Roller Blinds

Three fabric categories

Choosing fabric for a roller is more technical than for a curtain, because the fabric never folds — you see it flat and backlit.

• Screen — a perforated fabric that cuts glare but keeps the view; ideal for offices and rooms with monitors
• Semi-sheer — filters the light and gives daytime privacy
• Blackout — darkens the room; how well it works is decided by how tightly it seals at the sides

Openness factor in screen fabrics

Screen fabrics are rated by an openness factor — how much of the surface is perforated. A low figure means more sun protection and less view; a high figure, the reverse.

In Cyprus, on a south- or west-facing opening, a very open screen will not solve afternoon glare. That is the most common disappointment when the choice is made from a catalogue swatch without anyone looking at the orientation.

Zebra: day and night in one system

A zebra — or day-and-night — blind is a roller with alternating sheer and opaque bands. Moving the fabric aligns the bands to open, or offsets them to close.

It gives a wide range of adjustment without a second system. It does not darken a room the way a true blackout does, so on its own it is usually not enough for a bedroom.

Open mechanism or closed cassette

In an open system the tube with the rolled fabric stays visible. In a closed one it is covered by a cassette that hides the mechanism and stops light escaping over the top.

The cassette costs more but makes a real difference to a blackout installation: without it, a bright line along the top defeats much of the point.

Inside or outside the reveal

Fitted inside the reveal, a roller looks more discreet but leaves small gaps at the sides. Fitted outside, it covers the opening completely and seals light better, at the cost of being more visible.

The decision is made on site, because it depends on the depth of the reveal and on whether handles or mechanisms would get in the way.

Does a blackout roller darken a room completely?

The fabric does, but light comes through the gaps around it. For real darkness you need an outside fitting with a closed cassette, or side channels.

Do roller blinds suit a bathroom or kitchen?

Yes, and often they are the best choice: they wipe clean with a cloth, they do not hold damp the way curtain fabric does, and they take no space.

Can one roller cover a very wide opening?

Every system has a width limit, beyond which the tube flexes and the fabric stops rolling straight. On wide openings we split it into two or more blinds that operate together.