Image courtesy of Room Resolutions

There are many reasons you may want to block light from coming through windows in Minneapolis. Say it’s from ambient street light, cars constantly driving down your street, or regular sunlight, controlling the light coming from your windows is important for a good night’s sleep.

For those looking to get better sleep, here are a few ways Minneapolis homeowners can best block light through their windows.

Which Window Coverings Control Light The Best?

A good amount of Minneapolis window treatments claim to darken a room for better sleep, and you can pretty easily divide them into three categories: the good, the bad, and the ugly. Take a look.

Light Controlling Window Treatments – The Good

The best window treatments to darken your windows should do these things:

• Effectively block light from entering.

• Operate easily depending on your preferences throughout the day.

• Look fantastic.

The window covering that best fits all these criteria is Minneapolis plantation shutters. When the louvers are completely shut, shutters form a seal on your windows, blocking almost all the light. Our premier Polywood shutters also come with built-in weatherstripping that fills in the gaps around your window frame, so very little light enters your home. And unlike vinyl shutters, Polywood is guaranteed to split or crack, which can cause gaps that let light in.

And unlike some cheaper DIY blackout solutions, shutters look great in any space. Rather than looking like hardware, they’re as pretty as they are effective.

A second option for the “good” category is light-blocking cellular shades. These are made with thick and dense material to block out most of the sunlight, and extend past your window opening. There can be some small gaps around the edges of the window where light may peak in. But for a non-shutter product, room darkening shades make for a good secondary choice.

Light Controlling Window Treatments – The Bad

Here are window coverings that don’t quite get the job done when it comes to blacking out a window. Any fabric window covering, from curtains to drapes, can let some light in unless they’re both incredibly dense and extend beyond the frame of your window.

Light Controlling Window Treatments – The Ugly

Search for “Minneapolis window blackouts” online and you’re likely to find some easy to use DIY sheets made to hang in a window frame to block light. Most of them are customizable to your window size and shape, and adhere to your frame via velcro or something similar. And for the most part, they do what they’re supposed to do.

But the drawbacks with those products are twofold. First off, they don’t exactly look good. Many of these products sacrifice looks for effectiveness. So if you put in of these blackout sheets, do it in an area that you don’t mind looking dull.

Let Sunburst Shutters Minneapolis Help You See

To learn more about plantation shutters or other window treatments to help black out your windows, get in touch with your Minneapolis shutter team. Complete the form below or give us a call at 952-856-8130 today to set up a free, no-obligation consultation in your own house.