Shade Products Offered
Exterior Shades
Also known as outdoor patio shades, outdoor roller shades or patio blinds are a higher spec product designed for exterior use. Often times the heat rejection factor is much greater with exterior shades as any heat absorbed or rejected from the material does not reach the glass or interior space. They block UV rays and sunlight but wont obstruct your view out, unless you want them to of course.
Understanding View-Through
The color and the openness of roller shade fabric plays an important role in determining views to the outside. Dark colors absorb light, allowing for greater view-through, while lighter fabrics reflect light, resulting in decreased views.
A higher openness factor means a looser weave, resulting in more transparent views. The opposite is true for a lower openness factor whereby the tighter weave means reduced views to the outside. The images below help to illustrate how both color and openness affect views to the outside.
Complete Roller Shade Buying Guide:
How to Choose the Right Shades For Your Space
Introduction: Why Choose Roller Shades
In hundreds of years of window treatment fashions, few designs have grown in popularity as fast as the roller shade. Its simple design, versatility, and ease of use have made it a client favorite. Their inherently simple design will help to bring a minimalist modern feel to any space while providing maximum functionality in light control, privacy, and automation. With their simple upkeep and maintenance, install these treatments once and enjoy years of functionality.
What To Consider When Buying Roller Shades: The ABC's
When selecting a roller shade it's important to keep in mind the ABC's (C is repeated in this acronym) of selecting a roller shade.
A - Application: Consider how the space will be used. Will too much heat or glare in the space disturb the occupants? What is required of the shading functions?
B - Building Location: Consider the orientation and the elevations of the space. Do the windows face east and get the morning sun, or west and get it in the afternoon? What is the solar load during the year?
C - Color and Composition: Possibly one of the most important choices, not just the aesthetics but the performance of the fabric under a solar load. Dark colored fabrics reduce glare & improve one way privacy, but they do absorb more solar heat. Light Colored fabrics reflect light, preserving lighting conditions and may help to reduce solar heat gain. The composition helps to determine the view-through of the shades, how tight is the weave? Also an important factor is the material used for the manufacturing of the shades. The wrong shade may even lead to odors from the off-gassing of the materials.
The Different Types of Roller Shades and What They Offer
Roller Shades can be broken down into simple groups:
- Single Shades
- Double Shades
- Blackout Shades
- Zebra Shades
And these can all be manual, motorized with AC current or battery, or even automated with a smart system.
