Alfresco, patio and deck
Outdoor Blinds
Turn the patio into a room you can use all year. Zip screen and channel-guided outdoor blinds in mesh or clear PVC, DIY online or measured and fitted by us.
- Melbourne based
- Free measure and quote
- We come to you
- DIY or fitted by us
Outdoor blinds keep the wind, rain and afternoon sun off the alfresco, which is the difference between a patio you use in March and one you use in July. Mesh fabrics cut glare and heat while keeping airflow and the view. Clear PVC closes the area in and makes it a weatherproof room.
Most of what we make runs in side channels. Zip screen blinds have the fabric edge welded to a zip that locks into an aluminium channel on each post, so the blind is held on every edge and stays put in wind. Outdoor roller blinds on an open tube suit spots with some shelter where you want a simpler blind.
Every blind is made to your opening. Measure it yourself and order online, or, if you are in Melbourne, book a free measure and quote and we sort the brackets, the channels and the fitting. Below is how to choose between the styles, the fabrics and the ways to operate them.
Outdoor roller blinds
An outdoor roller blind is the same idea as an indoor roller, built for weather. A heavier tube, a weighted bottom bar, and fabric that is either a sunscreen mesh or a clear or tinted PVC. It rolls up into a headbox or onto an open tube under the beam and drops to the floor, a rail or a balustrade.
They suit any opening between two posts or between a post and a wall: the open sides of a pergola, a deck under the eaves, a carport, or the gap between the house and a garage. Fabric choice decides the job. Mesh for shade, privacy and airflow. PVC for rain and cold.
Operation is a spring, a crank or a motor. Spring is simple and suits smaller spans. A crank handle gives control on bigger blinds. A motor is the easy answer when you have several blinds or a wide one, and it keeps the alfresco clear of cranks and straps.
Zip screen blinds with side channels
Channel-guided blinds are the step up. The edges of the fabric are welded to a spline or a zip that runs inside an aluminium channel fixed to each post. The fabric is held top, bottom and both sides, so there are no gaps for wind to get under, no flapping edges, and nothing to strap down. Stop the blind at any height and it stays there.
This is the style for exposed decks, upper floor balconies, and the windy side of the house. It is also the neatest: the channels sit flush on the posts, the fabric disappears into a headbox when it is up, and the whole thing looks like part of the building rather than an add-on.
Channels can be fitted to timber posts, steel posts or brick, and the channel colour is chosen to match the posts or the house trim. Mesh and PVC both run in channels, and both can be spring, crank or motor operated.
Mesh vs clear PVC
Mesh is a woven sunscreen fabric. It cuts most of the glare, heat and UV while air still moves through it, and you can see out. From outside in daylight it reads as a dark panel, so the deck is private. Rain in a strong wind will come through it, which is the point: it is for shade and comfort, not for sealing the space.
Clear PVC is a flexible sheet that keeps rain, wind and cold out entirely. Drop the blinds on a winter evening and the alfresco heats up with a single outdoor heater. The trade-offs are that the space gets warm in full summer sun, and condensation can form on cold mornings. Tinted PVC sits between: still weatherproof, with some glare cut and a little less view.
Plenty of homes mix them. Mesh on the north and west sides for the sun, clear PVC on the side that gets the rain. The comparison table below puts the differences side by side.
Awnings
Where you want shade without closing the space in, an awning does it from above. Folding arm awnings extend out over a deck or patio with no posts, retractable awnings wind away when the sun has gone, and straight drop awnings shade a north or west facing window from outside. Like our outdoor blinds they are made to order and, in Melbourne, measured and fitted by us.
Spring, crank or motorised outdoor blinds
Spring operated blinds pull down by hand and lock off with a clip or a pin, then retract on the spring. They are simple and suit smaller openings. Crank operated blinds use a removable gear handle, which gives fine control on bigger blinds and keeps the bottom bar off the ground when it matters.
Motorised outdoor blinds run on a tube motor controlled by a remote, and can join a smart hub for app control and schedules. They are worth it on wide spans, on any blind above head height, and when there are three or four blinds around one alfresco that you want to drop in one go before a southerly arrives. Motors can be battery, hardwired, or solar where the site suits it.
Custom made vs DIY outdoor blinds
Both lanes get you a blind made to your opening in the fabric and operation you chose. The difference is who measures and who fits it.
DIY suits a confident person with a drill and a ladder. You measure between the fixing surfaces, note what the blind fixes to, order online, and we ship the blind with brackets, channels if you chose them, fixings and an install guide. Outdoor blinds are a bigger job than an indoor roller, so read the install guide before you order.
Measured and fitted is for Melbourne homes where you would rather we handled it. We check the posts and beams, the fixing surfaces, the drop and anything in the way, quote on the spot, and come back to fit. On an exposed site or an odd-shaped opening, that is the lane we recommend.
Which outdoor blind fabric?
