Window Film Blog

The term ‘Traditional’ when describing a roller blind refers to the style of finish of the cover. A traditionally finished roller blind cover differs from the standard domestic blind in that the cloth is hemmed and stitched, usually with strong zig-zag stitching and has a matching bottom pocket which contains a heavy ‘pear-shaped’ wooden lath to which the draw cord is attached by means of a brass knotholder.

The choice of barrel diameter and strength of spring depends very largely upon the width and height of the individual window, while the type of roller action is determined to a very large extent by personal preference. These are detailed below. Traditionally finished covers can be fitted to less expensive domestic rollers, but these are not recommended for use in windows larger than the standard domestic type.

In addition to the standard range of Traditional Scottish Holland blind materials, Sun-X also has an exclusive range of Glazed Holland fabrics. These new materials have already been successfully installed in a number of privately owned historic houses and National Trust properties. Whilst reproducing the appearance of historic glazed cotton blinds, modern manufacturing techniques enable the material to be wipe-clean and shrink-proof. This facility ensures the maintenance of a neat, clean appearance and significantly increases durability of Sun-X heavy-duty blinds to last throughout a generation.

Being thinner than the standard commercially produced roller blind material, Sun-X Glazed Holland fabrics are ideal where blinds are required to be fitted inside blind boxes or within narrow sash recesses, allowing unimpeded use of shutters. The translucency of this material also permits continued vision of architectural window detail.

Sun-X has helped to conserve the interiors of Museums, Art Galleries, Historic Houses, Royal Residences, National Trust and English Heritage properties throughout the U.K. and in Europe for nearly 40 years. Our excellent reputation in this field is based upon the high standards of our materials and upon the quality of our installation. The Sun-X range of traditional blinds and covers not only provide privacy but offer a variety of aesthetically pleasing solutions to short-term fade damage. Their use in conjunction with Sun-X clear ultraviolet filters applied to the existing glass can virtually eliminate fade and fibre degeneration.

SUN-X CAP & RACK ROLLER BLINDS

This type of metal barrel roller has a brass ratchet at one end and requires both hands to operate the blind. Often preferred for use in very tall windows, one hand controls the blind by the centre cord while the other pulls the cord at the end of the blind to release the ratchet. This frees the spring to raise the cover slowly on this extremely controllable blind.

SUN-X CHECK-ACTION ROLLER BLINDS

As the mechanism is internal to the roller, this type of blind affords maximum coverage to the window. The check-action is reliable, robust, and provides a gliding motion, rather than a jerky movement which blights other systems. A single centre-cord is used to operate this blind.

SUN-X FLANGE-END ROLLER BLINDS

Often preferred for very wide windows or where a centre cord may obstruct a doorway or fire exit. It can be fitted with a spring to assist ascent or fall which is secured by the cord on a brass K cleat. As the cover descends, the cord, guided by a pulley wheel, is wound round the flange by the gravity of the fall. This allows the cover to be raised by pulling the cord and securing to the cleat.

SUN-X DOUBLE BLINDS

In this instance, two rollers are mounted on the one pair of extended brass or steel brackets within the sash recess, offering separate operation of a dark window-facing cover and lighter room-facing cover. The resultant effect gives an aesthetic and easily adjustable solution to visible light reduction, from almost blackout to light shade.

Sun-X (UK) Ltd. provides a nationwide installation service through the United Kingdom – please contact Sun-X to find out more.

Glare from the sun can cause discomfort and even distress to building occupants, either directly into their eyes, or preventing computer screens from being clearly visible. Where glare is at distress levels for one or two people, it will probably be at discomfort level for everyone.

Solar film installed by Sun-X can virtually eliminate glare, whilst still allowing excellent clarity of vision to the exterior. This will also help employers comply with Display Screen Equipment Regulations 1992, and Regulations arising from EU Directive 89/654/EEC.

Anti-glare film is particularly appropriate when combatting low winter sun, the angle of which can often pose a more acute problem than longer hours of higher summer sun exposure.

If the problem is purely seasonal, then Sun-X solar shade blinds would be the answer, so the windows need not be permanently tinted.

