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Blockout Blinds and Blackout Roller Blinds
A blockout blind stops every bit of light that hits it, and the room still isn't dark, because the light comes round the sides. Side guides and a pelmet close that gap, and the room stays dark at dawn, at noon, whenever someone in your house needs to sleep.
Or call 09 441 9455. Mon to Fri, 8:00am to 4:30pm.
We measure, supply and install blockout blinds across Auckland for bedrooms, nurseries and shift workers. If you've had one before and light still got in, blame the fit. The measure is where we get it right first time.
Book a free measure and quote: call 09 441 9455 or send us a message. It's a home visit with samples and no obligation, and we'll show you where side guides would sit on your own window, in your own light.
✓ Locally made in New Zealand
✓ Free measure and quote
✓ 2 year full warranty (no call-out fee)
✓ 260+ five-star Google reviews
✓ In business since 2010
Blockout or blackout blinds? Same thing, and here's what they do
Blockout blinds and blackout blinds are the same product, and New Zealand mostly says blockout. You'll also see them called blockout roller blinds, blackout roller blinds, or black out blinds in a search bar. Whatever you call them, the fabric is the same, and it blocks all the light that lands on it.
The chain, motor and brackets are the same as our other roller blinds, including motorised blinds if you'd rather have no chain at all.
Why light still gets round the edges of a blockout blind
"I've seen blockout blinds where the light still gets in." Yes, that's normal with a standard roller blind mounted inside the window frame. There'll be small gaps at each side and over the top of the blind.
It's less so when the blind is wall-mounted over the window opening, although some light will still come round the edges.
For most bedrooms and living areas, a standard blockout blind is fine. If you're a shift worker trying to sleep during the day, or the baby wakes the moment it gets light, you might opt for side guides and a pelmet for better blackout.
Side guides and pelmets: do you need them for true blackout?
Roller blinds with side tracks, which we call side guides, are the fix. Most people have never been offered them. The set-up has two parts:
✓ Side guides: channels fixed down each side of the window that the fabric runs in, closing the gap at the sides
✓ A pelmet or enclosed head box: a cover over the roll that closes the glow at the top
The head box also hides the roll, so from inside the room you see a clean line across the top of the window.
Together they make up the CF90 pelmet and side guides system. One customer, Ben, called it the peek proof privacy blind, and he recommends it in his review further down. With the gaps closed at the sides and top, blackout roller blinds do what the name says. If the existing window frame isn't level, there will likely be some fine lines of light, but the CF90 pelmet and side guides system still gives a much better blackout than most other blind or curtain options.
Book the measure: call 09 441 9455.
Blockout blinds for bedrooms, nurseries and shift workers
Whereas a standard blockout blind might be fine for most rooms, a border of light might matter in the following:
✓ A nursery, where a nap that ends early means a grizzly afternoon
✓ A shift worker's bedroom, where the day sleep has to hold before the next shift
✓ A media room, where a line of glare washes out the screen
✓ An east-facing bedroom that wakes you before the alarm
If it's blockout blinds for a bedroom like these, we'll suggest side guides and a pelmet from the start, rather than a standard blind you'll want to change later. Tell us at the measure who sleeps there.
For a nursery, we fit a chain tidy that fixes the chain to the window frame, or you can go chain-free with a spring-assist system or a motor.
Blockout and sunscreen together: dual roller blinds
A dual roller blind pairs a blockout and a sunscreen on one double bracket, so you keep the view by day and have a dark room at night.
It also covers the one weakness of a sunscreen on its own: at night with the lights on, people outside can see in.
Prefer fabric to a blind? Blockout curtains and drapes are another way to darken a room, and we fit those too.
Why we measure blockout blinds in person
David or Roman, our two owners, measure every job, and the measure and quote are free in the Auckland area. At the visit we'll:
✓ Check each window for a face fit over the opening or a recess fit inside it, since a face fit blocks more light
✓ Hold blockout samples against your wall in your own daylight
✓ Show you how side guides and a pelmet would sit on the rooms that need them
We bring the showroom to you, and your quote comes from that measure, so we don't price from sizes. Roman then leads the install with our own team.
Outside Auckland? We ship blockout blinds NZ-wide, but the free measure and install is for the Auckland area.
How long do blockout blinds take?
✓ 3 to 4 weeks from deposit to install
✓ Longer in the run-up to Christmas, so book the measure early if you want them in before the holidays
If there's a baby due or a new roster starting, book with room to spare.
Our 2-year warranty
Everything we fit carries our 2 year full warranty:
✓ Parts and labour for two years
✓ No call-out fee and no labour charge
Roller blind fabric is also backed by the manufacturer for five years.
If something's wrong with the fit once the blind is up, we come back and put it right, and repairs and servicing are available on every blind we've fitted.
What our customers say about their blockout blinds
Most of our customers are repeat or referred, and 129 of our 260+ five-star Google reviews mention roller blinds. Ben mentions the CF90 system, and Susan her blockout roller blinds.
"Our first consult was clear and concise, with David helping with not only the big details like colour and materials, but the little details that matter that we didn't think of ... I would recommend looking into their CF90 peek proof privacy blind solution." (Ben, June 2025)
"I required blinds, some of them dual, throughout my property. What I appreciated most is they took the time to really understand my requirements and ideas but also giving me tips and recommendations I did not think about." (Markus, October 2022)
"So pleased we used this local company for our recent blinds purchase. (Custom sized Sunshade and blockout roller blinds purchased) They offered a great range of fabric choices ... Friendly efficient service and great advice on fitting." (susan, September 2020)
Blockout blind questions
Why does light still leak round the edges of a blockout blind?
The fabric blocks all the light that hits it, but a standard roller blind has a small gap at each side and over the roll. Daylight comes round those gaps.
What are side guides and pelmets, and do I need them for true blackout?
Side guides are channels down each side of the window that the fabric runs in, and a pelmet covers the roll. You need them if the room needs to stay very dark for sleep in daylight; most living areas don't need total blackout.
Blockout or blackout: is there a difference?
No. They're the same fabric and the same blind, and you'll hear both names.
Are blockout blinds good for a baby's room or a shift worker?
Yes, and for both we'd recommend side guides and a pelmet so the gaps are closed. A standard blockout blind still lets a border of light in at the edges.
Do blockout blinds help keep heat in or out?
A blockout fabric keeps direct sun off the room, so it takes the edge off summer heat. For winter insulation, our thermal blinds are the ones to read about.
Can a blockout blind be paired with a sunscreen blind?
Yes. A dual roller blind puts both on one bracket, so you have the view by day and a dark room at night.
How long do blockout blinds take?
3 to 4 weeks from deposit to install, and longer before Christmas, although we do our best to turn urgent jobs around faster.
Can you give me a price from my window sizes?
No. Choice of fabric and single or dual blinds will affect pricing, so one of the owners measures every window first, free in the Auckland area.
What warranty do you give?
Two years full, parts and labour, with no call-out fee and no labour charge. Roller blind fabric is also backed by the manufacturer for five years.
Do you have a showroom?
We bring the showroom to you, so most of the choosing happens at your place. The Glenfield showroom is also open by appointment.
Book a free measure for blockout blinds
Call 09 441 9455, Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm, or send us a message.
If someone in your house needs the room dark, a free measure for blockout blinds in Auckland is where it gets sorted. It covers every window, the fit, whether side guides are worth it, and a quote with no obligation.
Blinds take 3 to 4 weeks, and longer before Christmas, so the sooner we measure, the sooner the room is dark.
Related pages
✓ Blockout curtains and drapes
✓ Warranty