Roller Blinds (Blac...
 

  You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more

[Closed] Roller Blinds (Blackout) Online? Anyone?

45 Posts
23 Users
0 Reactions
388 Views
Posts: 31056
Free Member
Topic starter
 

Apologies...thread is high on boringness. 🙂

Need a new roller blind for our lad's bedroom now that the evenings are lighter. The existing curtain and venetian wooden blinds combo leaks shedloads of light (biggish Victorian sash window) so we need something close fitting. Looks like roller or roman blinds are needed.

Anyone had any made online recently that were good value and reasonably well made? Rough coats for a made to measure set from John Lewis was £100+ 😯


 
Posted : 01/04/2014 12:59 pm
Posts: 23107
Full Member
 

We have blackout Roman blinds that work well.

I'll ask the missus where she ordered them from as the mere mention of furnishing puts me into a coma.


 
Posted : 01/04/2014 1:02 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Ikea do a blackout roller blind which Ive got for my shed window. It seems good for the price
http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/00130657/


 
Posted : 01/04/2014 1:04 pm
Posts: 36
Free Member
Posts: 50252
Free Member
 

DD, if you can shake the online-ness of this, it's well worth a look in store at John Lewis, as they're selling off a load of blackout roller/roman blinds. (At least they were in Southampton the other day!)


 
Posted : 01/04/2014 1:05 pm
Posts: 31056
Free Member
Topic starter
 

I feared the rapid climb to five posts was going to be a massive piss-take. 🙂 imagine my surprise. Helpful posts. 😀

Thanks all. I'll look into those.


 
Posted : 01/04/2014 1:07 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

http://www.blindsuk.net

We have blackout roller blinds for our kids rooms from these guys, good strong quality and don't let any light in!

Keep the cost down by not selecting and sash boxes and covers, just get the blind!


 
Posted : 01/04/2014 1:07 pm
Posts: 23107
Full Member
 

Well done all. Sensible and quick answers.

I think that we've all earned a treat. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairchild_Republic_A-10_Thunderbolt_II


 
Posted : 01/04/2014 1:11 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Roller blinds (from various sources) can be cut to width pretty easily, so you don't necessarily need to order made to measure.

Even someone with my limited DIY skills managed to do a reasonable job!


 
Posted : 01/04/2014 1:11 pm
 kcal
Posts: 5448
Full Member
 

Our local DIY store have bundles of blackout blinds, as above just get one a bit bigger and trim to fit, not really a problem. Our lad's is self coloured, not sure how available ones that are patterned are.

Can't imagine they're much more than £30/40 odd to be honest..


 
Posted : 01/04/2014 1:15 pm
Posts: 20561
Free Member
 

We used http://www.blinds-2go.co.uk/

Were very good, quick to help when I realised I had incorrectly measured, good comms, cheap. No complaints.


 
Posted : 01/04/2014 1:17 pm
Posts: 20561
Free Member
 

BTW, we coupled ours with some uPVC beading (from our local hardware store) like this stuff

[img] [/img]

They further help by not allowing as much light in around the sides/top etc


 
Posted : 01/04/2014 1:20 pm
Posts: 8
Free Member
 

Wilkos have a number of blackout blinds. [url= http://www.wilko.com/search?q=blackout+blind&searchsubmit.x=0&searchsubmit.y=0 ]Here.[/url]


 
Posted : 01/04/2014 1:23 pm
Posts: 2740
Free Member
 

Another vote for [url= http://www.blindsuk.net/ ]http://www.blindsuk.net/[/url]

We've had all sorts from them, mostly custom fit, many of which were cheaper than off the shelf stuff in the usual DIY chains.


 
Posted : 01/04/2014 1:24 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

If you can stand to go in there, dunelm mill have a lot of roller blackout blinds.

god, i hate that place.


 
Posted : 01/04/2014 1:25 pm
Posts: 50252
Free Member
 

This thread now needs a musical interlude;


 
Posted : 01/04/2014 1:25 pm
Posts: 31056
Free Member
Topic starter
 

Dunelm?!?!? Nooooooooooooooooooooo 😡


 
Posted : 01/04/2014 1:32 pm
 nbt
Posts: 12381
Full Member
 

[quote=Harry_the_Spider pointlessly vacillated]We have blackout Roman blinds that work well.
I'll ask the missus where she ordered them from as the mere mention of furnishing puts me into a coma.

