How to Prevent Fading in a Summerhouse
Found in a large number of suburban Australian homes, summerhouses are a popular way of creating an additional room in a garden. Because they have lots of windows, usually in the form of large glazed doors, summerhouses can get hot when they are not open. In addition, the amount of glazing allows lots of ultraviolet light in. In turn, this will cause the contents of a summerhouse to fade in time. Garden furniture, soft furnishings and rugs can all appear much less vibrant than they used to, even over the course of one Australian summer. What should you do to your summerhouse's glazing to keep your items looking as good as new?
Hang Net Curtains
Among the cheapest measures you can take to prevent excessive sunlight from flowing into your summerhouse is to hang net curtains. You don't need a curtain rail. Just run a length of string from one side of the structure to the other. Net curtains can then be suspended from this. The problem with this cost-effective solution is that net curtains don't remove all of the ultraviolet light you might want. On top of this, they tend to look a little fussy and old-fashioned in most modern settings.
Fit Blinds
Preferable to any form of curtain in a summerhouse, blinds are instantly adjustable throughout the day according to where the sun happens to be in the sky. If you opt for well-made custom blinds, then the full surface area of the glazing can be covered. This makes blinds ideal for summerhouses which are not in use every day. You can shut out the sun completely for weeks at an end when needed, ensuring that your furniture inside remains in perfect condition for the days you want to use it. Blinds are the best option for holiday homes or for people who are at work all week and only use their summerhouse at weekends.
Use Adhesive Frosting
Stick-on window film is available for all sorts of window types these days. You purchase it in rolls and cut it to the desired size. When the frosted film is stuck on to a window, it will dramatically reduce the amount of UV light that passes from the outside to the interior. You can cut it to cover all of your outbuilding's glazing or just the top section, as preferred. This makes it a highly versatile option to use in summerhouses, especially ones which do not see full sunlight and receive some protection from buildings or trees that cast shade.
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