Conservatories are notoriously difficult spaces to use comfortably without effective blinds. In summer, an unshaded polycarbonate or glass roof turns the space into an oven; in winter, single-glazed panels bleed heat. Well-chosen blinds significantly extend the usable season of a conservatory without the cost of a full orangery conversion. This guide sets out the main blind types, realistic 2026 costs, and what to prioritise when choosing.

The Problem Conservatory Blinds Solve

A south-facing conservatory with a polycarbonate roof can become far too hot to sit in on a sunny summer day. Glass roof conservatories have similar solar gain issues. On the other side, at night and in winter, the large glazed area loses heat rapidly.

Blinds address both problems:

  • Solar control: reflective or opaque fabrics block direct sunlight and can cut solar gain substantially; how much depends on the fabric’s openness and reflectivity, which good suppliers publish.
  • Thermal retention: honeycomb (cellular) fabrics trap a layer of insulating air next to the glass, reducing nighttime heat loss.

No blind fully replaces proper insulated glazing, but in a polycarbonate conservatory they are the most cost-effective improvement available.

Types of Conservatory Blind

Pleated Blinds

The most common conservatory blind type for roof panels and awkward angles. A pleated fabric is concertina-folded and runs on side channels, allowing it to be pitched at any angle. Works well on lean-to roofs, Victorian ridged roofs, and non-rectangular panels. Available in many fabric types from sheer to blackout.

Pinoleum Blinds

Made from thin wooden slats woven with polyester, pinoleum gives a warm, natural aesthetic and effective diffusion of harsh sunlight without complete blockout. Very popular for Victorian-style conservatories. Not suitable for areas with high humidity as the wooden slats can warp.

Perfect-Fit Blinds

A frame clips directly onto the inner edge of the window beading, and the blind operates within the frame, no cords trailing and no drilling into the UPVC.1 Available in roller, pleated, cellular and venetian styles.1 Particularly good for side and gable panels.

Roller Blinds (Conservatory-Spec)

Standard roller mechanism adapted for conservatory use. Suitable for vertical side panels only, not roof slopes. Simpler than pleated and usually cheaper, but limited to vertical applications.

Venetian Blinds

Timber or aluminium slats on a standard venetian mechanism. Good for side panels and gables. Not suitable for roof pitches. Timber venetians are not appropriate for humid conservatories.

Electric/Motorised Blinds

Any of the above types can be motorised. Roof blinds in particular benefit from motorisation, operating multiple interconnected roof panels manually is awkward. Motorisation typically adds £100–£220 per blind (see the cost table). Smart controls (app, voice, or timer) add a further premium. Mains-powered motors need a 230 V supply at the conservatory roof; if there is none, allow for an electrician, or choose battery or solar-powered motors that avoid the wiring.2

Cost Guide

Prices below are for supply and professional installation. DIY kits are available and are usually cheaper but fitting roof blinds to a Victorian ridged roof is physically awkward.

Blind TypeRoof Panel (each)Side/Gable Panel (each)
Pleated, standard fabric£150–£280£80–£160
Pleated, solar reflective£200–£350£100–£200
Pinoleum£180–£320£90–£180
Perfect-fit cellular£130–£250£80–£160
Roller, standardNot applicable£70–£140
Venetian (aluminium)Not applicable£80–£160
Motorised uplift (per blind)+£120–£220+£100–£180

Typical full conservatory (8 roof panels, 6 side panels, 1 gable): about £1,500–£4,200 professionally installed on the per-panel prices above (8 roof panels at £130–£350 and 7 side and gable panels at £70–£200), plus roughly £1,000–£1,800 to motorise the eight roof blinds.

What Makes a Good Conservatory Blind?

UV resistance. Conservatory fabrics are exposed to intense UV year-round. A blind not rated for UV exposure can fade and degrade within a few years. Look for fabrics with 5+ year UV warranty.

Moisture tolerance. A conservatory can be a humid space. Avoid real wood slats and untreated cotton or linen fabrics in poorly ventilated conservatories.

Solar performance data. Reputable suppliers provide an openness factor (0–10%) and a solar reflectance figure for each fabric. Higher reflectance = more solar gain blocked. For a hot south-facing conservatory, prioritise fabrics with a high solar reflectance figure.

Thermal performance. Cellular (honeycomb) fabrics hold a layer of still air against the glass. In tests commissioned by the British Blind and Shutter Association at the University of Salford’s Energy House, a blockout honeycomb blind in a framed bead-fit system cut heat loss through a double-glazed window by 32 per cent, against 13 per cent for a standard roller blind.3 If winter heat retention is important, prioritise cellular over pleated or pinoleum.

Child safety. Internal blinds are made to BS EN 13120:2009+A1:2014, Internal blinds: performance requirements including safety, which includes requirements for protection from strangulation.4 Since February 2014 all blinds sold in the UK must comply with the child safety standards, which means no looped cords or chains, or safety devices fitted to them.5 Make sure the fitter installs every safety device and that any remaining cords are out of reach.

Measuring for Conservatory Blinds

Each panel must be measured individually, conservatories are often not perfectly uniform, and panels that appear identical often differ by a few millimetres. Measure the width at three points (top, middle, bottom) and use the smallest dimension. For roof panels, measure along the slope, not the horizontal run.

Most professional conservatory blind companies offer a free measurement and quotation visit. If you are using an online supplier, their measure-it-yourself templates are usually accurate provided you follow the instructions carefully.

Installation Notes

Roof blinds are fitted to the roof bars (glazing bars) of the conservatory frame, not to the glass. The supplier should confirm compatibility with your frame type before ordering. Installation typically takes a half day for a small lean-to and a full day for a large Victorian-style conservatory.

