How to Prevent Light Gaps on Blinds and Shades

Is light shining in through the gaps on the sides of your blinds or shades? We’ll show you how to cover them on existing windows or prevent them when ordering new window treatments from Blinds.com. Why do light gaps happen? Well, all window treatments must be made slightly smaller than the window opening to prevent rubbing on the window frame when the product is raised or lowered. On some windows, the wood or vinyl strip around your window glass may overlap enough to cover the gaps. But, if not, light can shine through. Custom window treatments, which are made to order in your exact measurements, will always give you a tighter fit than the cut-to-size or stock options. All Blinds.com window treatments are custom-made to the eighth of an inch, so you get a finished look every time. Light gaps can appear in varying degrees. Cellular shades have the smallest at as little as a quarter of an inch. Roller shades, solar shades, and shear shades have the largest light gaps, which can be up to a half inch on each side. If you’re looking to cover gaps in existing blinds or shades, you have two options. The first is to layer draperies on top. Blackout draperies will be the most effective. This will also give your windows a more stylish, layered look. The second option is to add vinyl light gap blockers. These are strips with a sticky backing that you can easily adhere to your windows to block the gaps and prevent light. Most Blinds.com blackout shades offer light blockers as an upgrade. If your shade doesn’t offer them, you can purchase them separately. If you’re ordering new window treatments and want to prevent light gaps, first ask yourself how much light do you want to block overall. Are you a day sleeper who needs absolute darkness when the sun is out? Here are some tips. Be sure to choose a blackout fabric. Select a style with small light gaps like cellular shades. Add light gap blockers, and even consider layering draperies on top. If you don’t need complete darkness but want to reduce light gaps, cellular shades come in light-filtering fabric and will fit tightly to the window to give you good coverage. When ordering new window treatments, another option for blocking light gaps is to switch to an outside mount. Outside mount shades are mounted outside the window opening and made larger on all sides to cover the entire window. This may hide decorative molding, but it is a great way to get complete window privacy and eliminate light gaps altogether. Be aware that some blinds or shades may not hang tight to the window and could glow with light from the outside. Need more help dealing with light gaps? Call 1-800-505-1905 for free design help from one of our expert window-covering designers.