Blackout curtains as is evident from the name are the curtains or drapes that block the light from coming inside and from going outside. You know that these types of curtains were first used during ww2 to evade getting their houses or shelters from being bombed out of existence. Nowadays these are used to maintain privacy, keep out the extra noise, and get a full, peaceful sleep at night.
Blackout curtains can provide this light-blocking effect due to various reasons, first, the fabric that is used to make these curtains is very thick and preferably of a darker color, why? Because light colors are not as efficient at blocking light from entering as their darker counterparts are. Second, these curtains are lined with thick pieces or multiple layers of foam in addition to the liner to make these black-out curtains the blackout curtains. You can have either 2 passes of foam or 3 passes. In 2 passes of foam over the black-out curtain material the foam is partly visible and can be not pleasing to the eye, whereas the 3 passes of fabric can hide all the foam and provide blackout up to 99 percent.
You might get a halo around the window, which in my opinion is not something to be worried about but if you do not like it then it can be overcome by adding different length layers of blackout curtains to the window and you will achieve the darkness of a cave.
Now moving towards the fabric of the blackout curtains, these curtains are commonly made up of polyester on the second number you can get a mix of cotton and polyester third is heavy microfiber with triple weave and lastly cotton.
Polyester is the preferred fabric because of its many qualities. Polyester is durable and stays so over long periods, it is strong enough to keep all the weight of the liners and foams on itself and not shred. Even with daily, heavy use. This is also easier to clean but some types are dry clean only so make sure which type of curtain you are getting.
Some extra features to look for!
- THERMAL INSULATION: these blackout curtains are treated to reduce energy transfer in terms of heat via room insulation which means cool rooms in summer and vice versa.
- Europatex style, Anopsia
- Trend style 02692
- roc lon blackout drapery fabric
- 3 PASS BLACKOUT TECHNOLOGY: 3 pass means the number of times foam or fabric is used to reflect light away. In this, you use black foam sandwiched between two white foams to get most of the blackout curtains.
- FLAME RETARDANT FABRIC: these types of fabrics are used in most commercial settings, like offices, hospitals, and nurseries. For these curtains to be fire resistant they are treated with specific chemicals over time to be highly resistant to flames.
- 3D BLACKOUT CURTAINS: you can have your chosen pattern or designs printed on them to add a distinct flavor to your room.
- Hanes drapery lining serenity
