Cool Your House With Pretty Reflective Window Shades

Would you like to lower the temperature in your house and save money on your electric bill without spending a lot of money? These pretty heat-reflecting window shades didn't cost me a dime to make and they really work! You probably already have most (if not all) of the supplies and tools on hand.

Though the morning sun is joyful and pleasant, when that afternoon sun hits our back windows our bedroom is transformed into a solar oven. Well, that's an exaggeration, but it feels like that. Though we do need to use an air conditioner, it is the most expensive appliance in our house, and we want to keep its use to a minimum. This simple window shade keeps the house noticeably cooler so we can use the A/C less. By the way, this is just one of many energy-saving tricks, but since I got more serious about conserving energy our monthly KWH usage has gone down about 29%. Every little thing you can do adds up to savings. If you don't believe it really makes a difference, check out this WBIR10 YouTube news clip (see video).

Are you ready to get some relief from the sun? Tired of giving the electric company so much money? Want to get better sleep in a nice dark room? Then, let's get started--it's easy!

You can do this!

Gather your supplies and tools

SUPPLIES

• CARDBOARD Get some cardboard--use shipping boxes or get some free cardboard at stores like Costco. It needs to be large enough to cover your window(s). Strong cardboard is better than the thin kind.
• ALUMINUM FOIL The heavy duty foil would be best. I used the regular kind because that's what I had on hand.
• FABRIC Use whatever you have! I used upholstery fabric that I have had for years, which I have previously used and re-used as couch covers and curtains.
• DUCT TAPE The old standby... duct tape, what would we do without it? Two other things you could use, though they are more expensive, are 1) silver reflective tape or 2) aerosol spray glue. But, for most of us, duct tape it is.
• WOOD GLUE Wood glue is cheap and works well. But if you have contact cement (expensive), that works even better. I ran out of wood glue and finished it with a bit of contact cement that I had on hand.
• Optional: CLEAR PACKAGING TAPE Packaging tape or Scotch tape are also useful.
• Optional: THREAD You'll only need thread if you decide to finish the fabric edges.
• Optional: HANDLE Many plastic containers have various styles of handles. I re-purposed a couple of handles from some plastic olive oil bottles. Handles are not absolutely necessary but they make it easier to put the shades on and take them off.

TOOLS

• MEASURING TOOL Either a tape measure or a yardstick, etc.
• SCISSORS Kitchen shears are fine, or fabric shears.
• CUTTING TOOL You can use an Exacto knife, a box cutter, or a kitchen knife, etc.
• MARKING TOOL Get a pen or a pencil (Sharpies are good).
• Optional: SEWING MACHINE You only need a sewing machine if you prefer to finish the edges. But you could just leave the edges raw and use a LOT of glue to keep them from raveling.

1. Gather your tools and supplies
2. Measure your window frames
3. Cut some cardboard to fit inside your window frames
4. Tape aluminum foil to the cardboard (or use spray glue)
5. (Optional) Put a handle on the cardboard
6. Cut out fabric to fit the cardboard
7. (Optional) Hem the fabric
8. Glue the fabric to the cardboard

Take a tape measure, yardstick, or some other form of measuring device and measure your window's height and width. If you don't have a ruler just hold the cardboard up and mark it. You want to measure the space between both sides of the frame, in other words, you want the cardboard to span the entire width between the sides so the cardboard will fit nicely inside the window frame. I can't speak for every style of window, but the idea is that you fit the cardboard tightly enough inside the window frame so it will stay.

Also, the cardboard should fit as closely as possible to the window glass. This is because heat will accumulate between the aluminum foil of the shade and the window glass (the sun will heat up the airspace).

Your particular windows most likely won't be exactly the same as mine, so you may need to use some ingenuity to make this project work. Mine have aluminum frames, so I can slip the cardboard shades into the frames (see diagram). However, whatever type of windows you have, as long as you can make the shades fit the frames well, i.e., wedge them in, it should work.

Using the measurements you obtained from your windows, mark your cardboard.

Cut out your cardboard using the Exacto knife, a box cutter, knife, scissors, or tear it apart with your teeth (just kidding!). The cardboard I chose was a bit short in height, which left a few inches not covered at the top--I'm actually glad for that because it allows some light into the room. You may want to do that too, because this shade will also function as a blackout shade. It's up to you whether you want to totally block out the sun or just partially block it out.

Test your cardboard in the frame; make sure it fits before you go on.

You may have to cut out the cardboard to fit around any latches (I tried to show that in the last photo with markings where I had to cut the cardboard to fit around my window latches).

First of all, to be clear, the foil faces outwards on your window, to reflect the sun's rays.

If you have heavy duty aluminum foil, that's preferable, but I just used regular foil. Pull out enough foil to cover from top to bottom of the cardboard with a little extra to turn under the edges. Tape with duct tape around the edges, making sure it's all taped well. You will probably need at least two or more strips of foil to cover the cardboard. When joining the pieces of foil together, use the clear tape, if you have it. Of course, if you have silver reflective tape, that would be the best choice. And if you have an aerosol spray glue, that would be great too. But, whatever you use, make sure the foil is securely fixed to the cardboard.

Now, if you are going to add a handle, continue on to step 5. If not, skip to step 6.

Note: This step is optional.

Though a handle isn't necessary, it's nice! It makes it a breeze to put the shades on and off (like in two seconds). I will show you how I attached the handle, but yours might not be exactly like the one I used. These directions should help you with some basics but you may have to make some adjustments.

