabrics and finishes

Screen and solar-control fabrics come in a range of openness levels and colours, from whites and greys to charcoal and black, with some coated or reflective-backed options depending on the range. Samples are brought to your survey so you can compare transparency at your own window.

Controls

Chain, cordless or motorised operation. Motorised operation on selected roller systems is useful where the blind is adjusted through the day as the sun moves, or for large and high windows.

Child safety

Internal blinds supplied in the UK must meet child-safety requirements, following BBSA guidance, and the blinds we fit are supplied with the required safety devices.

Screen blinds are often used in family rooms and home offices. Cordless and motorised operation remove the chain; where a chain is used, the safety device is fitted at the correct height.

Compared with the alternatives

Day & Night blinds

Alternating sheer and solid bands let you switch between filtered light and privacy, including at night.

Roller blinds

The same mechanism with opaque or blackout fabrics, and double rollers that pair a screen with a blackout.

External solar shading

Stops the sun before it reaches the glass, which makes it the more effective option for heat.

Vertical blinds

Adjustable louvres for wide glazing, with some screen-type fabrics available.

Related options

Related advice

Questions we get asked

Can people see in through a screen blind?

In daylight it is hard to see in. After dark, with lights on inside, people can see in more easily. Pair it with another layer for night-time privacy.

Will a screen blind keep my room cool?

It helps with glare and softens strong sun, but internal blinds are less effective against heat than shading outside the glass.

Which colour gives the best view out?

Darker screen fabrics usually give a clearer view out; lighter ones reflect more light into the room. We bring samples so you can compare.

Can screen blinds be motorised?

Yes, on selected roller systems.

Free, no obligation

Book your Free Home Survey

We’ll measure properly, bring samples to see in your own light, talk you through what suits each window, and give you a no-obligation quotation.

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