We have the typical accordion/pleated pull-down shades on our two bedroom windows. It's just not dark enough for us and we'd like to install some kind of blackout blinds. What are the options? 1/2" micro- mini blinds? Double cellular type? Roller type? There are some options from this vendor but not sure what would work best. Just blindsThe micro-mini blinds look interesting but I guess they'd have to have the little holes at the bottom to go into the clips on the wall. I also wonder how much light would get through all the slats?We also have an exterior door in the bedroom and there's no blind or shade on it. Is there a way to mount a decent mini-blind or shade between the screen door and glass?Last summer when the sun came up it was like having a searchlight in our eyes. We ended up putting cardboard over the 3 windows. Looked pretty cheesy from the outside and there's got to be a better way.

Use a couple paper binders from any office supply store and just clip a bath towel over the window. Take it down in daylight, put it up after dark. Takes 10 seconds and works well. And it's a LOT cheaper than purchasing new blinds! We do this quite often.(Plus it dries your towel after tanking a shower!)

We cut Reflectix to fit in the window. The window frame holds it. Just remove when not needed.Buy Reflectix at home depot.Pat

I made new curtains from black out Eclipse panels. Got mine at WalMart. Just pull them across the window and it's DARK. Also helps keep heat out when the sun is shining in and warm in when it is cold.

I had a window shade break and for a temp fix until I got to an RV store I went to Lowes and in the window department they have these paper pleated shades. They come in white, partial dark and blackout dark. I think they cost about 8 dollars. Cut them to fit to size. Clips to fold them up and down.The top has a removable adhesive strip. I'm thinkin ya that strip will hold it for maybe about a couple days. :RFast forward 2 years!! That little pleated paper shade is STILL hanging on the window above my sink. It looks good and I never repaired the original blinds that clanked all the time anyway.I went back and bought the black out dark ones and put them under the day/night shades for when I really want it dark in the bedroom when I RV to sporting events where there are always huge overhead lights.We also have an exterior door in the bedroom and there's no blind or shade on it. Is there a way to mount a decent mini-blind or shade between the screen door and glass?I also put one on the entrance door over the glass in the inside. Just sticks right on along the top. That one has been on for over 2 years too!Just looked for picture to post and they now have a website now. http://redishade.com/store/index.html

I like it DARK when I sleep. I cut corrugated plastic (cant remember the name) painted one side black and used Velcro to attach to window frame. Same with the ceiling vent

Blackout bedroom blinds? | Good Sam Community

engine31
Explorer
Feb 25, 2014
We went to the automotive department and purchased the aluminum window shades they came in two sizes and fit perfectly in the frame of the windows, they also helped out in heat reduction when we traveled to Florida last summer. I do like the idea that someone suggested of getting a roll of window tint.
BurbMan
Explorer II
Feb 18, 2014
myredracer wrote:

There might be a solution to getting the bedroom dark, but the next problem to solve is the noisy neighbors camping next to you with kids, the idling diesel, and barking dogs at the break of dawn. :(

Actually the dual-glazed windows do a LOT to reduce noise. We also replaced the pocket doors to the bedroom with drapes which help absorb sound as well.
jaycocreek
Explorer II
Feb 18, 2014
Reflextix is an rving must. More uses than one could list. I never leave home without some.I have a piece cut for every window/vent and especially the back door window that doesn't have blinds. Keeps the bedroom darker and cooler in the summer.
myredracer
Explorer II
Feb 18, 2014
That looks interesting. We'll have to look closer at it. Good to see at least one TT manufacturer thinking about this. :)

There might be a solution to getting the bedroom dark, but the next problem to solve is the noisy neighbors camping next to you with kids, the idling diesel, and barking dogs at the break of dawn. :(