I scavenged a handle from a plastic "Star" brand olive oil bottle (see the pictures). I started to cut out the handle from the bottle but then noticed that the handle was able to just pop off!

I figured that the best place to place the handles would be a little above center, and it just happened that my cardboard already had a fold going right down the middle. Lay the handle where you want to attach it and mark the length and width. Then cut out a shape in the cardboard like a capital letter "I" long and wide enough to insert the handle (see pictures).

To make it sure it doesn't pull out, I put another piece of plastic to hold it in. I just used the same bottle and cut a piece of plastic out. I'm really bad with measuring things... So, it would have been better if I had measured first and then cut out a piece that fit the whole length of my handle and a few inches to either side, but I just eyeballed it. Well it still works but you could measure it. The idea is that the plastic will go on the back (underside) of the shade, between the handle and the cardboard. This is to prevent the handle from pulling out (see photos and diagram). Glue the piece of plastic down to the cardboard.

Now go at it with duct tape (love that stuff!). Cover the back of the handle completely but just cover the base of the handle in the front (don't cover the part you would grab when using it). On to the next step...

Of course, all that cardboard and foil and duct tape look pretty ugly; that's why I covered it in a pretty fabric.

Lay the cardboard down on the fabric and cut around it (you can cut it to match the cardboard if you are leaving the edges raw).

And you don't need to leave a seam allowance if you plan to run a zigzag stitch around the fabric edges, either. However, if you are going to use a serger for binding the edges, you would want to leave approximately a 1/4-inch allowance, since it will cut off about 1/4-inch as you sew. And you don't need to sew a hem--that would be too bulky.

I must admit that I am so used to leaving a seam allowance that I unintentionally cut my fabric a little wider than necessary so it overlapped the cardboard a bit. However, it still turned out fine.

TIP: If you're making two shades, you can double the fabric and cut both at once.

If you've decided to put a handle on, you will need to cut a slit into the fabric for the handle. Lay the fabric in place over the top of the shade, front-side up, and align it. Then fold the fabric lengthwise and lay it down next to the handle (see the photos). Mark a "C" shape on the back side of the fabric to match the length and width of the handle. Cut out the "C" shape through one thickness of the fabric. When you unfold the fabric down over the handle, the flap you created should fit inside the handle, covering the cardboard.

Before you start gluing it down, consider whether you want to finish the edges. If so, go on to the next step. If not, skip step 7 and go to step 8.

Note: This step is optional.

Usually, in sewing projects, you always want to finish raw edges of fabric so they don't fray. In this project, since the fabric will be glued down, it isn't really necessary. However, if you don't finish the edges you will need to make sure to use a lot of glue or they might start fraying with use.

This step is pretty simple... Using a sewing machine or a serger, stitch the edges of the fabric with a zigzag or edging stitch.

If you are not familiar with using a sewing machine, there are some great Instructables which teach basic sewing skills, for example: "Hemming and Seam Finishing" by MikaelaHolmes.

Or, just skip it and go on to step 8.

This is the final step!

For reference, the FRONT of the shade has the handle; the BACK of the shade has the aluminum foil.

Arrange the fabric on the front of the cardboard in the correct position, face up. Then fold it in half lengthwise (the long way). You are going to glue half of the shade at a time.

Start gluing around the handle because you want to make sure that you have it aligned properly. Put a heavy layer of glue down and push the fabric into the glue all around the handle.

If you aren't using a handle, start in the center of the cardboard along the fold of the fabric.

Now, using a LOT of glue start covering half of the cardboard (lengthwise) with glue. Using a piece of scrap cardboard or plastic, spread out the glue as well as you can. Put plenty of glue around all of the edges too.

Starting from the center area, unfold half of the fabric and lay it onto the glue. This process is similar to laying down contact paper--if you've ever done that--you want to do it little by little, smoothing it as you go towards the edges.

Before the glue gets too stiff, smooth out the wrinkles in the fabric and make sure it goes to all the edges. Once you have the first half done, do the same for the second half. Check the edges--you probably missed some or the fabric might have soaked up the glue and you need to put some more on.

Let the glue dry. If you have something heavy (books, etc.) to weigh it down while it dries, that would be good. After I glued it, I just walked all over it with bare feet to make sure that all the fabric was firmly glued down.

You are done! Mission accomplished! Yay!!

I'm quite pleased with the result, especially as it makes such a difference in the temperature inside my house.

I finished these shades on an overcast day, so the pictures don't really show how the strong sunlight usually comes in through the windows. But we generally have very, very hot days all year 'round. And on those days, the sun really beams into the room. But these shades really keep the heat out.

Since my screens don't cover my whole window, I still get some sunlight, which is fine because I like to have some light. But even leaving a small portion of the window uncovered can allow the sun to heat the room up somewhat, so I also use my window blinds. You can see the sun still trying to peek through the blinds.

To try to demonstrate the light-blocking effect, in the last picture, I took another piece of cardboard to partially cover the open area at the top. You can see the sunlight in one corner where it wasn't covered. This is to demonstrate that these shades are very helpful at night to keep out unwanted lights (streetlights and my neighbor's security lights, etc.). I sleep much better with the shades on the windows. There is greater privacy also.

So, if you also suffer from the heat blasting in through your windows or if you just need blackout shades, I hope you try making these. It's a very simple idea, and I tried to cover each step well, but if you have any comments or suggestions, please post them! And if you make these yourself, be sure to post a photo!

Thanks, and happy making :)