What Are Graber Solar Blinds and Are They Right for You?
Graber solar blinds are custom window shades designed to block UV rays and reduce heat gain — while still letting you see outside. Here’s a quick overview to help you decide if they’re the right fit:
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| UV Protection | Block up to 99% of harmful UV rays |
| Openness Levels | 1%, 3%, 5%, and 10% — from most to least light filtering |
| Lift Options | Motorized, UltraLite Cordless, Cordless, Continuous Loop |
| Window Width | Available up to 144 inches wide |
| Warranty | Limited Lifetime Warranty |
| Best For | Light control, glare reduction, and lowering cooling costs |
Most homeowners shopping for solar shades are trying to solve a real problem: too much glare, rooms that get uncomfortably hot in summer, or furniture that’s slowly fading from sun exposure. Graber’s solar shade line is built to address all three — without blocking your view or darkening your room.
The range of choices can feel overwhelming, though. Openness levels, lift systems, fabric types, mounting options — there’s a lot to sort through. This guide breaks it all down in plain language so you can make a confident decision.
I’m Douglas Caniglia, Director of Commercial and Industrial Sales at The Color House, and while my primary expertise is in high-performance coatings, I work alongside our window treatment specialists who help Rhode Island homeowners find the right Graber solar blinds for their spaces every day. Our North Kingstown and Cranston showrooms are our only locations where you can explore window treatments in person — and that hands-on experience shapes everything in this guide.
Graber solar blinds terms to remember:
Why Choose Graber Solar Blinds for Your Home?
If you have ever sat in your living room in the middle of a New England summer, squinting at your television screen while feeling the heat bake through the glass, you already know why standard window coverings sometimes fall short.
While classic indoor roller shades or custom draperies are fantastic for total privacy or complete blackout conditions, they require a trade-off: to block the sun, you have to block your view.
This is where graber solar blinds (often called solar shades) shine. They are engineered from specialized, high-performance woven fabrics that act like sunglasses for your windows. By choosing Graber Solar Shades, you can dramatically reduce solar heat gain and keep your home cool without sacrificing that beautiful view of your backyard or neighborhood.
In fact, managing this solar heat gain is one of the smartest ways to lower your home’s cooling costs. When sunlight hits your window glass, it transforms into radiant heat inside your home. By filtering this light before it warms up your living space, solar shades take a massive load off your air conditioning system. To learn more about maximizing your home’s thermal efficiency, check out our guide on how to choose window treatments that save energy in New England.
Understanding Opacity and Light Control in Graber Solar Blinds
The secret to the performance of any solar shade lies in its “openness factor.” This percentage refers to how tightly the fabric is woven, which directly impacts your view, light control, and UV protection. Graber offers several openness levels to fit the specific needs of each room in your home:
- 1% Openness: This is the tightest weave available. It offers the highest level of privacy, the most intense glare reduction, and blocks up to 99% of harmful UV rays. It is ideal for media rooms or home offices where screen glare is a constant battle.
- 3% Openness: A highly popular middle ground. It protects your indoor decor and furniture from sun damage while still allowing a soft, filtered view of the outdoors.
- 5% Openness: This weave blocks approximately 95% of UV rays. It provides a clearer view of the outside while still taking the harsh edge off direct sunlight.
- 10% Openness: The loosest weave. If you have a gorgeous view that you absolutely refuse to compromise on, this level maximizes your view-through while still mitigating glare.
| Openness Level | UV Ray Blocking | View Clarity | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1% | Up to 99% | Soft silhouettes | Home offices, media rooms, high-glare spots |
| 3% | Up to 97% | Clear outlines | Living rooms, dining spaces |
| 5% | Up to 95% | Good clarity | Kitchens, sunrooms |
| 10% | Up to 90% | Maximum view | North-facing windows, scenic views |
Note: While darker fabric colors are excellent for reducing glare and improving your view-through, lighter fabric colors are highly efficient at reflecting heat to keep rooms cooler.
Innovative Lift Systems for Graber Solar Blinds
How your shades operate is just as important as how they look. Graber has developed some of the most reliable and user-friendly lift systems in the industry, making daily adjustments effortless:
- UltraLite Cordless Lift System: If you want a clean look with no dangling strings, this is the gold standard. It allows you to raise or lower your shades with the lightest touch of your hand, operating quietly and stopping precisely where you want it.
