Yes, you can black out or significantly reduce the amount of sunlight coming through a conservatory roof. The best way to do it depends on why you want less light in the first place.
Perhaps glare makes it difficult to watch television or work on a computer. Maybe your conservatory becomes unbearably hot in summer. Or you may simply want the room to feel more like an extension of your home.
Conservatory roof blinds, solar-control film and solid roofs can all reduce sunlight, but they work in very different ways.
Here, we compare the options to help you decide which solution might be right for your conservatory.
Why Would You Want to Black Out a Conservatory Roof?
Traditional conservatories were designed to maximise natural light. That’s one of their biggest attractions, but sometimes you can have too much of a good thing.
Strong sunlight through the roof can cause:
- glare on televisions and computer screens
- excessive heat during summer
- fading of furniture and furnishings
- difficulty seeing screens when working from home
- an uncomfortable living environment during bright weather
Some homeowners also find that, as their needs change, they simply want their conservatory to feel less like a glass room and more like another living space within the house.
Before deciding how to block the light, it’s worth thinking about what you actually want to achieve.
Option 1: Conservatory Roof Blinds
Roof blinds are one of the simplest ways to control the amount of sunlight entering a conservatory.
They can be opened when you want maximum daylight and closed when the sun becomes too strong.
This flexibility makes them useful for reducing glare and providing shade without permanently changing the appearance of the conservatory.
However, blinds don’t change the thermal performance of the roof itself. While they may make the room feel more comfortable by providing shade, an older conservatory roof may still allow significant heat transfer.
If your main problem is that the conservatory is too hot in summer and too cold in winter, it may be worth looking beyond blinds.
Does Elmhurst Windows Fit Conservatory Blinds?
Elmhurst Windows can supply blinds as part of an order for a new conservatory, allowing them to be considered as part of the overall design.
However, we don’t currently provide a standalone conservatory blind supply or fitting service.
If you’re looking to improve an existing conservatory, we can instead advise on roof and glazing options that may provide a more permanent solution.
Option 2: Conservatory Roof Film
Solar-control or reflective film can be applied to some types of conservatory glazing to reduce glare and the amount of solar energy entering the room.
This can provide a relatively inexpensive way of reducing the intensity of sunlight without completely blocking natural light.
Different films offer different levels of tinting, reflection and light transmission.
However, there are a few things to consider.
Film can change the appearance of the conservatory, and not every product is suitable for every type of conservatory glazing. Applying an unsuitable film could potentially affect the performance of the glass or any existing manufacturer’s warranty.
For this reason, you should always check whether a particular film is compatible with your roof before applying it.
Elmhurst Windows does not provide a standalone conservatory roof film installation service.
Option 3: Solar-Control Glass
If you want to reduce solar heat and glare without blacking out your conservatory, solar-control glass may be a better long-term option.
Solar-control glazing is designed to reduce the amount of solar energy passing through the glass while still allowing natural daylight into the room.
This can be particularly attractive if you like having a bright conservatory but find that an older glazed roof allows too much heat into the space.
Modern energy-efficient glass can also help reduce heat loss during colder weather.
That means you’re addressing more than simply the brightness of the room.
Option 4: Replace the Roof with a Solid Conservatory Roof
If you want a much greater reduction in overhead sunlight, a solid conservatory roof offers a completely different solution.
Rather than trying to shade an existing glazed roof, you replace it with a thermally insulated solid roof system.
This can dramatically change both the appearance and feel of the conservatory.
A solid roof reduces direct sunlight from above and can significantly improve thermal performance, helping the conservatory remain more comfortable during both hot and cold weather.
It can also make the space feel more like a permanent extension of your home.
Will a Solid Conservatory Roof Make the Room Too Dark?
Not necessarily.
This is one of the biggest concerns homeowners have when considering a solid conservatory roof.
After years of having a glass or polycarbonate roof, the thought of covering it completely can make you worry that the conservatory — and potentially the adjoining room — will become too dark.
One solution is to incorporate skylights or rooflights into the new solid roof.
These allow carefully positioned natural light into the room while retaining much of the insulation and shading provided by the solid sections of roof.
You therefore don’t necessarily have to choose between a fully glazed roof and a completely enclosed ceiling.
Solid Roof with Skylights: A Useful Middle Ground
For many homeowners, a solid roof with skylights or rooflights provides an attractive compromise.
You can reduce the huge expanse of overhead glazing while retaining natural daylight where you actually want it.
It can be particularly useful if you’re turning the conservatory into a more traditional living space.
For example, if you use your conservatory as a lounge, dining room or home office, reducing glare while retaining selected areas of natural light can make the room much more practical.
What About a Fully Solid Roof?
If reducing overhead sunlight is your main priority, you can choose a solid roof without skylights.
This provides the greatest change from a traditional glazed conservatory roof.
Inside, the ceiling can create a much more conventional room-like appearance, with lighting used in the same way as elsewhere in the home.
The downside, of course, is that you’ll lose more natural light.
You should also consider how much light the conservatory currently brings into the adjoining room. This can be particularly important where the original external wall has been opened up to connect the two spaces.
Blinds vs Film vs Solid Conservatory Roof
The right choice depends on what problem you’re trying to solve.
Choose blinds if: you mainly want flexible shade and glare control while retaining the existing roof.
Consider solar-control film if: you’re looking for a relatively inexpensive way to reduce glare or solar gain and you’ve confirmed that an appropriate film can safely be used with your existing glazing.
Consider solar-control glass if: you want to retain the appearance and natural light of a glazed roof but improve its performance.
Consider a solid roof if: you want a more permanent transformation, improved insulation and significantly less direct sunlight from above.
Consider a solid roof with skylights or rooflights if: you want the thermal benefits and more substantial feel of a solid roof without sacrificing too much natural daylight.
Can You Completely Black Out a Conservatory Roof?
Yes, but whether you should completely black it out is another question.
If you simply need temporary darkness, blinds may be the more flexible solution because you can open them again when you want natural light.
If you want a permanent change, a fully solid roof will prevent direct daylight entering through the roof.
However, before removing all overhead natural light, consider how the change will affect both the conservatory and adjoining rooms.
In many homes, retaining some strategically positioned rooflights provides a better balance.
What’s Best If My Conservatory Is Also Too Hot?
If excessive heat is the real reason you want to black out your conservatory roof, it’s worth addressing the cause rather than simply the brightness.
Blinds and suitable films may help reduce glare and solar gain, but they don’t necessarily solve the wider thermal performance issues associated with an older roof.
Modern solar-control glazing can help reduce unwanted heat while retaining natural light.
Alternatively, replacing an inefficient roof with an insulated solid conservatory roof can provide a more substantial improvement to year-round comfort.
If your conservatory is both too hot in summer and too cold in winter, that may be a sign that the existing roof is no longer performing as well as you need it to.
Which Conservatory Roof Option Is Right for Your Home?
There isn’t a single solution that’s right for every conservatory.
If you’re happy with the temperature of your room and simply want occasional shade, blinds may be all you need.
If you love your glazed conservatory but want better solar control, modern high-performance glass may be worth considering.
And if you want to transform an older conservatory into a more comfortable, room-like space, a solid insulated roof — either with or without skylights or rooflights — may provide a better long-term solution.
Elmhurst Windows supplies and installs new conservatories and replacement conservatory roofs across Leeds and the surrounding areas.
If you’re considering replacing an existing conservatory roof, our team can talk you through glass and solid roof options and help you find the right balance between natural light, shade and year-round comfort.
Contact Elmhurst Windows to discuss the options available for your conservatory.