top of page
Writer's pictureTara

What Are Solar Screen Shades?

Updated: Nov 13, 2022

Solar screen shades or sun shades are roller shades crafted with a specially designed fabric that’s woven just tight enough to protect against UV rays while enhancing your views of the outdoors. If windows provide a scenic view, but too much sunlight is flooding into the room, solar shades will block the annoying glare, reflect, or absorb heat without obstructing the view. They’ll also prevent sunlight from fading or deteriorating your upholstery, carpet, hardwood floors, and artwork. Let’s consider essential factors solar screen shades are right for you.


Solar Screen Shades and Openness Factor


Openness refers to the percentage of the screen shade surface is open. This factor determines the amount of heat/light that passes through the screen material.


The lower the openness level and the tighter the fabric weave, the less you can see through the shade. The higher the openness level, the looser the weave, and the better the visibility. Screen shades fabrics come in openness levels ranging from 0% to 14%, which provides a vast range of fabric options for filtering light and creating the perfect view.


Four solar roller screen shades with different openness factors.

Solar Screen Shades and Color


Color also determines how much light passes through a screen shade. A dark color absorbs more light than a lighter color. Darker color shades distribute heat more evenly, eliminating hot spots and allowing AC and fans to work more efficiently. Another thing to remember when it comes to screen roller shades is that darker colors will enhance the view while lighter colors reflect heat and illuminate a room, causing a bit of glare with the view-through like that of sheer draperies.



A black and white solar screen shades showing difference in view through.

Do Solar Screen Shades Provide Privacy?


Yes and no. During the day, you have privacy—you can see outside, but others cannot see into a home. When lights are on at night, the effect is the opposite and outsiders can see inside. Since solar screen shades on their own don’t provide as much privacy as other roller shades, they work best in more public areas of a home like kitchens, living rooms, sunrooms, and patios as opposed to bathrooms or bedrooms. Of course, you can always layer your screen shades with functioning draperies to add privacy to a room.



Four solar roller screen shades with different openness showing view from outdoors at night.

UV Protection and Efficiency

Besides protecting your furnishings from damaging UV rays, solar screen shades provide energy efficiency by reducing the heat that escapes in the winter and enters the summer. And for more light control and efficiency, you can combine two Designer Screen fabrics of varying colors and opacities to maximize solar efficiencies.

Two Designer Screen fabrics of varying colors and opacities in one window.

Limitless Options


With hundreds of fabrics and opacities, numerous decorative options, and a variety of top and bottom treatments, you can customize your solar shades to fit your personal taste. For unusually large windows, Designer Screen Shades are available in widths ranging from 12" to 166" and heights from 12" to 144". They can also fit doors, bay, specialty shapes, and corner windows for cohesive whole room coordination. Screen shades are an option on sliding patio doors using an innovative panel track system. Solar screen shades are easy to clean and available for indoor and outdoor use.


Since solar shades hit the market in the 90s, they have continued to surge in popularity because of their effectiveness in blocking the light while maintaining the view of the magnificent scenery outdoors. Besides this, these solar shades provide UV protection for valuables and offer unlimited options for personalizing the shades to fit a room’s design style. In addition, they are a perfect solution for extra-large windows with a scenic view.


If you’re looking for solar screen shades, T. Lynn’s can assist with finding the perfect solution for your home that is on-trend and within budget. We offer a comprehensive collection of blinds, shades, and draperies. Call 715-441-7997 today to schedule a FREE, in-home consultation, or go to tlynns.com and contact us.


Our Wisconsin service areas include:


BY CITY: Abbotsford, Altoona, Augusta, Barron, Bloomer, Chetek, Chippewa Falls, Colby, Cornell, Cumberland, Eau Claire, Greenwood, Hayward, Ladysmith, Loyal, Medford, Menomonie, Neillsville, Owen, Park Falls, Phillips, Rice Lake, Stanley, Thorp


BY COUNTY: Barron, Chippewa, Clark, Dunn, Eau Claire, Price, Rusk, Sawyer, Taylor


16 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comentarios


bottom of page