How to Cut All The Light Out From a Window

Windows are there to provide light and air into a room, but what happens if you want neither? Obviously, most windows are made in such a way that their framed panes can be shut to make an airtight seal these days, but that won't prevent light from flowing in. What you need is a window treatment to do the job for you. Unfortunately, most window treatments found in homes these days only do a partial job of blocking light. Most Venetian blinds or louvred shutters still allow daylight to ingress, for instance.

Perhaps you want a darkroom to work on some photograph negatives, or maybe you just want to shut out the light of dawn to get a better night's sleep. Whatever the reason for wanting to block light flow into your room, read on to discover the best methods for doing so.

Roller Shutters

You see roller shutters in all sorts of industrial settings because they make a very secure way of closing a property up that won't be manned 24/7. Usually constructed from extruded metal slats, roller shutters drop down from the top of the window to the very bottom. As the roller is opened, the slats extend away from one another so that they can be rolled up on an axle. Conversely, when they are lowered, they line up inside one another. Not only does this make them hard to force apart, but it also means they block all of the light that would otherwise get in.

Blackout Blinds

Although blackout blinds are frequently marketed as providing a total block to sunlight, some don't actually offer this level of protection. Go for black or very dark blue ones which will soak up most of the sun's rays. They need to be professionally fitted so that they sit right across the entire expanse of glass you have, ideally overlapping the window's frames. In fact, blackout blinds will frequently only offer you total sun blockage if they are used in conjunction with a pair of heavy curtains covering the same window.

Stick-On Blackout Plastic

Adhesive plastic is a permanent window treatment solution if you never want sunlight to flow into your room. This is a relatively inexpensive option. All you need to do is to unroll the stick-on plastic and cut it to the exact size of your window. Stick it to the top of the glazing and then gradually push it onto the rest of the glass using a fine-bristled brush to work away any air pockets. It is a bit like hanging wallpaper.

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