Are you thinking about adding some outdoor curtains to your home, place of work or an event? If so, you're probably wondering what the best material is for outdoor curtains. This will depend on their purpose and application. This post will take a look at the best fabrics for outdoor curtains, giving you a better understanding of what to look for.
When would you need outdoor curtains?
More often, we think of curtains being used to dress the interior of windows, but there are times when you’ll want curtains outdoors. Obviously, the material used to make indoor curtains will be different from outdoor curtain material.
Around the home, you may want to install outdoor curtains for a bit of privacy and shade. An example would be around outdoor furniture you have on a patio or a deck near the pool. The curtains can be used to section off an area around an outdoor bed or lounge, with more curtains billowing above to offer a little shade from the hot sun.
At a workplace, exterior curtains might be used to dress up the entrance to the premises and make it look more appealing. Once again, they could also be utilised to create some shade.
For events, such as sporting events, there are numerous applications for outdoor curtains, from temporary changing areas, to shade and even for advertising purposes, such as banners.
What fabrics should be used for outdoor curtains?
The Bliss Albis fabric collection is an excellent choice. It’s a specialty textile designed for outdoor curtain making. Bliss Albis fabric has an open mesh weave that allows filtered light through, while still providing some degree of privacy. It looks similar to cotton or linen and comes in 5 neutral colours that will blend in well with any outdoor area. It’s the perfect choice of fabric for installing curtains around patio areas or outdoor furniture, for some privacy and shade. It’s also water-resistant and UV treated.
Of course, this isn’t the only fabric recommended for outdoor curtain application, but it’s one of the most versatile and attractive.
Other fabric choices will depend on the application of the outdoor curtain. For example, if you were to create some banners to display advertising, either in the workplace or at an event, a good choice would be PVC that’s printable. This way you can easily create advertising banners that are highly resistant to the rain, sun and wind, but where advertising really stands out. PVC comes in many awesome colours and different quality grades.
Other fabrics commonly used outdoors include polyester and polyester blends, calico, cotton, nylon and vinyl. It really all depends on what you want to use the fabric for, how waterproof or weather-resistant it needs to be and what strength of the material is required. There are so many ways you can utilise outdoor curtains and fabrics for exterior applications. So, think about what you are going to be doing, then chat with an expert about the right material choice.
Things to keep in mind when choosing fabrics for exterior use
Once you know what you want to use outdoor fabric for, whether it be curtains around the patio or something at a sporting event and so on, you need to give some thought to the properties of the material. For example, there are outdoor fabrics that are fire-retardant, so if this is important, you’ll want to search for materials that have this feature.
Colour is another thing to really ponder. Do you need something bright and bold, or something more subdued such as a pastel colour or white? If printing is to be done on the fabric, you’ll want to make certain it stands out against the colour of the material. Also, the fabric is going to get a lot of sun exposure, so you’ll be looking for materials that are colour-fast.
How strong a material is when it comes to high winds is also another important consideration. Check this with the supplier.
Consult with an experienced fabrics expert
For the very best selection of outdoor curtain fabric and expert advice, get in touch with the friendly team at Ricky Richards. We’ve been supplying Australian businesses and homes with quality fabrics for decades. If you have any questions, get in touch today.