{"id":29324,"date":"2026-10-13T00:16:15","date_gmt":"2026-10-13T08:16:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.blindsgalore.com\/blog\/?p=29324"},"modified":"2026-10-15T02:18:07","modified_gmt":"2026-10-15T10:18:07","slug":"common-mistakes-ordering-blackout-shades","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.blindsgalore.com\/blog\/index.php\/beyond-basics\/common-mistakes-ordering-blackout-shades\/","title":{"rendered":"Blackout blinds buying checklist: 5 mistakes to avoid when ordering blackout shades"},"content":{"rendered":"
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]The most common mistakes with blackout blinds have little to do with the fabric. People order a true blackout shade and still wake up to a bright room, because light slips around the edges, the mount was wrong, or the shade was only room-darkening to begin with. Get the fit, the mount, and the lift right, and a blackout shade can make a room dark enough to sleep at noon.<\/p>\n

The timing matters this time of year. Clocks fall back on November 1, 2026, so the sun rises an hour earlier by the clock, and early-waking toddlers and light sleepers notice it first. Here are the five mistakes we see most often, plus a quick checklist before you order.<\/p>\n

What are the most common mistakes when ordering blackout shades?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Our in-house experts hear about the same five problems again and again:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Assuming room-darkening and blackout are the same.<\/li>\n
  2. Skipping side channels or an outside mount, which leaves light gaps.<\/li>\n
  3. Choosing a corded lift for a nursery or kid’s room.<\/li>\n
  4. Assuming every blackout shade is built the same way.<\/li>\n
  5. Ordering the same light control for every room.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Each one is easy to avoid once you know what to look for.<\/p>\n

    Mistake 1: Assuming room-darkening and blackout are the same<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    Room-darkening and blackout sound interchangeable, but they’re different tiers of light control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Tier<\/th>\nWhat it does<\/th>\nBest for<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
    Light-filtering<\/td>\nSoftens daylight; the room stays bright<\/td>\nLiving rooms, kitchens, offices<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Room-darkening<\/td>\nBlocks most light; the room is dim, not dark<\/td>\nGuest rooms, living rooms with TV glare<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Blackout<\/td>\nBlocks light through the fabric almost entirely<\/td>\nBedrooms, nurseries, media rooms, day sleepers<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

    If you need a room dark for sleep, choose blackout shades<\/a>, not room-darkening. Our guide to blackout vs. room-darkening shades<\/a> goes deeper on the difference.<\/p>\n

    Mistake 2: Skipping side channels or an outside mount<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    Blackout fabric stops light passing through the shade, but not light going around it. An inside-mount shade sits within the window frame, and the fabric is made slightly narrower than the opening so it can move freely. That leaves a thin glow along each side, often called the halo effect.<\/p>\n

    Three fixes close the gap:<\/p>\n