Image courtesy of Room Resolutions

There are a lot of reasons you’d want to control the light coming from your windows in Orlando. Say it’s from ambient street light, constant traffic going by, or regular sunlight, blacking out the light from your windows is important for relaxing and getting quality sleep.

For those in dire need of better sleep, here are a few ways Orlando homeowners can best control the light.

What Window Coverings Block Light The Best?

Lots of Orlando window treatments claim to block light, and you can pretty easily divide them into three groups: the good, the bad, and the ugly. Here’s what you need to know.

Blackout Window Treatments – The Good

The best window treatments to dim your windows should do a few things:

• Effectively block light from coming in.

• Operate easily based on your preferences throughout the day.

• Look stylish.

The window treatment that hits all these marks is Orlando plantation shutters. When the louvers are completely shut, shutters create an almost complete seal on your windows, blocking almost all the light. Sunburst Polywood shutters even have built-in weatherstripping that fills in the gaps along your window frame, blocking even more light. And unlike vinyl shutters, Polywood will never warp or bend, which can result in gaps that let light in.

And unlike some cheaper DIY blackout products, shutters look beautiful in any room. Rather than looking like hardware, they’re as pretty as they are effective.

A second option in the “good” category is light-blocking roller shades. These are made with thick and layered material to block a good amount of light, and extend to the edges of your window opening. There can be some miniscule spaces around the edges of the shade where light can seep into the room. But for something other than shutters, room darkening shades make for a good secondary choice.

Blackout Window Treatments – The Bad

Here we have window treatments that don’t quite get the job done when it comes to blacking out a window. Any fabric window treatment, from curtains to drapes, can let some light in unless they’re both very thick and go beyond the edges of your window.

Blackout Window Treatments – The Ugly

Search for “Orlando window blackouts” online and you’re likely to find some DIY sheets made to hang in a window frame to block light. Most of them are customizable to your window size and shape, and adhere to the window frame via velcro or another adhesive. And for the most part, they work fairly well.

But there are a few drawbacks with these products. First off, they’re kind of ugly. The majority of these products sacrifice style for function. So if you choose to install some of these blackout sheets, do it in an area that you don’t mind looking kind of drab.

Let Sunburst Shutters Orlando Help You Control the Light

To learn more about interior shutters and other window treatments to help black out your windows, get in touch with your Orlando shutter team. Use the form below or give us a call at 407-630-7011 today to get a free, in-home window treatment consultation.