Looking for decent quality blackout curtains

mr.black79

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I have a South facing backroom were my home cinema is located with conservatory windows and doors down the left flank. The old curtains blocked out a fair amount of light but they were old and looking tatty. Fixing them to the walls at either end, magnetic strip in the middle and a skirt over the top running it's along the length helped with light peeking through. However replacing them with new proper blackout curtains would great this time of year with brighter evenings.

A pair I bought turned out to be thin and still let light through, it looked like pin pricks of light. Adding hook on blackout backing sheets was a faff. They cut the light but just won't sit tidy, now the curtain is fraying and breaking while I make adjustments.

It would be best replacing this rubbish with good quality curtains that actually block out light as advertised, mine turned out to be nothing like the video on the website. Ideally the right curtains would block the light on their own with no need for faff and extra expense on the likes of backing sheets.

Can anyone recommend a reliable set? I've seen some in the likes of John Lewis but but hesitate spending that much in case their no better, it can be tricky to tell looking online.

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If it’s for home cinema purposes, have you considered those fitted blinds that block all the light out? They attach to the windows. I believe some people in the home cinema section have used them.

Failing that, some years ago I bought made to measure curtains from Dunelm with a black out lining which was excellent. Really thick and nothing came through.
 
If it’s for home cinema purposes, have you considered those fitted blinds that block all the light out? They attach to the windows. I believe some people in the home cinema section have used them.

Failing that, some years ago I bought made to measure curtains from Dunelm with a black out lining which was excellent. Really thick and nothing came through.
I'm definitely aiming for home cinema, it would be great if I could just close the curtains and door for a room dark enough to enjoy movies, particularly 4k HDR.

It may not be possible to fit blinds on the window frame itself. Next best thing would be blinds hung in front of them but not sure I'm keen. The Dunelm option is very interesting, if no light gets through that would be an ideal start.
 
My home cinema room uses inexpensive blackout curtains bought from eBay. They cut out most of the light, even direct streaming-right-in sunlight, but when combined with an inexpensive blackout blind (also eBay) the room is in complete and utter darkness.

When I tested my new OLED last year, when the disc was booting up, I made the mistake of turning the light off during blackout conditions, and it was literally isolation-tank level darkness!
 
My home cinema room uses inexpensive blackout curtains bought from eBay. They cut out most of the light, even direct streaming-right-in sunlight, but when combined with an inexpensive blackout blind (also eBay) the room is in complete and utter darkness.

When I tested my new OLED last year, when the disc was booting up, I made the mistake of turning the light off during blackout conditions, and it was literally isolation-tank level darkness!
That's what I'm aiming for 😜 unsure who to trust as yet with curtains on eBay, browsing there and Dunelm so far. I hope Dunelm made-to-measure fair better than their ready-made, somebody complained in a review with a photograph showing sunlight showing straight through.
 
I'll have a look at which curtains I bought in the morning, but the blind (you cut it to measure yourself) which is used in conjunction with it was...

Roller Blind link
 
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I have bought some blackout from IKEA recently and John Lewis (different colours required by the boss): both look good and I think will do the trick for bedrooms.

I should be fitting them at the weekend, if it is of interest I could take a few photos?
 
I have bought some blackout from IKEA recently and John Lewis (different colours required by the boss): both look good and I think will do the trick for bedrooms.

I should be fitting them at the weekend, if it is of interest I could take a few photos?
Yes that would be great thanks, not many website reviews have photos, it will help my shortlist of sites to check out
 
These are the curtains I use in conjunction with the blind, and if you fit them correctly, they really keep the light at bay.

Blackout curtains
 
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These are the curtains I use in conjunction with the blind, and if you fit them correctly, they really keep the light at bay.

Blackout curtains
Great thanks for the link, weighing up what I can combine to do the trick.
 
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Great thanks for the link, weighing up what I can combine to do the trick.
Believe me, with the two items together I panicked the first time the OLED screen went black and plunged the entire room into total darkness!

The home cinema room is still unfinished, as I have yet to properly tart up the curtain-rail & fixings, but the combination really does the job.

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Looks great, sounds promising for you if it's that dark, movies just aren't the same otherwise, I'm saving them until this room has similar blackout.
 
They were the blinds I mentioned at the top. They seem perfect for home cinema.

I've been wanting to try one on the staircase, when the sun rises in the morning it floods the bedroom and wakes you up. Just can't help thinking it'll look a little industrial for a staircase.
 
I've been wanting to try one on the staircase, when the sun rises in the morning it floods the bedroom and wakes you up. Just can't help thinking it'll look a little industrial for a staircase.
Could you have a regular blind or curtains over the top so it is hidden during the day?
 
I've put up some fleabay blackout curtains with blackout backing sheets. Bit of a faff attaching the backing sheets, there's some sagging material but unless it's slightly loose the curtains end up feeling tight to pull closed. It cuts out the light and makes a difference. It's stuck to the wall near the TV with double sided tape, a magnetic strip to close the middle and magnetic strip against the wall at the back of the room. There's a length of blackout material running along the top, some light gets through but then it's only a single layer.

The utility room door behind me has blackout blind slats running around it to cut out light. The glass of the door leading into the room now has a Amazon travel blackout blind sheet over it. Although not pitch black the room is pretty dark, certainly darker than before, once the TV is on I don't notice the small amount coming in. Hopefully this means I can enjoy 4k HDR in the evenings. It would help if the walls and carpet were a darker colour but that's a job for another day.

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Yes that would be great thanks, not many website reviews have photos, it will help my shortlist of sites to check out

installed one of the John Lewis blackout curtains over the weekend, nice and worked well; to be fair this is a spare room, so just had to be half decent. Photo seemto exacerbate the light levels, as it doesn’t look that bright in person. There is light coming around the side and even the top, but that is cause the rail is quite long (I.e. brings it out from the wall) and I went for easy install (eylets). The curtain themselves look good in terms of blocking light, so assuming you do a better/more thought through install, they could work.

ikea ones won’t be up for another week or so, but expect them to be about the same.

hope that helps.
 

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installed one of the John Lewis blackout curtains over the weekend, nice and worked well; to be fair this is a spare room, so just had to be half decent. Photo seemto exacerbate the light levels, as it doesn’t look that bright in person. There is light coming around the side and even the top, but that is cause the rail is quite long (I.e. brings it out from the wall) and I went for easy install (eylets). The curtain themselves look good in terms of blocking light, so assuming you do a better/more thought through install, they could work.

ikea ones won’t be up for another week or so, but expect them to be about the same.

hope that helps.
That's very helpful thank you, the photo has given me a fair idea of what to expect. I'm weighing up best options for the sides and door leading in to the room, it's a bugger cutting straight.
 
I have this range from Dunelm in the lounge & bedroom & they do the job.


Eyelet will be less effective because of the distance the pole sits off the wall.
 
I have this range from Dunelm in the lounge & bedroom & they do the job.


Eyelet will be less effective because of the distance the pole sits off the wall.
Thanks, they look like one of the better makes. I'm waiting for materials to see if I can fix curtains to the wall and block out light.
 
I always fancied one of these Bloc Blinds - BlocOut™ in Pitch Black Blackout not exactly cheap though.
@Russa Have you heard of anyone with experience of these ?

I have just got a quote for these windows and I am wondering if I would be better off with a Velvet curtain the length of the room, bonus would be it would also hide radiators.
Image of room and quote attached for anyone with any thoughts.
 

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Yeah another vote for Dunelm blackout curtains ...I work shifts and a light slepper.

Just bought some again recently after moving
 

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