Glare reducing film can either be non-reflective for minimal impact on the external facade, or in varying degrees of reflectivity to help additionally reduce solar heat gain.

Sun-X (UK) Ltd. provides a nationwide installation service through the United Kingdom – please contact Sun-X to find out more.

As soon as a display object, fabric, or painting is exposed to both natural, and some forms of artificial light, it begins to deteriorate.

With visible light and heat responsible for considerable damage, fade will be proportional, not only to the level of illuminance but also to the duration of exposure. For example, items exposed for one hour at 1000 lux will suffer the same damage as those exposed for two hours at 500 lux. It is therefore a sensible precaution to keep blinds closed when rooms are not in use and to provide shade in times of strong daylight. In conservation situations, lux levels are usually monitored with an appropriate meter to achieve the following recommended levels:

* 200 LUX  - oil and tempera paintings, undyed leather, lacquer (Oriental and European), wood, horn, bone and ivory (where surface colour is important).

* 50 LUX  - Costumes, watercolours, tapestries, furniture, textiles, prints and drawings, stamps, manuscripts, miniatures, wallpapers, dyed leather and many other natural articles.

Lux tolerance will depend upon the nature of the articles requiring protection. The rate of deterioration depends upon its construction, but is always directly proportional to the intensity of the light (lux level) and its duration (lux hours).

Ultraviolet radiation (UV) causes a sizeable proportion (approx. 40%) of fading and deterioration of exposed objects and furnishings. Colourless materials, such as varnishes, paint media and raw textiles are degraded predominantly by UV. Most dyes and fugitive pigments are faded by visible light, especially at the blue end of the spectrum.

UV radiation and visible light are the major contributors of up to 65% of fade and deterioration while a combination of U/V, high lux levels and heat are responsible for 90% of the damage to exposed items. Factors such as humidity and atmospheric pollution are responsible for the remaining 10%.

Reduction of both lux and UV levels to within acceptable limits should therefore be treated as a priority.

Today’s interior working environment sets a premium on naturally-lit open work spaces which allows individuals and workgroups to communication freely, and to enjoy a higher level of personal comfort. This design consideration must also take account of the almost universal use of computer workstations and VDU’s for the widest range of office-based tasks.

A second influence in the provision of modern workplaces is the design trend towards open-plan office accommodation and the use of larger areas of glass in building design. This has been brought about by incorporating curtain wall glass facades and glass partitioning within the building interior.

However, these design trends can present certain challenges to the average office worker. Excessive amounts of uncontrolled sunlight entering a building cause solar gain and unwanted glare. Productivity at the workstation can quickly deteriorate when temperatures rise and computer screens become illegible. In most instances, the solution to these problems has been to install blinds and extra means of building ventilation and cooling. Normal fabric blinds, even those with a slightly metallised backing, not only block the view, but are inefficient at reducing solar heat gain because they do not have the power to reflect the heat back through the glass, merely absorbing the solar energy which radiates into the room.

A technically advanced and environmentally friendly solution to these problems is to use energy control roller blinds featuring transparent and reflective ‘shade’ films. These are manufactured and installed by Sun-X using exactly the same technologies as those used for solar window films applied directly onto glass. They permit excellent visual transparency, whilst allowing the user to reduce the amount of glare and heat entering the works area, only as and when required without permanently reducing light levels.

Reflective shade films reject up to 95% of solar energy, and glare reduction of up to 98%. Over 99% of ultraviolet light is also eliminated, helping to reduce fade and rot damage to valuable fabrics and furnishings.

The films are also available with an embossed surface, helping to diffuse incoming light, thus further reducing direct and indirect glare. The direct reflectivity is also reduced, enhancing the aesthetic appearance from both internal and external views. Durability and longevity are also greatly improved.

‘Shade’ blinds are also very effective and desirable in domestic conservatories, where daytime privacy my also be required in addition to the solar benefits, whilst still allowing the occupants to look out onto their garden.

A recent addition to the range is a Fire-Retardant reflective material, tested to EN13501, thus allowing applications in locations with public access.

