Blackout Zebra Blind

Because "blackout" describes the fabric, not the installation. The cloth itself passes no light, but a blind mounted inside the reveal must be cut a few millimetres narrower than the opening in order to move, and daylight finds that gap. If total darkness is the goal, mount outside the frame with a two to three inch overlap on each side and a deeper drop below the sill. Say so before we measure and we will size it that way from the start.

The fabric is one continuous loop with alternating sheer and solid horizontal stripes, running over a roller tube. Pulling the chain moves the front layer against the back layer. When solid sits over solid, the window is closed and light drops to a dim glow. When solid sits over sheer, you get an even band of filtered daylight across the whole window instead of a single gap at the top or bottom, which is what makes it more useful than a plain roller in a room you use all day.

Lower the blind fully and go over both faces with a vacuum brush head or a dry microfibre cloth, top to bottom. Do that monthly and Dhaka dust never builds into a grey film. For a mark, dab with a barely damp cloth and mild soap, then leave the blind down until it is completely dry — rolling up a wet blind is what causes streaks and a musty smell. Never soak the fabric, never scrub, and never machine-wash a blackout blind: the coating on the back is what blocks the light and it will crack.

Both are valid, and they give different results. An inside (reveal) mount looks tidier and keeps the sill usable, but a little light always escapes at the edges. An outside mount overlaps the frame by two to three inches on each side and is the only way to get a genuinely dark bedroom. Tell us which you want and measure accordingly — our /measure guide walks through both with the exact points to record.