Mains-powered electric blinds need either an existing 230 V supply in the roof space (some conservatories have a junction box from the original installation) or a new circuit run from the consumer unit. An electrician charge for running a new circuit to the conservatory roof is typically £200–£400. A new circuit is notifiable under Part P, so it should be installed by a registered electrician who self-certifies it, or notified to building control.6

Are Conservatory Blinds Worth It?

For polycarbonate or single-glazed conservatories, yes, the improvement in thermal comfort is significant and the cost compares very favourably to replacing the roof structure with solid insulated panels, which runs to many thousands of pounds. Well-maintained conservatory blinds commonly last ten years or more with normal use.

If your conservatory has an existing self-cleaning glass roof with an integral solar control coating, the case for blinds is less strong, check the U-value and solar transmittance of your glass first.

References (6)

Figures in this note were checked against the sources below on 2 October 2026. Superscript numbers in the text point to them. Every source the site cites, by topic.

  1. 1technicalsupplier figureLouvolite, guidance.RN-E5UODEThe maker's page for the Perfect Fit system: a framed blind that clips into uPVC windows on spring brackets without drilling or screwing.
  2. 2technicalvery strongThe National Archives, guidance.RN-0IGANYRegulation 27 of the Electricity Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations 2002 sets the declared low voltage supply in Great Britain at 230 volts between phase and neutral, so a mains blind motor runs on a 230 V supply.
  3. 3technicalfairBritish Blind and Shutter Association, guidance.RN-AWYA9DThe BBSA report of tests at the University of Salford Energy House on an energy-efficient double-glazed window: honeycomb blind in a bead-fit frame 32 per cent less heat loss, standard roller blind 13 per cent.
  4. 4technicalstrongBSI, a standard.RN-HMZAPSBS EN 13120:2009+A1:2014, published 28 February 2009 with Amendment 1 in 2014, committee B/538/3, current; it supersedes BS EN 13120:2004. Clause 1 specifies the requirements internal blinds must fulfil when fitted to a building, and also deals with the significant machinery hazards relating to construction, transport, installation, operation and maintenance of internal blinds, listed in Annex B. It applies whatever the design or materials, and names the covered types: venetian blinds (free hanging, guided, non-retractable), roller blinds (free hanging, side guided, tensioned fabric), vertical blinds (free hanging, top and bottom track, sloping headrail), pleated and honeycomb blinds (free hanging, guided, laterally moving, tensioned), Roman shades and Austrian or festoon blinds. This is the product standard behind the operating-cord safety requirements on new internal blinds, so cite it when comparing corded against cordless or motorised blinds.
  5. 5technicalgoodBritish Blind and Shutter Association, guidance.RN-74RGDKStates that since February 2014 all blinds sold in the UK must comply with child safety standards, meaning they must not contain cords or chains or, if they do, they must be fitted with safety devices. It explains the hazard: cords and chains used to raise or lower a blind or adjust slat angle can form a loop that is dangerous to babies and young children. It recommends choosing safe-by-design styles in any home where young children live or visit, and names the options available for every blind type: motorisation (mains, low voltage, battery or rechargeable, operated by handset, sensor or smart device), wand operation for vertical blinds where a wand fitted to the leading louvre replaces the cord and chain, and gear or crank operation, most commonly used on roller blinds. This is the citation for a blinds-versus-curtains note that touches on child safety.
  6. 6technicalvery strongMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.RN-JYJ3I5The document that decides what electrical work a homeowner may legally do themselves, and the exact list of notifiable jobs. Regulation 12(6A), reproduced at paragraph 2.5, makes only three things notifiable: the installation of a new circuit, the replacement of a consumer unit, and any addition or alteration to existing circuits in a special location. Regulation 12(9) defines special location as, in a room containing a bath or shower, the zone extending vertically from finished floor level to 2.25 metres (or the shower head position if higher) and horizontally 600mm from the edge of the bath tub or shower tray. Paragraph 2.7 states that all other electrical installation work is not notifiable, namely additions and alterations to existing installations outside special locations, and replacements, repairs and maintenance anywhere. Paragraph 2.8 gives worked examples: a built-in cooker is not notifiable unless a new cooker circuit is needed, and connecting an electric gate or garage door to an existing isolator is not notifiable but running a new circuit from the consumer unit to that isolator is. Paragraph 2.2 confirms Part P reaches outdoor work including fixed garden lighting, pond pumps and outbuildings such as sheds, detached garages and domestic greenhouses. Notifiable work must be certified by self-certification by a registered competent person, third-party certification, or a building control body (paragraph 3.1), with the compliance certificate issued within 30 days (paragraph 3.4). Note that Approved Document P is a source of guidance rather than a ban: non-notifiable work still has to comply with BS 7671.

  1. Louvolite Perfect Fit Systems, Louvolite, accessed 2 October 2026. louvolitecommercial.com

  2. The Electricity Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations 2002, regulation 27, The National Archives, accessed 30 September 2026. legislation.gov.uk

  3. Ground-breaking research by Energy House proves blinds can help save energy, British Blind and Shutter Association, accessed 2 October 2026. bbsa.org.uk

  4. BS EN 13120:2009+A1:2014, Internal blinds. Performance requirements including safety, BSI, accessed 30 September 2026. knowledge.bsigroup.com

  5. Window blind safety, British Blind and Shutter Association, accessed 30 September 2026. bbsa.org.uk

  6. Approved Document P, Electrical safety: Dwellings, 2013 edition incorporating 2010 and 2013 amendments, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, accessed 30 September 2026. assets.publishing.service.gov.uk