We’ve discussed the necessity of conservatory roof blinds in one of our past articles. We are going to take a deeper look today at a few creative ideas of conservatory roof shading.

First of all, you need to be aware that the conservatory roof needs special treatments, because it’s exposed to the winter chills as well as to the summer heats, much more than ordinary windows in a home. This is why conservatory roof shading solutions should be more than simple, decorative accessories, but also very good thermal insulators, resistant to UV rays and easy to handle from a distance. Their function is to offer you a comfortable space in your conservatory and to protect the carpets and the furniture, which otherwise would fade and get damaged by UV in a very short time. This functionality comes with a high price tag, so adding a conservatory to your house is not the cheapest thing you can do in this world.

Shades with reflective backings: this is maybe the most inexpensive solution for covering your conservatory roof. Basically, window shades made of common fabrics are lined with a reflective coating which won’t be visible from the inside, but which would act as a barrier for the thermal exchange and as a temperature regulator. One of the most efficient backing materials is Aluminized Mylar, which is a thing that was firs used by NASA for reflecting the solar heat. I found an interesting article on how to make your own sunlight reflective linings for window blinds. I don’t know if you can apply it for the conservatory roof shadings, but at least you could save some money on the other windows in your home.

External shade netting: this is a kind of plastic net which is wrapped around the conservatory roof, dimming the light transmission with 50%. Personally, I don’t like it very much, because I like to be able to allow full light to enter at special occasions, but there are people who think this solution is better than interior shades.

Polycool Solar Control Inserts: these are suitable for polycarbonate conservatory roofs and they reduce up to 85% of the solar heat amount and up to 87% of blinding glare, without a significant light loss. These inserts are available in two finishes: silver and gold. I know Polycool is a trademark, but I don’t know the generic term for this kind of shading. However, if you’re interested, you can search the net and see it for yourself what brands are available within your area. I think it’s called window film technology.

Do you know any other unusual conservatory roof shading solutions? I’d be happy if you shared them with all our readers in the comments. Thank you.

Amongst the window coverings I found to be most suitable for my kitchen, Bali solar shades come in my personal top of preferences. There are few reasons why I think they are so great:
Bali solar shades are not opaque. I don’t need complete blackout in my kitchen. I want to see the food when I cook, without having to turn on the lights during daytime. Yet, I live in a sunny area, so I need UV protection. At Bali, there are two openness choices for the solar shades: 10-14% or 5%-7%.

Bali solar shades are stylish. I’m the modern type of person and that’s visible in my interior design and furnishings. I like to get myself surrounded by beautiful objects and decorations, so the window coverings make no exception. I want to enjoy what I see wherever I might be looking inside my home.

Bali Solar Shades Properties

Shading coefficient: from 0.33 to 0.74. This means high energy efficient, thus lower energy costs

UV ray blockage: from 86% to 95%. This is the amount of harmful UV rays that is blocked by the shades fabric.

Limited lifetime warranty. Solar shades from Bali are tested for long life, therefore you’ll have to replace them less frequently.

Eco-friendly raw materials. Some of the fabrics are GREENGUARD certified. Here’s their list: Benton Ivory, Benton Beige, Benton Pewter, Prospect Alabaster, Prospect Black, Prospect Chestnut, Skylar Beige, Skylar Coffee Bean, Skylar Off White and Skylar Sandbar. The plastic components contain about 50% recycled material and the aluminum tube is 100% recyclable, as well as the hem bar.

So, if you’re concerned about going green, Bali solar shades will fully satisfy this requirement of yours.

Care and Cleaning of Bali Solar Shades

There’s no big deal about the maintenance of Bali solar shades. You can dust them and vacuum them without any restriction. Soil removal and spot cleaning are also allowed. Beware that these shades can’t be immersed in water, as this would ruin them. If you dust them frequently, you won’t have any problem and you’ll manage to preserve them like new for a very long time.

Conservatory roof blinds are an absolute necessity. A conservatory offers an excellent recreation space, but when the sun is hot, you may discover it’s impossible to live inside because of the heat that goes through the glass roof directly on your head. This is why conservatory roof blinds are so sought after, and that’s also why window treatments manufacturers have a very diversified offer when it comes to covering conservatory roofs.

In order to be efficient, conservatory roof blinds need to have a thermal insulation superior to common blinds and shades. That’s because the roof is more exposed to direct sun rays, and for all over the day, not only a few hours like in case of regular windows. This thermal protection can be easily achieved by lining the blinds fabric with a solar reflective aluminum backing. There are other helpful accessories that one can install on the roof windows, such as solar inserts, special window films that are transparent but stop the UV radiation from penetrating the window surface. Solar inserts are a relatively new invention and they work great in conjunction with polycarbonate conservatory roofs.

Most Used Types Of Conservatory Roof Blinds

Because conservatory roofs are usually high, cordless automated blinds are preferred for covering these windows. There are many types of blinds that can be adapted for conservatory roofs, from pleated blinds to roller shades or to pinoleum blinds, most of them being fit for any type of conservatory shape, be it Lean To, Victorian, Edwardian or Bespoke.

If you need conservatory roof blinds, you’ll see that there’s a wide offer available, many of the biggest manufacturers offering stunning models made of highly energy-efficient fabrics and motorized with the latest generation tubular motors, which are extremely silent and smooth in operation. Hillarys is one of the companies that have multiple choices to offer, and featuring a great experience in window treatments, they can advise you how to make your conservatory a great space to live in all year round. The photo on the left illustrates a conservatory with Citrus Pleated blinds from Hillary’s. This is only one example of the many solutions you can choose from when it comes to protecting your conservatory from harmful UV rays.

One last tip: retractable awnings may be as efficient as conservatory roof blinds.