Black-out Shades

Moved from DIY

Fabric blackouts, there is nothing better. Put a second parallel rod for a lace curtain if you want both light and privacy on some days. Mini-blinds actually do both jobs, but poorly. Remove that wooden valance if you have to, it sucks anyway. I removed the side "valance" or whatever it's called, those vertical pieces left and right of the window.

This certainly doesn't look factory, but we replaced all the crappy mini blinds in our camper with home-made blackout fabric curtains. We just sewed up square panels slightly bigger than each window, put snaps on the 4 corners, and snap them to the wall. Each panel overlaps the window, and is very snug, can't even see light around the edges. We spent maybe $40 for all 7 windows on fabric and snaps, probably 5 hours sewing (because we're definitely not expert sewers). With everything snapped up, the only light comes in from the roof vents...very dark.

When the strings broke in my Day/Night shades I replaced them with some heavy drapes from IKEA. Simple, cheap, and very effective at blocking the light.

Ramblin Recks:

I am like you. The price was just a bit on the steep side. When I need to cut down the light, I pull out my winter insulators made of reflectex that velcro to the walls and ceiling. It can be pitch black in the middle of a bright summer day. I store my reflectex under my mattress and have each one marked for which window, door or vent they fit. It is dark enough that I have worked on a 35mm camera like I was in the dark room at home.

Ramblin Recks wrote:
I really like the MCD shades, but not the price... Has anyone installed regular roll-up shades (residential) underneath the wooden valance that surrounds the windows? Seems like it should work.

An ideas, thoughts?

Thanks
Ramblin Reck

I have them and they work very well.