Blinds for shop windows/doors?

[Will Rowland]

My new shop has 9 30" x 30" windows and a set of divided light French doors.

I'd like to add some sort of window treatment to all the glass, mainly to limit UV degradation and solar heating due to the sunlight streaming in when I'm not in the shop. I finally pulled the plastic film off the windows and, wow, especially in the morning and late afternoon, the sun really lights up the place.

Does anyone have any suggestions or clever ideas for the best type of blinds to get? Obviously, I'd like something durable and relatively inexpensive, yet easy to keep clean.

Also, the bases of the 30" windows are 7 ft above the floor, so I'll need a way to easily open/close the window treatments without hauling out a ladder (plus a few windows will have a countertop in front of them).

[Steve Kohn]

I used plain old cheap venetian blinds. The stock ones from the BORG, about 1 inch wide.

When they get dusty I blow them off with compressed air. They do however get damaged when a piece of walnut come off the table saw at high velocity (aka kickback), goes throught the blinds, and the window behind the blind.

The window as not repairable, the blinds have a little bend in them but still work. I have not replaced the blinds to remind me of my own stupidity.

[David G Baker]

When I lived in California the Borg carried a screen product called Solar Screen. The screen cut the light quite a bit and cut heat that hit the window by quite a bit. I brought some of it with me when I moved to Michigan, I put it over the kitchen window above the sink to cut the morning Sun from blaring in our eyes. It works very well. What it doesn't do is cut the visibility at night when the lights are on in the house people can see in.
I use a lot of the vinyl blinds and have found them to be quite durable and better than aluminum blinds if there are children or pets messing with them.

[Don Jarvie]

Mini blinds. Target and Walmart have them pretty cheap.

I looked at the sheets for privacy glass but they were very expensive and at night you could see in.

[David Prince]

I have used this kind on french door type doors.

http://www.amazon.com/ODL-BWM256601-...7644404&sr=8-3

They are kinda spendy, but do work where other options are not the best solution for a full glass type door.

[Van Huskey]

The french doors in my house came with blinds built in, and I LOVE them. But for the shop I would suggest forgetting blinds and just use tint. The UV and solar gain become a non-issue and doesn't attract and hold dust like blinds.

[Robert Malone]

Will, We added this film to our windows years ago and like it.
You can see out, but can not see in.

http://www.amazon.com/Films-Inc-LEG3.../dp/B001735SW4

Part of the description: "Rejects 99% of damaging UV rays".

We bought it in rolls 4'X15' at one of the box stores.
ACE hardware is pricey

[Will Rowland]

Thanks for the suggestions. The windows are all Low E-366 rated , and now, reading up on them, I see they block 95% of UV rays as-is.

So, I'll probably just get some of the cheap vinyl blinds to help manage glare.

[GLENN THOMAS]

What about some kind of shutters? They would be easy to make, clean, and more durable that blinds.

GT

[Lee Schierer]

Vertical blinds will do what you want without collecting nearly as much dust as horizontal blinds or curtains will.