Black out curtains

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tmresearch

Black out curtains

Post by tmresearch »

Have any of you installed or made "black out" curtains for the windows next to the bed and/ or the sofa bed? I have a 2004 RSB and the "black out" curtains would be great

The existing blinds do not shield outside street lamps sufficiently and I was wondering if any of you had some advice on this?

Thank you in advance.
shezonit

Post by shezonit »

There's a thread with pics about this. The quick and easy fix is get the thermal foil available at any RV place. Cut to fit the window and put it between glass and shades. TOTAL blackout, and keeps you warmer or cooler. During the day, I pull the LR ones, fold in half and stow behind fwd curbside chair.
shezonit

Post by shezonit »

The other thread is down below, called INSULATED WINDOW COVERING.
tomzleapin
Posts: 485
Joined: Sun Jun 20, 2010 9:15 am

Post by tomzleapin »

After my shades failed, I went to IKEA and purchased a couple of curtain wire assemblies and some heavy weight curtains. The wire assemblies screw into the spot where the top bobbins were. The curtains work much better at blocking out the light than the shades.

Curtain wire:
Image
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20079342
Tom
2005 24' RB
Towing 2016 Mini Cooper convertible on tow dolly
New Hope, MN
shezonit

Brilliant!

Post by shezonit »

Tom-- thanks for this info. Great idea! These are perfect. I'm ordering some today.
I want to get rid of my lounge day/night shades. One is broken, and I haven't fixed it because I don't like the color anyway. Now I can put in what I want without worrying about the dang strings breaking again.
NOW, what clever thing did you use to hold the curtain back on one side for view?
al1florida

Post by al1florida »

I bought about 7 yards of black cloth in the sewing material section of Walmart. To be sure it would block the light, I tried to look at the lights in the store to sure I couldn't see through the cloth. I cut the cloth to a little larger than the windows I wanted to cover. My wife sewed 1" long "loop" part of Velcro strips to the upper parts of the pieces of cloth and I glued the hook side of the strips to the wood valance around the windows. It takes me about 1 minuet per window to hang the blackout cloth. The pieces of cloth fold up into a very small bundle for storage.

Now when we park overnight in a places like a Walmart, which has extremely bright lights in the parking lot, the inside stays nicely dark. Not pitch black, but more than dark enough to sleep soundly.
tmresearch

Black out curtains

Post by tmresearch »

Thanks for your replies and advice. I was just at the Ikea in Charlotte, NC to get a Christmas present for my daughter in IL to save her $200 in shipping costs. Wow does that place go on and on!!

How does the end of the Ikea rod attach to anything? I assume that the other end has the same setup.

You are so right about the brightness of Walmart lights which prompted my inquirey about black outs.

As far as getting a view with the black out's in place, I would think a sash tie with C-hooks would suffice or possibly roll them up from the bottom and secure with a velcro tie?

By the way, have any of you thought about using a decal that any print shop can make up for you with your favorite theme to put on the inside of the side door window. You can see out of the BF but no one can see into the BF from outside. Since I am British, I thought about putting up the "Union Jack"...but it would keep folks from observing you (unless you have the BF heavy curtain up...but even then outsiders can see into the BF at night through the edges of the curtain. I put up a shower curtain rod to keep the door curtain closer to the door to attain more privacy).
I have seen decals with mountain ranges, college mascots, etc that are one way and just wondered??

Anyway, I will definitely utilize your advice.

Thanks, Dallas
tomzleapin
Posts: 485
Joined: Sun Jun 20, 2010 9:15 am

Post by tomzleapin »

It's not a rod, it's a wire that you cut to length. The end pieces consist of two parts. One part is attached to the valence with a wood screw. The other part which has the wire attached to it is threaded and mates with the first part.
Image

Image
Tom
2005 24' RB
Towing 2016 Mini Cooper convertible on tow dolly
New Hope, MN
tmresearch

Black out curtains

Post by tmresearch »

Tom, thanks for the explanation on the wire setup. A picture (or 2) is worth a 1000 words.

