Honeycomb blinds are an immensely popular window furnishings option and for good reason. Designed to outdo the more traditional blind design and offer consumers energy-saving benefits, honeycomb blinds are a beautiful addition to just about any home.
In this article, we will explain in simple terms what honeycomb blinds are and how their construction works. We will also touch on the various types of honeycomb blinds you can purchase – for example, single- and double-cell options as well as blockout and translucent varieties.
For anyone who is curious about how honeycomb blinds can help them save money on their electricity bills, allow us to explain. We will get into exactly how they work, and how they can benefit any home or business environment.
What Are Honeycomb Blinds?
Honeycomb blinds are essentially blinds that comprise a cell-like or honeycomb structure. If you have never come across them before, do not expect them to look like honeycombs from the front. At a glance, honeycomb blinds look very similar to pleated shades. When viewed from the side, however, you will see that they are two entirely different window furnishings.
Honeycomb blinds were created to improve upon the more common pleated blind design and offer consumers a more energy-efficient window furnishing, but more on that later. In short, honeycomb blinds are the modern version of pleated blinds and their benefits far outweigh those of their predecessor.
While pleated blinds consist of one layer of pleated fabric that folds in on itself, honeycomb blinds are made with two or more layers. These layers connect at the top and bottom of each row or pleat, forming their unique honeycomb shape which you can see at a side angle.
If you examine honeycomb blinds from the side, you will see that these window coverings look almost like tubes stacked one on top of the other with openings on each end in the shape of hexagonal cells. When you pull the shades up or down, these little cells will either stretch open or shrink down on themselves in an accordion-like fashion.
What Is Another Name For Honeycomb Blinds?
Another common name for honeycomb blinds is ‘cellular shades’, ‘cell shades’ or ‘thermacell shades.’ You may also come across references to thermacell technology. This refers to the insulating properties of honeycomb blinds’ cell-like structure. We will discuss their insulation abilities later on in this article.
The Difference Between Single Cell And Double Cell
We mentioned earlier that you can think of honeycomb blinds as several tubes stacked on top of each other (similar to an accordion) except that each tube has an opening on either end. To explain the difference between single- and double-cell honeycomb blinds, simply picture the blinds’ side profile again. If you see one column of those tube-like openings, it’s single-cell; if you see two columns, it’s double-cell.
The Benefits Of Honeycomb Blinds
Below, you will find a breakdown of the many benefits honeycomb blinds have to offer. From insulating properties to environmental friendliness, there are so many reasons to invest in high-quality honeycomb blinds.
Insulating Properties
Once you understand the construction of honeycomb blinds, it is impossible to deny the cleverness of the design. It is, after all, more effective than other window furnishing options when it comes to insulation.
Because each tube or cell is open on either end, pockets of air are trapped within the blinds. On hot summer days, honeycomb blinds can trap cool air from the interior and prevent it from seeping out, thus keeping your indoor space cool. The same principle works in winter, too. Those air pockets keep the warm air from travelling out through your windows, keeping the indoors pleasantly warmer than the cold environment outside.
To put it simply: honeycomb blinds are unique in that they can keep your home cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
Top-Down Bottom-Up Features
The design is not the only thing that makes this window covering unique on the market. Honeycomb blinds are also adjustable from both the top and the bottom, which means you can choose exactly how and from where you would like natural light to come into the room. There are vertical handles along the bottom and top of the blind which you can pull up or down to control how light filters into your interior.
With the corded option, you need to use the cords located on the left and right sides of the blind. The right-side cord moves the blind from the top-down, and the left-side cord operates from the bottom-up. Simply pull one of the cords towards the centre of the blind to unlock it from its current position. Then, manoeuvre the cord until the blind is in the desired position.
You can then pull the cord back in the direction it came from in order to re-lock the blind into its new position.
If you are perhaps wondering when this top-down, bottom-up operation would come in handy, there are a few scenarios where it is particularly useful. At night, for example, you may want to let some moonlight in without compromising your privacy. In this case, you can simply use the right-side cord to drop the shade down a bit from the top. This will let light through at the top of your window without letting anyone see into the room.
