Thermal Curtains: a guide to insulating your home in style

Thermal curtains, also known as Double, Lined or Blockout Curtains, are a great way of providing insulation and maintaining a stable temperature in a room. Perfect if you don’t have the budget for expensive double glazed windows, curtains with thermal properties improve the energy efficiency in your home, thereby reducing your carbon footprint and your power bills.

Discover how to customise your insulated curtains with DIY Blinds

How do thermal curtains work?

Thermal curtains are usually made with between two and four layers of fabric, such as our Double, Lined and Blockout Curtains. When a well fitted curtain covers a window, it traps a layer of air between the glass and the fabric. This protects and maintains optimal room temperature. In other words, it keeps the room warmer in winter and cooler in summer.

Why should I use thermal curtains

• Flexible insulation. They help keep your house cool in summer, retain heat in winter and make your space more comfortable.
  
  
• Dramatically reduce energy costs. Thermal curtains, including Double, Lined or Blockout Curtains reduce the need for heating and cooling, and as a result reduce your carbon footprint and power bills.
  
  
• Reduce noise. These window coverings act as a barrier to outside noise and help absorb internal sounds for better acoustics in your home.
  
  
• Great in different rooms. Thermal curtains are ideal in any room with big windows or anywhere you want to keep a steady temperature. They’re perfect in both adults and kids’ bedrooms, living spaces, home offices and media rooms.

Are there different types of thermal curtains?

At DIY Blinds we offer three different types of thermal curtains:

• Double curtains. These are made from a sheer curtain and a blockout curtain that come with two curtain tracks. Curtains are installed on individual tracks to operate independently. They are excellent at providing insulation, and also allow for flexibility as you can move each curtain separately.

• Lined curtains. These are made from a sheer curtain fabric which is sewn at the top with blockout fabric at the rear. Both fabrics are hung on the same track. They have good insulation properties.

• Blockout curtains. These are a single blockout fabric and come on a single curtain track. All our blockout curtain fabrics bought online have silicone, or three layers of acrylic coating which offer good thermal insulation.

The DIY Blinds Way

While some thermal and insulated curtains can look unappealing, Lined Curtains allow you to customise your curtains so they still look stylish. We allow you to select the fabric range, texture and colour, backed with a blockout lining curtain of your choice. The two fabrics are joined together to form one plush lined curtain on a single track. This means they don’t project too far out from windows and still look luxe. The sheers provide a beautiful soft texture to face inwards, while the blockout lining gives your home extra insulation.

How should I install thermal curtains?

Lined and double floor-to-ceiling curtains are the most effective way to provide insulation as they prevent air from escaping into the room from the top or bottom of the window. Running your curtains wall-to-wall will minimise any gaps and help create maximum insulation.

If you can’t install curtains floor to ceiling, face fit curtains with a pelmet (the covering which can sit on top of a set of curtains) will stop hot air escaping through the top of the curtain. All of our curtains are made to order so you can get the perfect fit. We even have curved curtains to run around corner windows.

The DIY Blinds Way

Because we’re Australian Owned and Made, we understand the climate you live in, and what you need. We can help you design, measure and install your curtains for maximum insulation.

What other window coverings will insulate my home?

Any curtain or blind going floor to ceiling will create some insulation in a room. Ideally they should be installed in a pelmet or ceiling bulkhead to stop heat escaping out of the window in winter and prevent heat entering in the summer. If you’re looking for window coverings that provide insulation, discover the different options here.

Motorisation for thermal curtains

Don’t wait until you’re home to pull the curtains. Motorised curtains can close or open automatically when the outside temperature reaches a certain point. You can install battery operated blinds yourself at home, whereas an electrician is required for wired motorisation. Both options can be operated using a Somfy remote control, Smoove wall switch or integrated with voice assistants such as Alexa, Google Home & IFTTT by pairing your motorised curtains with Bond Bridge wifi hub. Learn more here.

The DIY Blinds Way

We partner with Somfy motorisation, the best motorisation provider available, to provide a smooth and quiet system at the best market price. Somfy motorisation paired with a Bond Bridge or Connexoon Hub allows for voice control or scheduled timing that automatically open and close your curtains or blinds.

All our Somfy motorised curtains work with a Somfy remote control.

Read more here about connection options for motorised blinds and curtains.