The Difference Between Room darkening curtains vs blackout curtains

Curtains are essential for all homes, different curtains have different light-blocking properties. Before we talk about the comparison: room darkening curtains vs blackout curtains, let’s see what is room darkening curtains first.

What are room darkening curtains?

The light-blocking percentage of a curtain is defined by the thickness of the curtain and the secondary blackout material. Generally, the thicker the fabric, the greater its light-blocking ability. When buying curtains offline, you can determine the thickness of a curtain simply by touching it. In addition to solely relying on fabric to block out light, high-shading curtains will also include some auxiliary shading within the curtains. Two common types are silk and coated curtains.

Normally, the living room places importance on enough natural light, so the shading rate of curtains does not need to be too high to meet the function of heat insulation and dust proofing, usually around 40% to 60% will be enough. Natural light has great benefits for human health, so it is generally not recommended that full blackout curtains, most people's bedroom curtains shading by more than 70% be free from the sun. Home curtains' shading rate can generally reach 80% to 95%.

Curtains with 10% shading are usually thin and translucent; they have a certain blocking effect on ultraviolet rays; visible light and permeability are very high. Curtains with a shade of 20% are translucent and hazy, and the vast majority of yarns fall into the 20% shade category. Curtains with 30% shading are more hazy thick yarn series. The 40% shading rate curtains can block more than 95% of the ultraviolet rays to protect the furniture, pulling the curtains without the feeling of sunlight glare, the light itself is unaffected, the shading curtains are suitable for children's rooms, dining rooms, and so on. Bedroom light can not be too dark, otherwise it will affect human health.

What are blackout curtains?

If we want to explore a comparison: room darkening curtains vs blackout curtains., let’s see the characteristics of the blackout curtains together.

It is a type of curtain made from a dark material. The study shows that this kind of curtain can block out light more effectively than other curtains. This type of curtain uses special materials and techniques to effectively block outside light from entering the bedroom, creating a completely dark environment. People usually design it with two different structures. They will make the inner as a light-proof layer and the outer layer as a decorative layer. However, some families refuse to use blackout curtain, because this kind of curtain is so dark that people may feel depressed, frustrated, and other negative emotions.

Let’s make a comparison: room darkening curtains vs blackout curtains

Based on the survey, it can be concluded that these two types of curtains have many different properties. Let’s see them together.

Obviously, they are made of different materials. As for room-darkening curtains, producers often make them by using a less dense fabric liner. They can filter out most light. However, blackout curtains are normally made by special techniques. They can block out all the light. People will use multi-layer materials to make sure that they can block out light and heat. Therefore, they are especially suitable for bedrooms or rooms that require heat and light insulation.

In addition, there are some differences in their functions. Most people use darkening curtains to block light and find some privacy in their lives. However, blackout curtains can also give people a kind of thermal insulation, heat retention, and energy savings. Some studies show that these kinds of curtains are more suitable for people who require light-sensitive environments and better thermal insulation.

Also, they also have different design processes. The design of room darkening curtains is relatively simple, and the production process is not complicated. However, the blackout curtains’ production process is relatively cumbersome. The design of blackout curtains may pay more attention to the detail processing, such as the unique patented zip rail groove technology to ensure that it does not deviate, can produce curved curtains, is perfect for insect and mosquito prevention, is easy to clean, etc.

Conclusion

This article mainly discusses a comparison: room darkening curtains vs blackout curtains. Although they are all curtains used for shading, there are differences in materials, functions, and designs. The selection of which type of curtains to use depends on the specific use of the environment and requirements.