Another example is when you want to get rid of a pesky glare on your screen. You can position the blinds to block out the direct glare while still letting light into the room from the top and bottom of the window.
These are just a few examples of many that speak to the simple yet ingenious design of these window coverings. The product is designed to be as practical and as modular as possible, which is why it is such a popular option on the market. The design is extremely well thought-out, and offers a level of versatility that most curtains and blinds do not.
Blockout Versus Translucent
At Watson Blinds, our range of honeycomb blinds includes both blockout and translucent versions. The blockout versions will completely stop any light from coming in, which means your room will become utterly dark. This is ideal for people who struggle to sleep without total darkness. Blockout blinds are also very useful for entertainment rooms in the house where you might want total darkness to watch a film.
Translucent shades do let light in, of course, but they still offer more than enough privacy for consumers. Natural light will filter in pleasantly, but you will not be able to see into or out of the translucent honeycomb blinds. This is yet another way in which honeycomb blinds are far more versatile than other options on the market.
Environmentally Friendly
Honeycomb blinds are considered to be more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly for a number of reasons. For example, you will likely demand less of your air-conditioning unit thanks to the insulation honeycomb blinds provide. This not only reduces your energy bills, but it also means reducing your emissions of harmful greenhouse gases. For those consumers who are looking to lower their carbon footprint, honeycomb blinds are a remarkably affordable way to do so.
Another aspect of eco-friendliness that some forget to take into account is the reduced demand for artificial lighting. Honeycomb blinds allow natural light to filter into the room even when pulled down, which means you will have less cause to switch the lights on and could potentially reduce your electricity bills. This, too, will have a positive impact on the environment.
Honeycomb blinds also have longer lifespans than other window furnishing options and do not need to be replaced as often. Fewer blinds being manufactured and transported also means a lower carbon footprint.
At Watson Blinds, our honeycomb blinds come with a Limited Lifetime Warranty to put your mind at ease. We also have the only servicing team in the region, which means any issues can be fixed and dealt with without the costly and time-consuming process of shipping to a manufacturer.
Maintenance
You may be wondering how to keep honeycomb blinds clean, considering they have all those long air pockets. Luckily, cleaning them is no more difficult than cleaning regular blinds or curtains. All you have to do is get a can of compressed air and blow any debris and dust out the other end of the cell. Cleaning the outside is also perfectly simple. You can use a soft, dry cloth to wipe them down as needed.
Noise Reduction
Just as the air pockets in honeycomb cells act as barriers for hot and cold air, the same goes for sound waves. These window coverings are by no means a method of soundproofing, but they are able to muffle any noise that may be happening outside your window. For anyone growing frustrated with the loud lawn mower across the road or obnoxious neighbours, honeycomb blinds can help you out.
Honeycomb Blinds From Watson Blinds
Now that you know everything there is to know about honeycomb blinds, we can introduce you to the varieties we offer at Watson Blinds. All of our products are available in custom fittings and tailored exactly to your specifications to ensure complete satisfaction. We are also proud to say that our honeycomb blinds are Australian-made and manufactured in Canberra.
Our honeycomb blinds come in various sizes in both single- and double-celled varieties. You can purchase single-cell options of 20mm per cell or 10mm per cell. We also offer both translucent and blockout varieties so you can choose exactly how you want light to filter into the room. For the utmost privacy, we recommend our blockout honeycomb blinds.
In terms of fabric choice, we have various colours to choose from such as grey, grey-brown, white and cream. Simply navigate to our product page to browse our selection and find the perfect honeycomb blinds for you.
Here at Watson Blinds, you can always count on exceptional service with a smile, as well as the hands-on experience we have gained from over 50 years in the industry. We are also family-owned and operated and take great pride in the products and services we provide.
Book an appointment with one of our customer consultants today and they will be happy to guide you along your buyer’s journey. Simply let us know what your specifications are and how we can meet your needs, and we will find the perfect product for you. For year-round indoor comfort, do not hesitate to chat with us about installing honeycomb blinds in your home or business today!