Café blinds are clear PVC outdoor blinds that block rain, wind and cold while leaving the view completely open. Nu Style café blinds use Achilles PVC between 1 mm and 3 mm thick, in clear, smoked, bronze or black tint, operated by hand with a central locking system.
Also known as: clear PVC blinds, PVC café blinds, restaurant blinds, clear outdoor blinds
Clear PVC blocks weather better than any mesh, and it keeps warmth in through winter, which is why cafés and restaurants use it. The trade-off is summer: a fully sealed PVC blind can turn an enclosed alfresco into a sauna on a hot Perth afternoon. Woven mesh at 94% or 99% blockout gives nearly the same wind reduction while letting the space breathe, at the cost of letting a mist of rain through in strong conditions. Most homes end up with PVC where they entertain in winter and mesh where they sit in summer.
A woven mesh breathes, which is exactly what you want in February and exactly what you do not want in July. Clear PVC seals the space, holds the warmth from a heater in, and keeps driving rain off the furniture. That is why hospitality venues that trade through winter use PVC almost exclusively — the enclosed area becomes usable floor space rather than a wet corner.
Achilles PVC runs from 1 mm to 3 mm. Thinner PVC costs less and is easier to roll, but it creases more readily and shows those creases permanently. Thicker PVC hangs flatter and lasts longer under Perth UV, at the cost of weight. For a blind you will roll up and down daily, the thickness choice matters more than the tint.
| Blind | Pelmet | Max width | Operation | Fabric |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Café Blinds | Optional | At measure | Spring balance, Hand operated | Clear PVC, tinted |
| Ziptrak® Outdoor Blinds Ziptrak in mesh breathes; cafe blinds in PVC block more weather but can overheat in summer. | Optional | At measure | Spring balance, Electric remote | Clear PVC, tinted PVC, Woven mesh |
| Zipscreen® Outdoor Blinds Zipscreen seals into side tracks and can be automated; cafe blinds are hand operated. | At measure | At measure | Electric remote, Hub and app | Woven mesh, blockout |
Maximum spans for the licensed systems are confirmed at the free measure. See all nine side by side.
Café blinds are outdoor blinds made from clear or tinted PVC, named after the restaurant terraces that popularised them. Café blinds enclose an outdoor area against rain and wind while keeping the outlook completely visible.
Café blinds block weather more completely than mesh and hold winter warmth in, but they do not breathe, so an enclosed space can overheat in summer. Woven mesh at 94% or 99% blockout breathes and cuts glare, but lets a fine mist of rain through in strong conditions.
Nu Style café blinds are adjusted by hand to any height and held by a central locking system. Café blinds built on the Ziptrak track system also use a spring balance, so one hand moves them.
Nu Style café blinds come in clear, smoked tint, bronze tint and black tint Achilles PVC, from 1 mm to 3 mm thick. Tinted PVC cuts glare and daytime visibility from outside while keeping the view out.
For winter, yes — a PVC blind seals the space against driving rain and the westerly, which is when an alfresco is hardest to use. For summer-heavy use the honest answer is woven mesh, because PVC does not breathe and a fully enclosed space gets hot. Many Perth homes end up with both, on different sides of the house.
Achilles PVC is specified for harsh conditions and resists the yellowing and stiffening that affects cheaper plastics. Like any outdoor material it has a service life, but it is the grade used precisely because Perth UV destroys lesser PVC.
Clear PVC keeps the view completely open. Smoked, bronze and black tints cut glare and reduce how far people can see in during the day, at the cost of some outward visibility. Tint is usually chosen to match the frames or the roof rather than for performance.
Yes. Clear PVC cafe blinds are the standard solution for restaurant and cafe terraces, which is where the name comes from. Nu Style makes them for both homes and businesses in Perth.
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