BurbMan wrote:
Our TT came with day/night shades from the factory like these. The "day" shade is a translucent fabric like you mentioned, but there's a also a "night" shade that pulls down from above the day shade, so as you pull down the night shade the day shade collapses into its accordian pleats at the bottom. The night shade is DARK, you can pull those shades at noon and thinks it's 3am from inside the bedroom.
goducks10
Explorer
Feb 18, 2014
dadmomh wrote:
If you're at all even basically skilled at sewing, you can get black-out fabric at JoAnn's or one of the larger fabric stores - also check online - and just hem the edges and use Velcro to attach it to the wall. You may not even need to Velcro the entire edge, maybe just some 1" pieces several inches apart. Same thing will work for the door and in the daytime just take it down. Sticky back Velcro is your BFF for RVs....no damage to the walls, inexpensive and easy to use. If you decide at some point you want to remove it, it comes off pretty easily and any remaining residue is gone with just a bit of Goo Gone. I used it to put up our personal pictures and decorating pieces in our HTT and when time came to sell it, you'd never know anything had been on the walls.

Price-wise, I've never shopped for black-out fabric, but would imagine that black duck cloth would accomplish the same thing or even black fabric-backed vinyl.

That's exactly what my wife did. She used two pieces of Velcro at each upper corner to hold them up. 20 secs to put up and 5 secs to take down. I also painted the inside of our white ceiling vent black.
Kittykath
Explorer II
Feb 18, 2014
rockhillmanor wrote:
If you want something temporary to block out the light which also will keep out the cold and sun too?

I use van sized windshield sun shades. They fix exactly in the windows of an RV and slide right up under the day night shades without having to tape or velcro them.

They come in all kinds of colors and designs so it doesn't look too tacky from the outside like the plain silver ones do. Walmart's carry a good selection of them.

I bought the ones with palm trees on them. I use them to block out the hot summer sun when in Florida. I slip them under the day/night shades on all the windows on the sun side. Works Great!

http://www.walmart.com/search/search-ng.do?ic=16_0&Find=Find&search_query=windshield+sun+shades&Find=Find&search_constraint=0&_be_spellv2=on

We use these too when trying to keep our seasonal camper cooler because of a lack of shade on one side. I cut them to fit, and because they're pleated already, they fold up and out of the way nicely.
rockhillmanor
Explorer II
Feb 18, 2014
If you want something temporary to block out the light which also will keep out the cold and sun too?

I use van sized windshield sun shades. They fix exactly in the windows of an RV and slide right up under the day night shades without having to tape or velcro them.

They come in all kinds of colors and designs so it doesn't look too tacky from the outside like the plain silver ones do. Walmart's carry a good selection of them.

I bought the ones with palm trees on them. I use them to block out the hot summer sun when in Florida. I slip them under the day/night shades on all the windows on the sun side. Works Great!

http://www.walmart.com/search/search-ng.do?ic=16_0&Find=Find&search_query=windshield+sun+shades&Find=Find&search_constraint=0&_be_spellv2=on
BurbMan
Explorer II
Feb 18, 2014
Our TT came with day/night shades from the factory like these. The "day" shade is a translucent fabric like you mentioned, but there's a also a "night" shade that pulls down from above the day shade, so as you pull down the night shade the day shade collapses into its accordian pleats at the bottom. The night shade is DARK, you can pull those shades at noon and thinks it's 3am from inside the bedroom.
BillyandKris
Explorer
Feb 18, 2014
For the shower skylight we also used the silver stuff. Glued a piece of cotton fabric to upside to prevent so much reflection upward. Had some tiny black stretchy cord. He loosened the tiny screws and wove the stretchy cord zig zag back and forth across then tightened screws back. The silver piece will just slide up over the zig zag stretch cord and stay put or can be partially opened.
BillyandKris
Explorer
Feb 18, 2014
I got upholstery fabric with black sort of vinyl-like backing. No need to hem. Cut to size of window and we put command hooks up under the valance and I sewed cloth tabs on the square. But, now I see I can just cut a hole in the fabric and it will not ravel. You can also hem the bottom to fit a dowel rod in and then roll up part way and secure with a plastic toothy hair clip. You could also skip the command hooks (which I think I will do in next camper cause sometimes they come loose) and just cut the fabric larger and use quilters safety pins and pin it to the valance (leaving pin open). Will not damage valance fabric and after all, this is only done at night and so who sees it? No matter what it looks like, right. These fold up easily to store.

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