Roller Blinds Buyers Guide

Guide to Made to Measure Roller Blinds

Buyers Guide

What are Roller Blinds?

Roller blinds are a free-hanging piece of fabric fitted around a tubular mechanism known as the barrel or tube. The fabric rolls up and down vertically and can be raised and lowered to the desired position. 

Roller blinds, also called roller shades, are an easy and economical way to add colour and style to any interior decor.  They are a popular choice and are constructed with modern fabrics and offer simple functionality for ease of use. Shop at Blinds4UK and you’ll find a huge selection of fabrics with free samples and low prices.

Why Custom Made?

Custom made roller blinds are made to fit the measurements of your windows, so not only will they look good but work better too. Our carefully selected range of fabrics goes through a superior manufacturing process using premium materials, which helps extend the lifespan of the blind. Buying made to measure roller blinds ensures you get a top-quality product that will complement your home interior.

 

How they Work

Chain Control

Roller blinds are manufactured with a plastic chain as standard with metal ones available as an optional extra. The chain supplied can either be a continuous loop chain with child safety device or chain manufactured with a breakaway connector. 

The chain on bespoke roller blinds can be chosen to be manufactured on wither the left or right side of the blind. When ordering you should take into consideration any furniture obstructions for accessibility before choosing the best side.

Spring Tension Cordless Control

Cordless spring control roller blinds use a tensioned clutch mechanism within the tube of the blind that allows the fabric to operate up and down. The fabric has a decorative centre pull (tassel) fitted on the hem.

The cordless operating systems can make the use of the blind more convenient without the need for installing safety devices. They also help improve the safety of your home from small children and family pets.

 

Options for Roller Blinds

Shape Options

Our roller blinds are manufactured with a straight edge bottom, open pocket and a white PVC insert bar that is weighted to allow the fabric to hang straight. At Blinds4UK our Customers product information tab details the exact finish you can expect for the fabric you choose.

Roll Options

You have the option of choosing for the fabric to be manufactured as standard or reverse roll on the roller tube.

Standard roll means that the fabric rolls off the back of the tube, allowing the fabric to hang closer to the window for better light control. If you choose standard roll the back of the fabric roll will show at the top from within the room. 

Reverse roll means that the fabric rolls off the front of the tube, hiding the top of the fabric roll. The downside of the reverse roll is the fabric hangs farther from the window glass decreasing light control. 

 

Light Control & Privacy

Roller blinds are available in a huge range of light filtering, room darkening, and blackout fabrics, so take into consideration the fabric opacity for the level of light control you want coming into a room.

Fabric Opacities & Materials

Every blind fabric is a form of dim out because they significantly reduce the light transmission coming into a room. Our range of fabrics offers different levels of opacity from sheer to blackout. It is always best advised to order a free sample, hold this up against your window to get the best idea of how much light the fabric will let in. For Total Blackout Blinds take a look at our blackout collection range but note that no blackout roller blind is total blackout because of the gaps down the sides. Total blackout means the fabric is blackout but when fitted to a tube the brackets and pin that allow the blind to function creates a gap down the sides and therefore light will penetrate.    

Sheer Roller Blinds are the most see-through; blackout blinds are more opaque because the fabrics block 100% of light transmission passing through. Room darkening blackout blinds are ideal for bedrooms or bathrooms, where more privacy is required, whereas Sheer Roller Blinds are a good window treatment in living rooms where want a view to the outside, but with the privacy to prevent from people seeing in.  

If you are looking for blinds for a kitchen or bathroom then take a look out our range of Waterproof Blackout Blinds. These are very popular because the fabric is made from PVC has wipeable, moisture-resistant and flame retardant properties.

Roller Blind Cloth Size to Blind Size

The width of a Roller Blind is always the 'bracket' to 'bracket' measurement and not the 'cloth (fabric)' width. The fabric will always be shorter by between 2.8cm to 4.4cm depending on the blind size ordered due to the components used at the sides that make the blind operate efficiently.

The Roller Blind will always be manufactured with 'extra' fabric on the length to ensure the tube is covered and not visible when the blind is fully extended to the height ordered. For full details on deductions and allowances refer to the product information tab before making any purchase.