Sun-X (UK) Ltd. provides a nationwide installation service through the United Kingdom – please contact Sun-X to find out more.

In today’s world, terrorism, crime, vandalism, and everyday accidents are ever-increasing concerns. Safety window films provide an optically clear and robust barrier to not only strengthen glass, but keep it in place should it break. Not only is flying glass potentially lethal to a building’s occupants or the general public, but can ruin shop displays and/or expensive and sensitive computer equipment. If the windows remain intact, this can also prevent businesses suffering downtime and resultant loss of productivity. Safety film can be easily and cost-effectively retro-fitted to any smooth glass surface, even curved, without the expense and inconvenience of glass replacement. Professionally installed by Sun-X, the film will comply with the most stringent industry standards, and carry a ten year warranty.

Various thicknesses are available to combat human impact, blast mitigation, and forced entry. Elements of solar control and privacy can also be incorporated into the base material to provide a single solution to a multitude of problems.

Protecting against human impact is a primary concern in areas of high activity, such as schools. Injuries can be horrific, and it is the employer’s duty to render safe the glazing in risk areas under the Workplace (Health, Safety & Welfare) Regulation 14 of 1992.

According to Home Office figures, flying glass causes 90% of all injuries in an explosion. Explosive attacks on buildings create a rapid release of energy in the form of a shock wave. Window glass is often the weakest part of a building, breaking at low pressures compared to other building components. Buildings close to a potential terrorist target may still be subject to substantial damage from an attack not specifically directed at them. Safety film is tested to withstand blast forces and retain the broken glass. If maximum protection against extreme force is required, the film can also be dovetailed with an edge-retention system, which will hold the entire sheet of filmed glass within the window frame.

To combat would-be thieves, safety film forms a barrier that delays penetration of the glass making it difficult to gain easy and immediate access. If the burglar is met with a degree of resistance, the individual will usually quickly give up and move on.

Sun-X (UK) Ltd. provides a nationwide installation service through the United Kingdom – please contact Sun-X to find out more.

Solar window film can bring cost savings and productivity benefits to the modern office.

It is estimated around one-third of an average building’s cooling load is due to solar heat gain through its windows. This can pose a problem for facilities managers who want to capitalise on the natural light, yet do not have windows in place designed to combat solar heat gain.

With the virtues of natural light inside facilities being extolled by many building practitioners, it may appear that to have sunlight streaming into a building would be highly desirable. With proper design, an abundance of natural light can be beneficial to occupants in terms of productivity.

However, there can be a downside.  For instance, when heat from the sun builds up inside a facility, it can become uncomfortable for occupants.  As a result, a building facilities manager will often turn up the air conditioning, which means more energy is used and a higher costs are incurred.

Energy control window films –  which are types of solar control window films –  reject and filter out a high proportion of the sun’s radiated energy by reflecting specific wavebands in the solar spectrum.

Different types of solar film and energy control film are offered by Sun-X depending on whether the reduction of heat and/or glare is the main priority. With the latest advances in manufacturing processes, it is now possible to produce low-reflective solar films which reject 50% or more of the sun’s energy whilst permitting a very high level of visible light through the window. The more traditional, darker reflective solar films can reject over 80% of solar energy.

If the windows are double-glazed, the use of an internally-applied film becomes less effective, as a proportion of the reflected heat both becomes trapped in the airspace of the sealed unit, and also radiates into the room. An externally-applied film therefore would be more effective, as the heat is reflected at source, before it reaches the glass. In this manner, a light silver external film will have the same effect on heat reduction as a dark silver internal film, whilst allowing a visible light transmission of around 45% as opposed to 15%. Modern external films with dedicated coatings stand up well to weathering and can even offer product warranties of up to ten years.

Proven energy savings can be demonstrated on air-conditioned buildings which have been fitted with solar film with paybacks of no more than a few years. This makes window film an extremely cost-effective and ‘green’ solution for reducing energy consumption in buildings.

Sun-X (UK) Ltd. provides a nationwide installation service through the United Kingdom – please contact Sun-X to find out more.