insights
insights
Still air is one of nature’s best insulators: a down jacket, a cavity wall, double glazing. A honeycomb blind bonds pleated fabric into rows of hexagonal cells that each hold a pocket of still air against the glass.
The namesHoneycomb, cellular blind and cellular shade are one product. Hunter Douglas pioneered the technology; Coulisse builds to the same cell specification. Choose on colour, opacity and operation, not on brand.
Heat-gain reduction from US Department of Energy data and Hunter Douglas documentation. Live shop starting prices.
| Performance | Honeycomb | Screen roller | Timber or aluwood venetian | Blockout roller | Aluminium venetian | Plaswood venetian | Lined curtains |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heat gain reduction | Up to 78% | 15 to 25% | 15 to 22% | 10 to 18% | 10 to 20% | 12 to 18% | 15 to 25% |
| How | Still air sealed in cells | Cuts UV and glare, little insulation | Denser slat adds some insulation | Dense fabric blocks some radiant heat | Slat angle reflects direct sun | Solid moisture-proof slat | Fabric mass and a still air gap behind |
| From | R1,050 | R610 | R976 | R671 | R550 | R847 | Not sold |
Three dots most reduction. Bare glass: 0%. Real performance varies by fit, fabric and orientation.
The cell is the same across the range. The fabric changes: light-filtering where you want daylight, blockout where you want dark.
Direct solar load most of the day, October to March. A light-filtering honeycomb cuts it by up to 78% and keeps the room bright. The single most impactful upgrade in a South African home.
Highest priorityThe hottest sun at the hours you are home to feel it. Blockout honeycomb: maximum heat reduction and the darkest room for sleep.
Highest priorityScreen glare and heat in one. A light-filtering honeycomb solves both; a 3 to 5% sheerweave roller if the view matters more than insulation.
GoodNot honeycomb: the cells trap humidity and mildew follows. Aluminium or plaswood venetians, adjustable for ventilation.
Venetians insteadThe figures assume the blind is specified and fitted correctly.
Gaps at the sides or headrail let room air circulate behind the blind and bypass the cells. A snug inside mount is critical, especially in older homes with recesses that are not square.
Blockout honeycomb resists more heat than light-filtering because the denser weave also stops radiant heat. Where you want dark anyway, specify blockout; elsewhere light-filtering still saves substantially.
Close north and west windows from about 10am to 3pm in summer and before sunset in winter. A Somfy-motorised cellular blind can do it on a schedule when nobody is home.
05 Passive, always
A honeycomb blind is passive insulation. When the air conditioner is off, a home with cellular blinds on its north and west glass holds its temperature far longer than one with bare glass, and the saving repeats every day the blind is closed, with no running cost.
CoastalHoneycomb suits coastal bedrooms and living rooms away from direct moisture; use venetians in wet rooms.
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A honeycomb cellular blind. Its sealed cells cut summer heat gain by up to 78% in Coulisse testing, and no roller, venetian or shutter comes close. Custom Blinds Shutters & Awnings carries the Hunter Douglas and Coulisse cellular ranges, with free delivery nationwide.
Yes. Different names for the same product; the cell structure does the insulating.
North-facing living rooms and west-facing bedrooms, which carry the most direct solar load. Kitchens and bathrooms are not suitable because of moisture; use venetians there.
Light-filtering diffuses daylight while insulating; blockout adds a denser weave that also stops radiant heat and darkens the room. Blockout resists more heat; light-filtering is more versatile.
Both work by trapping still air. Double glazing is built into the window; a honeycomb blind adds the still-air layer to the glass you already have, at a fraction of the cost, and only when it is closed.
Yes, in bedrooms and living rooms away from direct moisture. In wet or salt-spray rooms, aluminium or plaswood venetians.
Content reviewed by the Custom Blinds Shutters & Awnings team. Visit the online shop for current pricing.
Custom Blinds Shutters & Awnings | South Africa’s trusted blinds, shutters and awnings specialists since 2010.