*cough* I know a nice lady who makes roman blinds


 
Posted : 01/04/2014 1:33 pm
Posts: 31056
Free Member
Topic starter
 

For those who self-trimmed 🙂 what did you use? Could I just drop my chopsaw onto it (really quickly...like)?


 
Posted : 01/04/2014 1:33 pm
Posts: 36
Free Member
 

you've gone soft-furnished in the head, nbt. What with living with the enemy and all.

DD, stanley knife round and and round until you're through the fabric then a fine toothed hacksaw on the roll before replacing the end caps. Or if you have the space try a straight edge and knife on the unfurled blind and try to keep down one fabric weft (or is it weave?) as crossing them will give a little fray.


 
Posted : 01/04/2014 1:35 pm
Posts: 9175
Free Member
 

I got mine from dunelm mill for about £25. It works well, I have a street lamp right outside my bedroom window so it needs to!


 
Posted : 01/04/2014 1:35 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

We have a B&Q one which I cut down with scissors. Seems to work fine and the kids aren't yet insisting on made to measure 😉


 
Posted : 01/04/2014 1:36 pm
Posts: 50252
Free Member
 

For those who self-trimmed what did you use?

A razor, obviously. Just need to make sure you follow the curves properly as you cu...Oh, sorry. Wrong thread.


 
Posted : 01/04/2014 1:40 pm
 DezB
Posts: 54367
Free Member
 

Trip to Wilko for me tonight then - £11 - £20 🙂

(Have been using an old blackout blind that doesn't fit, tucked into the curtain rail. Old skintflint that I am. Combined with:
[img] [/img]
🙂 )


 
Posted : 01/04/2014 1:50 pm
Posts: 3247
Full Member
 

Another alternative are [url= http://www.amazon.co.uk/easyblackout-blackout-blind-WHITE-available/dp/B002WC55G8/ref=sr_1_cc_3?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1396360308&sr=1-3-catcorr&keywords=easyblackout+blackout+blind ]these.[/url]

We have blackout Roman blinds and they still leak loads of light around the edges. Use the velcro sheets during the summer months and fold them up into the cupboard for winter. Different sizes available, cut to size, simple to put up and down.


 
Posted : 01/04/2014 1:54 pm
Posts: 6874
Full Member
 

Another thing to consider is reducing the light leakage to reasonable levels and getting them used to it. Conditioning kids to only be able to sleep in properly dark rooms becomes a rod when they're elsewhere. We have venetian or roller + curtains in our kids and our bedrooms but don't go to nth degree to make them blackout. Of course if the room faces the rising sun the problem is worse.


 
Posted : 01/04/2014 1:58 pm
Posts: 19
Free Member
 

We use the stuff that razorrazoo posted - it has the added bonus of being portable, so can be used anywhere.


 
Posted : 01/04/2014 2:04 pm
Posts: 31056
Free Member
Topic starter
 

Of course if the room faces the rising sun the problem is worse.

Sorry...nothing like a bit of retrospective info when someone makes a helpful post...his window faces almost directly east. 😐 (it's the light evenings which are a bother at the moment, but as the months pass, the morning would definitely be even worse.


 
Posted : 01/04/2014 2:05 pm
Posts: 9491
Full Member
 

you've gone soft-furnished in the head, nbt. What with living with the enemy and all.
I resemble that fact 🙂

There maybe a good reason why JL have a sale on, as rules and regulations have changed regarding blinds being fitted in a childs room.

You can no longer have the chain pully system (which I don't use when making my blinds.)

DD. may I suggest that you buy a piece of blackout lining (larger that the recess) and fit it by either velcro or tape from a batten just out side the window, thus keeping the curtains. This can be taken down every morning and put back up at night (we did this for our nephew, when he was ickle). Cut it with scissors as it doesn't fray.

Blimey I'm doing myself out of work here and you lot ^^^ should be supporting my small business, how on earth can I go skiing and afford new bike bits now? 🙁


 
Posted : 01/04/2014 2:06 pm
Posts: 3247
Full Member
 

DD. may I suggest that you buy a piece of blackout lining (larger that the recess) and fit it by either velcro of tape from a batten just out side the window, thus keeping the curtains. This can be taken down every morning and put back up at night (we did this for our nephew, when he was ickle). Cut it with scissors as it doesn't fray.