Mesh, clear PVC and tinted PVC compared. Many alfresco areas use mesh on the sunny sides and PVC on the weather side.
| Fabric | Light and view | Weather protection | Airflow | Best use | Care |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mesh (sunscreen) | Cuts glare and UV, view out stays | Shade and some wind break. Rain comes through in wind | Good, air moves through the weave | North and west sides, privacy, summer shade | Hose down, soft brush, mild detergent |
| Clear PVC | Full view, no glare cut | Seals out rain, wind and cold | None when closed | Weather side, winter use, enclosing the space | Rinse with water and a soft cloth, no abrasives |
| Tinted PVC | Some glare cut, slightly reduced view | Seals out rain, wind and cold | None when closed | Weather side where glare is also a problem | As for clear PVC |
How it works
Outdoor Blinds: price it online, or we come to you.
Same product, two ways to get it. Pick the one that suits your budget and your weekend.
DIY online, Australia wide
Ordering outdoor blinds online
- 1
Order free samples
Pick the fabric in your own light, not on a screen.
- 2
Measure
Follow our guide. Width then drop, in millimetres, recess or face fit.
- 3
Order online
Enter your sizes and options. We make it to order.
- 4
Install
Shipped with brackets, fixings and a step-by-step guide.
Fitted by us, Melbourne
Outdoor Blinds measured and fitted in Melbourne
- 1
Book
Form or phone. We call within 1 business day to set a time.
- 2
We measure
We bring samples, measure every window, and talk through the options.
- 3
Written quote
On the spot, no obligation.
- 4
Made and fitted
Made to order, then installed by us. Nothing for you to do.
DIY measuring
How to measure for outdoor blinds
Start with where the blind will fix. Outdoor blinds mount to posts, beams, a fascia or brick, so identify the fixing surface on each side and at the top. Measure the width between the two fixing surfaces at the top and at the bottom and note both, because posts are rarely plumb. Then measure the drop from the underside of the beam or fascia to the floor, the rail or wherever the bottom bar should land.
Look up and around. Downlights, fans, gutters, gas heaters and speakers in the path of the blind change where it can go. If you want side channels, allow for their width on each post. Tell us what the blind fixes to, because timber, steel and brick each need different brackets and fixings.
Measure in millimetres with a steel tape and write width before drop. The full guide covers angled roofs, openings without a post, and fixing to a balustrade.
Service area
Outdoor blinds in Melbourne
We measure and fit outdoor blinds across Greater Melbourne and the Mornington Peninsula: the CBD and inner north, the eastern suburbs, the south east, Bayside, the western suburbs and down the peninsula. We check the posts and fixing surfaces, bring mesh and PVC samples, and fit the blinds and channels when they are made.
Melbourne gives you four seasons in a day, which is why so many of our alfresco jobs mix the fabrics: mesh for the summer sun on the north side, clear PVC on the side the weather comes from. Channel-guided blinds are the usual choice on bayside and peninsula decks that get the wind. Outside our service area, the same blinds are available DIY and ship anywhere in Australia.
Why buy outdoor blinds from us
Mesh or clear PVC
Mesh for shade and airflow, clear PVC for full weather protection.
Side channels
Channel-guided blinds hold the fabric on every edge so they handle Melbourne wind.
Spring, crank or motor
Choose the operation that suits the size and how often you use it.
Made to your opening
Every blind is made to your measured width and drop.
Outdoor Blinds questions
Are outdoor blinds wind resistant?
Zip screen and channel-guided blinds handle strong wind well because the fabric is held on all four edges. Open-tube blinds without channels suit sheltered areas where the edges will not lift.
Mesh or PVC outdoor blinds?
Mesh if you mainly want shade, privacy and airflow. Clear PVC if you want to keep rain and cold out and use the space in winter. Many homes use mesh on the sunny sides and PVC on the weather side.
Can I install outdoor blinds myself?
Yes, if you are confident with a drill and a ladder. Our install guide covers brackets, channels and the different fixing surfaces. In Melbourne we can also measure and fit them for you.
Do outdoor blinds come motorised?
Yes. Motorised outdoor blinds are worth it on wide spans, blinds above head height, or when you have several to operate at once. They can join a smart hub for app control and schedules.
What do outdoor blinds fix to?
Timber posts, steel posts, beams, fascias or brick. Each needs different brackets and fixings, so tell us what your blind will mount to when you order or book a measure.
Will clear PVC blinds make the alfresco hot?
In full summer sun, yes, because the space is sealed. Roll them up on hot days, or use mesh on the sunny sides and keep PVC for the side the rain comes from.
How do I clean outdoor blinds?
Hose mesh down and brush it gently with mild detergent. Rinse PVC with water and wipe with a soft cloth, never anything abrasive, and let it dry before rolling it up.
Also from Aussie Curtains
Melbourne only
Free Measure and Quote
Melbourne-wide. We come to you, measure everything, and quote on the spot. No obligation.
- We call within 1 business day to lock in a time
- Samples brought to you
- Fixed written quote, no pressure
Prefer to talk? 1300 201 248