I'm looking to replace my current blinds because they let in too much sunlight and wake me up early every day. I want to know if I can swap them out for new blinds that truly block the sun. What brands or types do you recommend for effective blackout blinds?
3 Answers
One thing we noticed is that there's often a little gap between the blinds and the window frame, which can let some light in. You can buy channels to cover these gaps, but it still won’t block everything. We found that using blinds along with channels and drapes lined with blackout curtains was the best way to achieve total darkness. My partner works nights and needs it dark during the day!
While renting, I used velcro to stick some black upholstery vinyl right onto the window frame. I kept the white side facing out to follow rental rules. This simple hack blocked a lot of sunlight and I could easily remove it when I wanted to open the window.
When I had the same problem, I used a double-layer approach. I got some blackout blinds from a big box store, then added blackout curtains on top of them. This combo really helped block the sun and kept my place cooler during hot summer days.