Buying guide · light & privacy
Do plantation shutters block out light?
Mostly, but not completely. Closed shutters make a room much darker, and a little light still gets in around the louvres and the edges. Here is what to expect, what reduces the gaps, and when a blockout blind is the better answer.
For the darkest room
Blockout roller blind
- Light
- Blockout fabric stops light through the blind itself
- Edges
- Some light at the sides, depending on how it is fitted
- Daytime
- Up or down — no in-between setting
- Privacy
- Full when down, none when up
- Best for
- Shift workers, nurseries, media rooms
For control through the day
Plantation shutters
- Light
- Much darker closed; never 100% dark
- Edges
- Thin lines at the louvres and frame
- Daytime
- Tilt the louvres for any setting in between
- Privacy
- Light in with the view blocked, louvres tilted up
- Reduce gaps
- Frame choice, careful fitting, light seals on some products
Room by room
What we'd put where
| Situation | Our pick | |
|---|---|---|
| Main bedroom | Shutters | Dark enough for most people, and far more control by day |
| Shift worker sleeping by day | Blockout blind | The darkest option we fit |
| Nursery | Blockout blind | Darkness for day sleeps; ask us about cordless options |
| Living room | Shutters | Glare control without shutting out the day |
| Media room | Blockout blind | Screen glare is the whole problem |
We will tell you how dark it will actually get.
Free measure and quote across Brisbane Northside — with samples of both.
What to expect with the louvres closed
Closed plantation shutters make a room much darker, and for most bedrooms that is dark enough. They do not make it completely dark. Louvres are separate blades, so a thin line of light can come through where they meet, and a little more can come around the edges of the panels and the frame.
How much depends on the window, which way it faces, the product and how the shutter is fitted. A west-facing window in the afternoon will always show more than a south-facing one.
What reduces the light gaps
The frame matters. The right frame for the opening, fitted carefully, closes up the gaps around the edges. That is a large part of why we measure and fit every shutter ourselves.
On some products, light seals help further. These are the soft brush strips (people often call them fluffy strips) fitted along the edges where panels meet the frame or each other, which cut down the light and draughts that get through. Whether they suit your shutter depends on the product, and we will tell you at the measure.
When a blockout blind is the better answer
If the room has to be as dark as we can make it, for a shift worker, a baby who naps by day or a home cinema, a blockout roller blind is the better tool. Blockout fabric stops light passing through the blind itself, which a louvre cannot do. Like any blind it still has edges, so a little light can come around the sides depending on how it is fitted.
What you give up is the in-between. A blind is up or down; a shutter can be tilted to let light in while keeping the view out, which is why most people choose shutters for living areas and main bedrooms.
Blockout, room darkening, light filtering
These words get used as if they mean the same thing, and they do not. Blockout describes a fabric that stops light through it. Room darkening describes the result in the room, which depends on the fitting as much as the product. Light filtering and translucent fabrics soften light and give privacy without darkening the room. If a quote uses any of these terms, ask what it will look like in your room — we would rather set the expectation properly than have you surprised on the first morning.
Free measure & quote
Samples of both at your place, every opening measured, an itemised price. No obligation.
Common questions
Do plantation shutters block out all light?
No. Closed shutters make a room much darker, but some light gets through at the louvres and around the edges. No plantation shutter makes a room completely dark.
How can I reduce the light gaps around shutters?
The right frame, fitted carefully, makes the biggest difference. On some products, soft brush light seals along the edges help further. We will tell you what is available for the product we quote.
Are shutters dark enough for a bedroom?
For most people, yes. If you sleep during the day or need the room as dark as possible, a blockout roller blind is the better choice.
Does a blockout blind make a room pitch black?
It stops light coming through the fabric, which makes it the darkest option we fit. A little light can still come around the edges, depending on the window and how the blind is fitted.
Ready when you are
See how dark your room will get before you decide.
We bring the samples, measure every opening and leave you with a clear, itemised price. No obligation.