Dallas Hutcheson
Nancy
Posts: 172
Joined: Sun Aug 14, 2005 8:01 pm

Post by Nancy »

Image

I made a curtain for the side door.
2005 26' RSB Casual Elegance
Nancy
Posts: 172
Joined: Sun Aug 14, 2005 8:01 pm

Post by Nancy »

Image

this is the photo I was actually looking for.
2005 26' RSB Casual Elegance
tmresearch

Black Out Curtains

Post by tmresearch »

Nancy, Thanks for the pictures of the curtains that you made for the side door. How is the cloth attached to the inside of the door window? Velcro or what.

Couple of questions on your pictures?

1. Is that a light on the inside of the door entrance? Did you add for more entrance light or just stock with your unit? Does it cut on automatically when you open the door or ? Good idea for dark stairs at night although I have an entrance switch that cuts on the overhead light in middle of the unit closer to the driver.

2. The cabinet above the hand rail up the stairs appears to have a hinged door with a clock. This is where my TV is (which I am going to replace with a larger LED unit outside where your clock door is to free up space behind the TV for a lazy susan for food, storage, etc). Was the door added later or was this stock and your TV is above the driver for the entertainment center where I now have bedding for grandchildren or suitcases? Just wondering about that nice hinged clock door?

I have already read about TV replacements in this forum so know the info on the trade out.

Good to see that another South Carolinina has a BF. I often go through Easley as I do Legal Forensics in upstate SC for several counties. So if you see me in my BF (previously a Pleasure Way Excel), please honk as my back window has my company name on it: TM RESEARCH!!

Your dog does not seem happy that you put up a print showing his (or her) sworn enemy: cats!!!

Merry Christmas,

Dallas
Spartanburg, SC


PS. FORUM MODERATOR: SINCE I ADDRESS MORE THAN JUST "BLACK OUT CURTAINS" WITH NANCY, WOULD YOU PREFER THAT MY SUBJECT LINE HAVE MORE THAN JUST "BLACK OUT CURTAINS" LIKE "CABINETRY", "LIGHTING" OR WHAT? PERHAPS YOU JUST DECIDE WHICH? ANYWAY, PLEASE LET ME KNOW AS A NEWBIE ON THIS FORUM, I WANT TO ABIDE BY YOUR PRODURES. TKS, DALLAS
Nancy
Posts: 172
Joined: Sun Aug 14, 2005 8:01 pm

Post by Nancy »

This is our second BF and I knew what I wanted and didn't want in the second one when we ordered it.

The hinged door you see with the clock is storage. Dog treats, coffee pot, toaster and a few other things. It actually has a hinged door in the front too so you access it from either side.

The curtain I made is attached with snaps that I installed.

The light by Augies head is a reading light. There is a light on the ceiling also above the stairs and there is a switch by the stairs to turn that on.

If you are ever in the area of where 81 and 86 intersect let me know. We are right by the Southern Oaks Golf Course.

and if you see this on the back you know it is us going down the road too........
Image

Image
2005 26' RSB Casual Elegance
Nancy
Posts: 172
Joined: Sun Aug 14, 2005 8:01 pm

Post by Nancy »

oh and what is Legal Forensics? Sound interesting.
2005 26' RSB Casual Elegance
tmresearch

Black Out Curtains

Post by tmresearch »

Wow, Nancy, that is a really neat picture of the lion. Was this installed at factory or did you have a decal person make and put on your BF? That is the sort of 1 way decal that I was thinking to put on the entrance door as you can see out but outsiders can not see in.

Yes, assuming that I put in a new LED larger TV, I would also have that front door to access my proposed lazy Susan and storage that is currently taken up by the old "fat" model TV.

Interesting that you say the stair switch cuts on the light ABOVE the stairs as that switch on mine does NOT cut on that particular light but the main light in center aisle next to sofa and 2 captains chairs. Would love to have the switch cut on both the stair light AND the light it now cuts on. Don't know how that would be done? Any electricians out there?

Dallas
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