Draperies and Top Treatments - Flush motorized vertical blackout curtains.

I would like to install some flush blackout curtains that block out the light 100%. I would prefer to have them motorized and to do this on the cheap.

Does anyone have any experience with this? Recommend any threads, tutorials, links, writeups, pre-made kits?

Any input appreciated.

Thanks!

Hi and welcome to the forum! Don't think there's a way to do this on the cheap. I don't think there's any DIY kits or tutorials, as far as I know. Blackout draperies alone are not enough to totally block out light 100%. You'd need to mount some blackout shades underneath and a cornice above and even then a slither of light could come thru.
Not trying to be funny, but boarding up the window is the only true 100% light blocking method.

Have you tried a sleep mask (blindfold).

you're not going to be able to motorize anything without spending a few hundred bucks on remote activated motors with multiple limitations and memory.

An additional 200 bucks could be added a nice black out pleated shade to make it motorized from hunter douglas. Their cheapest option involves multiple batteries inside the headrail that powers a motor which also hides in the headrail of the shade. Im not sure if they offer a plug option in place of the batteries. That conversion is doable for a guy that likes to tinker with things.

A blackout pleated shade can offer a lot of blackout ability if ordered and installed correctly. By ordering the shade wider than your molding, you can mount the shade to the wall above the window which would force it to suck up against the molding when down. The extra width would assure no excess sun sneaks through the edges.

If this still does not satisfy you, top off the window with blackout lined drapes with full returns to the wall on each end.
A top treatment would take care of any leaks from the top.


p.s.





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