insights
insights
A woven screen with precisely controlled openings between the yarns. Solid PVC seals a space; canvas shades it; mesh lets air and the view through while cutting wind and UV.
The single most important specification.
| Performance | 1% | 3% | 5% | 10%+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wind | Most blocked | Substantially | Reduced | Little |
| UV | Most blocked | More than 5% | About 95% | Less |
| View | Soft haze | Clear out | Clear both ways | Transparent |
| Best for | Exposed cliff-top, beachfront | Exposed, high-wind patios | Most patios, braai areas, restaurants | Window sun screening, not wind |
Wind is the main problem: go tighter. Best balance of shelter and outdoor feel: 5%.
03 Coastal conditions
The fabrics hold their colour and strength in salt air and last 8 to 12 years on the Garden Route coast before replacement, with a 3-year fabric warranty and 1-year components warranty. What decides the installation is the wind: on an exposed site the fabric runs in aluminium side channels so it cannot billow or pull loose; sheltered positions take a bottom rail with hold-down clips. Powder-coated aluminium and stainless fixings on coastal sites.
The most effective enclosures use both.
Screen mesh: airflow, UV cut, braai smoke vents out, the view kept
Clear PVC: a complete seal against driving rain
Enclosed and protected without feeling sealed in
A louvre or folding-arm awning overhead finishes the outdoor room on the Garden Route
Fresh water every few weeks for dust and salt; fortnightly in spring for pollen and bird droppings before they set.
A soft brush and mild soapy water for marks, rinsed well. No pressure washer, no chemicals.
Raise the blind fully; motorised systems with a Somfy wind sensor do it on their own.
“Sheerweave is what we install most on Garden Route patios. It handles the south-easter, it handles the salt, and people are always surprised at how clearly they can still see the view through it. The 5% is what we fit most.”Duncan Kane Founder, Custom Blinds Shutters & Awnings
Buy online:
5% for most patios, braai areas and restaurants: about 95% of UV blocked, wind reduced, air moving, the view clear. 3% or 1% where wind is relentless; 10% and above for window sun screening rather than shelter.
Yes, from inside by day, most clearly in charcoal at 5%. From outside the patio reads darker and more private. At night with the lights on, the effect reverses.
8 to 12 years on the Garden Route coast before the fabric needs replacing, with a 3-year fabric warranty and 1-year components warranty from Custom Blinds Shutters & Awnings.
Yes. The made-to-measure screen range ships free nationwide from the online shop for self-installation; side-channel, Ziptrak and motorised systems are fitted on the Garden Route only.
They reduce spray but do not seal. For a rain-facing side use clear PVC, and mesh everywhere else.
Custom Blinds Shutters & Awnings. Outdoor blinds made to measure in Knysna, specified for the exposure by Duncan Kane with 20+ years of experience, fitted by a team still installing every day, from Mossel Bay to Plettenberg Bay.
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.