Exterior Patio Shades by Solar Shield Blinds

Yes. Our Solar Shield Blinds Exterior Patio Shades carry a 75 mph wind rating, and the strength comes from our Self-Adjusting Tracks. They hold the screen fabric down both edges and flex up to ¾" on each side when the shade is under wind pressure, then pull the fabric tight again when the wind dies down. That rating is more of a suggestion than a hard warning, so leave your shades in the down position in windy or stormy weather to avoid damage. We never raise our own shades during a storm, no matter the forecast.

They will. With the fabric sealed in the side tracks, the opening is closed off, so rain, snow, ice, leaves, cottonwood and bugs stay on the outside of the screen. That's what lets a covered patio work in January and in July, and it's why a restaurant patio with our shades can seat guests through the winter.

Yes, and how well depends on the color you choose. Darker screens give the clearest view out, because a dark weave absorbs light instead of scattering it. Lighter screens brighten the space underneath but soften the view. Your Design Specialist shows you both in daylight at your patio before you choose.

Yes, with the right fabric. A moire effect will be present when screen shades are installed over any fixed bug screen, which is a wavy pattern where the two meshes overlap. A 1% screen is required for this type of application, because it reduces the moire effect substantially. Our Design Specialists will go over this in person so you know exactly what to expect.

They will. Lowered, the shades protect furniture, rugs and accessories from direct UV rays, harsh winds and rain, which extends their life. You keep a view out to the yard while the patio stays shaded, comfortable and completely private.

Start with how you use the space. For a patio where people sit and look out at the yard, Flat Black, Black or Charcoal keep the view sharpest. Tobacco and Brown suit cedar, a stained deck or brick. The lighter neutrals such as Bone, Stone and White keep it bright underneath at the cost of some view. We bring the samples so you can hold them up against the house.

Yes. An exterior patio shade needs a header to mount to, so it works under a covered patio, a screened porch, a pergola or a deck with a roof. We also mount them over windows, patio doors and garage doors. On an open deck the answer is a Retractable Awning first to create the cover, then shades that drop from it. We'll look at what you have and tell you which order makes sense.

Yes. Our shades can be installed when openings are out of square, which is common on decks and covered patios. If the concrete has runoff and the floor is crooked, we can make the shade with a bias cut, where the bottom of the screen is cut to match the angle of the runoff. When the shade raises it will hold that angle and not look straight, but when it lowers it seals to the crooked surface. We cover this in depth during your consultation.

Almost all of them. Track guided shades are motorized because of the weight of the product, and that's the system that earns the wind rating. Our cable guided shades can be operated by hand or by motor. Either way, the whole benefit depends on the shade being down at the right time, which is why most of our clients go motorized.

Yes. Motorized Exterior Patio Shades run from a remote or a wall switch, and the Solar Shield Blinds Smart Hub adds app control from your phone or tablet, voice control, scheduling, and integration with your interior shades and smart home. Ask about the sun and wind sensors as well, which lower and raise the shade for you without anyone touching a button.

We recommend them on every motorized exterior shade. The sun sensor drops the shade when the afternoon light gets strong, so the patio is ready before you walk out. The wind sensor retracts it when the wind picks up past a set point, which protects the shade when nobody is home, and that's when the weather tends to arrive.

No. Typically only 1 outlet or junction box is needed for our motorized shades. Where there is no power, battery operated motors are available, and your Design Specialist will plan the power with you at the consultation.

They help retain warmth when used with an external heating source. Our 95% solar screen fabric reduces air movement by 95%, so the heat from ceiling heaters or a fire pit stays in the space. One of our patios went from 30 degrees to over 60 on a February day with the shades down and the heaters on. The area needs ventilation when a propane heater, grill or fire pit is in use.

Yes. With the wind cut down, your grill or outdoor kitchen cooks more evenly. We recommend additional ventilation so grill smoke can safely exit the space.

A single shade can cover an opening from 3 feet to 30 feet wide and up to 20 feet tall. Every shade is built to the opening we measure, so a wide span, a pergola bay or a two story deck each get their own frame rather than something pulled off a shelf. A shade larger than 126" wide and 126" tall will have a visible seam, and we can customize where that seam is placed.

They're one of the best commercial investments we install. Meddy's in Liberty had a patio that shut down every winter and took a chunk of the seating with it. Our exterior shades cut the cold wind, the overhead heaters could finally build heat, and the patio now seats guests year round. The same shades hold the wind on the Rock Island Bridge, 66 feet above the Kansas River.

It is. Exterior shades and shutters run 8 to 10 weeks from order to install, compared with 4 to 6 weeks for interior window treatments, because every frame is built to your opening. If you want the patio working by summer, book the measure in the spring. Your quote is exact, itemized, and held for 180 days.

Our own full time Install Techs complete most installations within one day, and a large or multi level job can need a second day. When they're done they clean up, take the packaging away, and run every shade with you so you know how the remote, the app and the sensors work before they leave.

Yes. The headbox, side tracks, bottom rail and spacers are heavy duty powder coated aluminum, and the hardware carries a manufacturer lifetime warranty. On top of that our Carefree Guarantee covers you with Five Year Service on defects, one Life Happens repair, and Lifetime Product coverage on materials and workmanship for as long as you own the home.

Very little. Our screens are close to self cleaning, thanks to a front and back brush guard at the headbox that agitates both sides of the screen every time it opens and closes. That knocks loose dust and dirt, and pushes away any bugs trying to ride up into the roll tube.

Yes. Our Carefree Guarantee is transferable, so the coverage follows the address. If you sell the house, the next owner is covered the same way you were, and a set of exterior shades that already work is one more thing a buyer doesn't have to think about.