- Motorized Lift: For the ultimate in modern convenience, Graber’s smart home integration is a game-changer. Utilizing quiet Somfy motors, you can control your shades via a handheld remote, a smartphone app, or voice commands through Amazon Alexa and Google Home. You can even set daily schedules—such as lowering your shades automatically at 2:00 PM when the afternoon sun hits its peak. Learn more about automated options in our breakdown of Motorized Blinds and Shades.
- Continuous Loop Lift: Ideal for extra-large or hard-to-reach windows, this system uses a cord loop secured by a safety tensioner. It makes lifting heavier, wide-span shades smooth and simple.
Best of all, cordless and motorized options remove dangling cords entirely, making them certified “Best for Kids” and incredibly safe for households with busy toddlers or curious pets.
Customizing Your Indoor Window Treatments
No two homes—and no two windows—are exactly alike. Graber understands this, offering a vast array of finishing touches to ensure your solar shades blend seamlessly with your interior design, whether paired with custom draperies or installed as standalone blinds.
You can customize the top of your shades with sleek valances, including modern square or rounded fabric-wrapped cassettes, or industrial-style aluminum fascia. For the bottom, you can opt for a clean, fabric-wrapped hem bar that keeps the shade weighted and looking tailored.
Additionally, Graber’s expanded width options can accommodate extra-wide windows up to 144 inches, making them a perfect fit for large picture windows or sliding glass doors.
If sustainability is close to your heart, you will love Graber’s eco-friendly fabric selections. They offer innovative shade materials made from ocean-recycled plastic bottles. Furthermore, many of their fabrics are certified low-emission, meaning they are guaranteed to be low in chemical and particle emissions to help protect your indoor air quality. Discover the full range of custom solutions in our comprehensive guide to Graber Window Treatments.
Selecting and Installing Your Custom Window Treatments
Getting the perfect look starts with precise measurements and deciding how you want your shades to sit on the window frame.
- Inside Mount: This installation style places the shade inside the window casing. It offers a clean, flush, architectural look that showcases your window’s trim. Just keep in mind that because the fabric must be slightly narrower than the bracket hardware to operate smoothly, there will be a tiny “light gap” on the sides.
- Outside Mount: If you want to eliminate light gaps entirely, make your windows look larger, or if your window casing isn’t deep enough for an inside mount, an outside mount is the way to go. We recommend allowing a 1.5 to 3-inch overlap on all sides for optimal light and glare control.
No matter which mount you choose, we always recommend measuring to the nearest 1/8 inch. If you want to explore all your options before deciding, take a look at our general guide on Window Treatments.
Visualizing and Purchasing Your Custom Shades
We know it can be tough to picture how a fabric will look once it is actually hanging in your room. To make this easier, you can use the Graber Visualizer tool online to upload a photo of your own room and preview different fabrics, colors, and opacities virtually. You can also order physical fabric swatches to see how the colors look under your home’s unique lighting conditions.
When you purchase Graber products, you are investing in long-term peace of mind. Every shade is individually hung, tested, and inspected for straightness before it leaves the factory, arriving with a signed “Best Experience Pride” quality certificate. Plus, Graber backs their craftsmanship with a Limited Lifetime Warranty, ensuring your shades perform beautifully for years to come.
Visit Our Rhode Island Window Treatment Showrooms
While online tools are incredibly helpful, nothing beats seeing and touching the fabrics in person. Testing the smooth glide of the UltraLite cordless system or seeing the difference between 3% and 5% openness with your own eyes makes all the difference.
We invite you to visit us at The Color House! Please keep in mind that our North Kingstown and Cranston stores are our only showrooms for window treatments.
When you visit our dedicated showrooms, our friendly design experts will walk you through the entire process—from choosing the right fabrics to arranging professional measurement and installation. We pride ourselves on offering competitive pricing, expert advice, and a level of personalized service you simply won’t find at big-box stores.
If you are ready to transform your home’s light and comfort, stop by and see us!
- Plan your visit to our Cranston location: Window Treatments Cranston RI
- Plan your visit to our North Kingstown location: Window Treatments North Kingstown RI
