Having the right conservatory blind in your conservatory is important if you want to use it during the summer months. Not only will the blind make the conservatory more comfortable to sit in but it’ll also reduce the amount of sunlight you’re exposed to throughout the day. This article will give you a few things you need to think about when buying conservatory blinds.

1. The first and most obvious step is to make sure you know exactly how large the window is so you buy blinds of the right dimensions.
2. Next you need to think about where you’re going to put the conservatory blinds as this will partly decide which type you get. For example if you want to reduce the amount of sunlight and glare coming through the roof of the conservatory then you need to buy conservatory roof blinds which are specially made for this purpose
3. Now you need to think about which type of blind you want to get. Probably the most common are conservatory roller blinds and these work well in a wide range of different situations and styles. Pleated conservatory blinds are also good at keeping out the harsh sunlight while the same time looking stylish and elegant. You should ensure your conservatory is a haven where you can go and relax so don’t just think about functionality but also about the style of the blinds.
4. If buying a fabric blind then you need to choose the material that’s best for your conservatory. Some of the options include PVC and cotton. If you have young children and think your conservatory blind will be getting dirty regularly then PVC is one of the easiest to clean.
One thing to consider when buying any sort of conservatory blind is the fitting that it will need. Every conservatory is different and you need to make sure you choose a fitting that is right for yours.

Finding the best conservatory blinds requires you to think about all these different factors and then choose the right blind for your conservatory. While there are a lot of things to think about, by deciding which type of blind you want to get before you start looking you’ll spend a lot less time searching. You’ll also be a lot more likely to find a blind that is suitable for your conservatory.

One of the most popular types on blinds for conservatories is pleated conservatory blinds, which do a great job of protecting your conservatory from sunlight, heat and glare, as well as keeping in warmth during winter.

By far the most attractive type of blind (in my view!), a pleated conservatory blind is the style that is folded  up like a fan (concertina) when closed, and spreads to open. They are usually installed on a wire guide to help them to retain the same shape while being opened and closed daily – this also means that they don’t sag, unlike some other types of blind.  Pleated blinds can be either manually or remotely (electrically) opened and closed – but bear in mind that if you choose the remote opening option, you will need to factor in additional maintenance and possible service charges. .

Another big advantage of pleat blinds is that they are often made to measure blinds, custom made to fit any size or shape of conservatory. They can be used either as side-window blinds for your conservatory, or can be used as conservatory roof blinds.

One potential disadvantage of pleated blinds is that there can be a gap between the edge of the blind and your conservatory frame, which can let in a bit of unwanted sunlight.  Many manufacturers have chosen to fix this problem by putting the edge of their blinds inside a box framework, which means that there is no gap between the edge of the blind and your conservatory framework.  Naturally, this does add cost but, provided they are well designed, in my opinion, they’re worth it.

Pleated blinds usually come in different types of fabrics, and colours, to suit your taste.  When buying, we advise that you take care to  look out for blinds whose fabric has been treated to make sure it doesn’t fade in the sunlight and heat.  We also recommend that you make sure that your blinds have been treated with ’sun block’on their top side  to reflect some of the incoming sunlight, and that they are insulated on the lower side to keep in heat during the colder winter months.

As with most conservatory blinds, pleated blinds are usually best fitted by a professional.  However, they can be bought in kit form and installed by the homeowner.  One of the best DIY pleated conservatory blinds kits that we know of is the EZ fit system, which can be slotted into existing UPVC conservatory windows, without any need for screws or drilling.