Image courtesy of Room Resolutions

There are a lot of reasons you’d want to block light from coming through windows in Cleveland. Whether you want to dampen ambient street light, cars constantly driving down your street, or regular sunlight, blocking the light coming from your windows is important for a good night’s sleep.

For those dreaming of better sleep, here are a few ways Cleveland homeowners can best control the light.

What Window Coverings Block Light The Best?

Many Cleveland window treatments claim to help black out your windows, and you can basically divide them into three groups: the good, the bad, and the ugly. Here’s how they stack up.

Light Controlling Window Treatments – The Good

The best window treatments to block light from your windows should do a few things:

• Effectively prevent light from coming in.

• Adjust easily depending on your needs throughout the day.

• Look stylish.

The window covering that hits all these marks is Cleveland plantation shutters. When the louvers are completely shut, shutters create a kind of seal on your windows, blocking nearly all the light. Sunburst Polywood shutters also come with built-in weatherstripping that covers the gaps along the frame, blocking even more light. And unlike hardware store shutters, Polywood is guaranteed to warp or split, which can result in gaps that let light in.

And unlike some gaudy DIY window blackout products, shutters look amazing in any room. Instead of looking like hardware, they’re as fashionable as they are effective.

Another option for the “good” category is light-blocking roller shades. These are made with thick and layered material to block a good amount of light, and extend past your window opening. There can be some small gaps around the edges of the shade where light may seep in. But for something other than shutters, light-blocking shades make the cut.

Light Controlling Window Treatments – The Bad

In this category we have window coverings that don’t quite go the distance when it comes to blocking out light. Any type of fabric window treatment, from curtains to drapes, can let some light in if they aren’t both extremely thick and extend beyond the perimeter of your window.

Light Controlling Window Treatments – The Ugly

Search for “Cleveland window blackouts” in Google and you’ll probably find some DIY sheets made to hang in a window frame to block light. Most of them are customizable to your window size and shape, and stick to your frame with velcro or something similar. And for the most part, they work fairly well.

But the drawbacks with those products are twofold. First off, they’re kind of ugly. Most of these products give up fashion for effectiveness. So if you choose to install some of these blackout sheets, do it in a place that you don’t mind looking kind of drab.

Let Sunburst Shutters Cleveland Help You Black Out Your Windows Better

To learn more about plantation shutters and other window treatments to block light, get in touch with your Cleveland shutter team. Complete the form below or give us a call at 440-561-6787 today to get a free, in-home window treatment consultation.