A day and night blind is not a true blackout blind. Its two layers of fabric alternate opaque and sheer stripes: by shifting the stripes, you go from soft filtered light to a dark room. But even closed, it lets a little light through between the stripes and at the sides. It is ideal for a living room, an office or a bedroom where a little light does not bother you. For total darkness, you need a blackout blind or a blackout curtain, on its own or as well.
In short
- How it works: two striped layers that slide over each other.
- Strengths: fine light control, daytime privacy, often fitted without drilling.
- Limit: no total darkness, even with so-called blackout stripes.
- For sleep: fine for a nap or a room with little light; add a curtain if daylight wakes you.
How do day and night blinds work?
A day and night blind (also called a zebra, duo or double roller blind) is a roller blind whose fabric loops around a tube. So there are two layers of fabric, one in front of the other. Each layer alternates solid stripes with sheer or transparent stripes, a few centimetres wide.
- Sheer stripes aligned: light comes in, filtered. You can see out.
- Solid stripes over the sheer ones: the two layers complete each other and the room darkens.
- Blind rolled up: the window is clear.
Are day and night blinds blackout?
Partly. The solid stripes can be blackout fabric, but three leaks remain:
- Between the stripes: the two layers never overlap perfectly.
- At the sides: the fabric stops a few millimetres or centimetres short of the frame.
- At the top, around the roller tube, unless the blind has a cassette.
The result: the room becomes dark, not black. That is often enough for a north-facing or courtyard bedroom. Facing east, with early summer sunrises, it will not be enough if you are a light sleeper. Morning light helps set the body clock, but it can also cut the night short: the Sleep Foundation notes that even dim light in the bedroom can disturb sleep.
Day and night blinds: pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|
| Precise light control without rolling it up | No total darkness |
| Daytime privacy: you see out, others see little | The stripes collect dust |
| No-drill models, handy for renters | Without a cassette, light gets in at the top |
| Modern, discreet, space-saving | Insulates less than a thick curtain |
A day and night blind for a bedroom: good idea?
Yes, if you are mainly after privacy and soft light, and a little brightness does not wake you. If you work nights, the street is lit or the first ray wakes you, add a blackout curtain on top, or choose a solid blackout blind. To size that curtain, see what size blackout curtains you need.
No-drill day and night blinds: how do they stay up?
No-drill models attach to the opening part of the window with clip-on or clamp brackets, or with adhesive. Benefits: no holes, the blind moves with the window, and the fabric sits closer to the glass, which reduces side leaks. Measure the visible width of the glass between the glazing beads and add 2 to 3 cm each side, then check the window handle does not catch the fabric: that is the most common mistake.
How to clean a day and night blind
- Dust it once a month with a duster or the vacuum's brush attachment, with the blind down.
- For a stain, dab with a damp cloth and a little mild soap, without rubbing hard.
- Do not roll it up wet: damp fabric rolled up can mark.
Day and night blinds and summer heat
An indoor blind stops some of the light, but the sun's heat has already come through the glass. It helps a little, especially with a light-coloured fabric facing the window, but it does not replace an outdoor shutter. In summer, close it from the morning on sunny windows and air the room at night instead.
Day and night blind or pleated blind?
A pleated blind is fabric folded like an accordion that gathers upwards, or sometimes downwards. In blackout fabric, it makes the room darker than a day and night blind, because it has no sheer stripes. You cannot fine-tune the light as precisely: it is open, closed, or halfway. For a bedroom, a blackout pleated blind is therefore often the best choice for sleep, and a day and night blind the best for living in the room by day.
To finish
To control daylight without drilling, our no-drill day and night double roller blind attaches to the window. If what you want is darkness for sleeping, we would rather point you to the no-drill pleated blackout blind.
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