Sunscreen blinds
A sunscreen blind is an open-weave roller that cuts glare and keeps the view. See what 1, 3, 5 and 10 per cent openness look like.
What it is
A sunscreen is a roller blind in an open-weave cloth.
Looks and hangs like
Openness is the share of the cloth that is open weave.
At 1 per cent the weave is tight and the view limited.
At 3 per cent the light is soft and the view recognisable but blurred.
At 5 per cent the view is clearer and there is more glare.
At 10 per cent the view is good and glare is least reduced.
Charcoal and charcoal grey are common screen colours in South Africa, at 5 and 10 per cent openness.
Suits
Shading the outside of a west window works better than a blind or curtain inside it.
A pale screen reflects more heat. A dark screen gives a sharper view out and less glare.
Fabric fade resistance is rated 1 to 8 on the Blue Wool scale. On a west window, ask for the rating.
Light and privacy
By day it is brighter outside than in, so you see out and people outside cannot see in.
At night with the lights on, this reverses and people outside can see in.
Fabric and layers
A pale screen can haze the view. A dark one keeps it crisper at the same openness.
What to check at fitting
A sunscreen fits like a roller blind. The cloth is about 35 mm narrower than the width ordered.
Inside the recess it must clear the window handle by 50 mm.
Cords and child safety
A sunscreen has a chain at one side, like any roller.
Window cords and chains can strangle a child.
Keep cords and chains at least 1.6 m above the floor.
Keep beds, cots and furniture away from the window, so a child cannot climb up to a cord.
A cordless blind has no cord to reach. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends cordless window coverings in every home where children live or visit.
A chain tidy or tension device holds a looped chain to the wall.
The Irish body advises asking whether the blind meets the European standard EN 13120, and whether its safety device meets EN 16433 and EN 16434.
This is guidance from the US Consumer Product Safety Commission and Ireland's consumer protection body.
Ask your installer for a cordless blind, or how the cord or chain will be fixed.
Measuring
Measure the recess or the outside, step by step.
Sources
Written by Sill from makers' fitting guides and published safety guidance, and last read on 18 October 2026. Sources are listed below.