Blimey I'm doing myself out of work here and you lot ^^^ should be supporting my small business, how on earth can I go skiing and afford new bike bits now?

Sorry to destroy you're business before it got going but did you see my link 😉


 
Posted : 01/04/2014 2:11 pm
Posts: 31056
Free Member
Topic starter
 

Thanks for that advice Bunnyhop. I'll run it by mrs deadly later. (Blows kiss while nbt's not looking.)


 
Posted : 01/04/2014 2:12 pm
 nbt
Posts: 12381
Full Member
 

*sees kiss*

*blushes and waves coyly*


 
Posted : 01/04/2014 2:13 pm
Posts: 31056
Free Member
Topic starter
 

Buuuuuuusssssssttttttttteeeeeeeeeddddddd! 😳


 
Posted : 01/04/2014 2:14 pm
Posts: 9491
Full Member
 

razorrazoo -

Sorry to destroy you're business before it got going but did you see my link
I am a woman, I don't have time to read everything on the interweb 😳

Kiss was intercepted by nbt. Doh!


 
Posted : 01/04/2014 2:20 pm
Posts: 23107
Full Member
 

Regarding the chains on Roman blinds. We hook ours up high in one room and have it pinned tight to the window surround in the other.


 
Posted : 01/04/2014 2:22 pm
Posts: 9491
Full Member
 

HtS - good idea.


 
Posted : 01/04/2014 2:23 pm
 DezB
Posts: 54367
Free Member
 

[i]DD. may I suggest that you buy a piece of blackout lining (larger that the recess) and fit it by either velcro or tape from a batten just out side the window, thus keeping the curtains. This can be taken down every morning and put back up at night (we did this for our nephew, when he was ickle). Cut it with scissors as it doesn't fray[/i]

Hey! So my "tucked into the curtain rail" method is recommended by the pros eh? Not such a skinflint as I thought 🙂


 
Posted : 01/04/2014 2:28 pm
 DezB
Posts: 54367
Free Member
 

[i]rules and regulations have changed regarding blinds being fitted in a childs room[/i]

Er.. who checks this??


 
Posted : 01/04/2014 2:29 pm
Posts: 9491
Full Member
 

Er.. who checks this??

Much like most rules and regs, no-one. However if I got caught making them, it's curtains for me 😆

Ahh can't work this editing thing.


 
Posted : 01/04/2014 2:31 pm
 DezB
Posts: 54367
Free Member
 

🙂

"So, Mrs Bunnyhop, who are these Spongebob Squarepants blinds for? A [b]child's[/b] room??"

"er, nooooo. Course not!"

😀


 
Posted : 01/04/2014 2:53 pm
Posts: 5177
Full Member
 

I had some blinds made online (3 venetian, 2 blackout rollers)

Fantastically cheap and good quality, can't remember the website but it was a fairly generic one following some googling. A shed load cheaper than buying from John Lewis etc


 
Posted : 01/04/2014 2:56 pm
Posts: 13741
Full Member
 

Used to fit blinds. Blinds2go were good. Problem with DIY cutting is keeping the fabric cut straight and for it not to fray.

Pays yer money takes yer chances. But being a trades person you know it pays to get it done once and right. 😉


 
Posted : 01/04/2014 4:05 pm
Posts: 17728
Full Member
 

We got some blackout curtains from Dunelm Mill for a spare room and they are really good. Keeps it nice and dark.


 
Posted : 01/04/2014 8:58 pm
Posts: 31056
Free Member
Topic starter
 

Thanks Emily...you'd think after a month, I'd be all sorted wouldn't you?

Unfortunately for your astroturfing efforts, I am. And I didn't use blindsuk.net. Sorry 'bout that.


 
Posted : 13/05/2014 7:26 am
Posts: 20561
Free Member
 

blindsuk.net?

Noted....


 
Posted : 13/05/2014 7:43 am
 DezB
Posts: 54367
Free Member
 

I wonder if that could be the lovely, helpful Emily's only post.
I followed the thread's recommend and bought some for about £12 in Wilkos. That dreadful sunlight is no longer a problem and I still have money in the bank. 😀


 
Posted : 13/05/2014 7:46 am

6 DAYS LEFT
We are currently at 95% of our target!