One of the most common kinds of blinds you can get for your conservatory are conservatory roller blinds. While they have their advantages they definitely have disadvantages too and in this article we’ll be going through a few examples of both.

The main problem that people experience with conservatories is that they can become extremely hot in the summer months and cold during the winter. Not only that, but because everything inside the conservatory is exposed to sunlight at all times your furniture is very likely to become damaged. Roller blinds for conservatories are popular because they allow you to protect your furniture and reduce the amount of heat inside whenever you want to while at the same time being able to roll up and get the full view of your garden.

To reduce the amount of heat that you have in your conservatory you can even get conservatory roller blinds that come with an aluminium coating on the outside. This helps to reflect as much sunlight as possible.

Roller blinds are also very versatile. While it’s important to make sure that you measure your window before buying them even if you do get the wrong side they can easily be adjusted yourself. You can get them custom-built but often it is cheaper just to buy a standard size and adjust them yourself. Most manufacturers will provide you with instructions on how you can adjust their roller blinds so it shouldn’t be too difficult to do. While DIY conservatory roller blinds are more effort they do mean that you will get blinds that are exactly the right size for you.

Another advantage of roller blinds is that they are usually made of material that’s extremely easy to clean. If you don’t want spend much time maintaining blinds then they are probably the right choice. They are also one of the cheaper types of conservatory blind you can buy. You can reduce the price even further by creating your own DIY conservatory blinds should you wish to. Even if you don’t create the blind yourself they are usually very easy to install so you shouldn’t have to hire anyone to do it for you.

However, the main problem with conservatory roller blinds is that they aren’t the most stylish. If you want your conservatory to have a sleek and modern design then roller blinds can often make the conservatory look too cluttered.

If you’re looking to buy a new set of blinds for your conservatory then one thing you’ll have to think about is the price. Conservatory blinds generally aren’t that expensive, but if you are buying for a large conservatory or don’t have a big budget you may not be able to get the ones you want. This is where knowing how to make conservatory blinds comes in handy as it can save you money as well as being a fun DIY project.

First of all you need to decide on the kind of blinds you want to make. Blinds for conservatory can come in many different forms but in this article I’ll be talking about how to make conservatory roller blinds. There are other options though such as pleated conservatory blinds that may look better in your house depending on the existing decor.

If you’ve decided on a conservatory roller blind then the first step is to measure the size of your window. Make sure that you measure on the side of the window you are going to be hanging the blinds and leave a small gap for the mount of the blinds either side. When you buy the material it is usually a good idea to buy extra to allow for mistakes.

Now that you’ve measured the size you can go and look for materials. This is where making your own blinds becomes exciting because you can choose the exact fabric and colour that will look best in your conservatory. Keep in mind the colour of the furniture you have in the conservatory already so you can get a style that matches. You can usually buy roller blind kits which include a roller mount to make things easier.

When you’ve got your kit home you should then put up the roller hardware by following the instructions. Once you’ve tried it out take out the actual roller but leave the mount up. Use the roller to mark on the fabric where you need to cut and leave a small gap either side so that it will roll up and down without catching.

Once you have folded over the sides of the fabric and stuck them together to give a smooth finish you can then attach the fabric to the roller. Usually you will use double sided tape for this although you should check with your kits instructions. Once you have done this you only need to put the wooden dowel and the bottom of the fabric to use as a weight and you’re done!

Putting up a DIY conservatory blind is easier than you think and usually only requires you to use common sense. Once you have installed the blind it is easy to test it out and see whether there are any improvements you can make to make it roll more smoothly.

If you’re a bit handy, and you don’t want to pay for a professional installation, putting up your own DIY Conservatory blinds may be an option worth considering.

The big benefits you’ll get from installing your own window blinds are, first and foremost, a warm glow of inner satisfaction (and perhaps the thanks and awe of other members of the household, who are less skilled at DIY than you are!).  But if you learn how to make conservatory blinds yourself, you’ll also save a lot of money which, you can either put in the bank for a rainy day, or use to add some nice conservatory furniture.  Alternatively, you could use the money you save and put it towards paying for a nicer brand of conservatory blind than you could otherwise afford.

I’ve detailed three  options below – which one you take will depend on how skilled you are.

1.) If you are very skilled at DIY, you  could pick up all the necessary supplies at your local DIY store, and then  build and attach blinds to your conservatory entirely from scratch.  If this is an option open to you, I expect you will be able to save a lot of money.

2.) If, like me, you are a mere DIY mortal, a Conservatory Blind kit is probably the best option open to you. Most reputable suppliers will be able to discuss your needs with you, and supply you with a DIY kit that suits your needs, skills  and, hopefully, pocket.   Everything you’ll need (tools excluded) will be included in the pack, and all you’ll need to do is install it, sit back, and enjoy your cool, glare free conservatory.  It’s not quite IKEA, but for most people, it should be do-able.  And, because you don’t need to pay someone to come round and do the work for you,  you’ll get to save about 20% off the retail price of your blinds.

3.) If cost is at an absolute premium, two of the cheaper  options are to buy some soft muslin, and hang at each window.  This will diffuse the light just enough to be effective and, depending on the look you’re going for, can actually look quite nice.  Alternatively, you can pick up reflective conservatory window film quite cheaply.  These are applied to the inside of your glass conservatory roof and stop around 75% of the sun’s heat, and keep out over 98% of harmful UV rays while still allowing you to see out.

One final word of caution – installing conservatory blinds is definitely a do-able project, but it’s still not the easiest task.  It’s not as difficult as, say, putting in fitted wardrobes all by yourself, but if you’re not sure of your ability (especially if you are installing conservatory roof blinds), then I would err on the side of caution when installing DIY Conservatory Blinds.