PERFECT FIT PLEATED BLINDS - WHAT ARE THEY?
Well, let’s start by saying that Perfect Fit Pleated blinds aren’t all made the same. A Perfect Fit Pleated from one company won’t necessarily be identical to one from another.
The term “perfect fit” refers to an aluminium frame available in various colours. These frames are equipped with brackets that allow them to be attached to uPVC or aluminium windows without the need for drilling. A blind is attached to each panel of glass. So, if a window has four separate sections of glass, there would be four blinds.
Within the frame, there’s only enough space for two types of blinds: a metal 25mm Venetian blind or a pleated fabric blind.
Typically, a Perfect Fit Pleated blind uses some form of pleated blind inside the frame. This blind is designed to be pulled up and down by hand under tension, so if there are obstructions reaching the blind (such as a kitchen sink), do bear that in mind. It is possible to motorise pleated blinds subject to certain width restrictions.
The quality of the Pleated blinds and the cords used for tensioning are where the differences begin to manifest.
When a blind is attached so closely to the glass, it’s exposed to significantly more UV light. Additionally, the pulling up and down action puts more strain on the components and cords used.
We’ve been manufacturing our own Perfect Fit Pleated blinds since 2005. All the components and cords we use are of high quality and can withstand the test of time. Pleated blinds are notorious for needing to have new cords installed several times in their lifetime. We’ve invested considerable time and effort in refining the production materials, and as a result, we offer an extensive 10-year warranty.
Pleated blinds are usually operated from the top to the bottom, meaning they are pulled down from the top to close the blind. They can also be fitted upside down, allowing you to pull them up from the bottom. In the case of our multi-zone option, you can pull them up or down, depending on your mood!
WHY WAS THE PERFECT FIT SYSTEM DEVELOPED?
Perfect Fit wasn’t just designed to be a blind that is relatively easy to install. Mounting blinds to the glass has distinct advantages in some situations. For example, not having to move a blind out of the way to open a window. Or, placing them on doors and being able to use the doors freely.
There are also situations where windows are not square and more traditional blinds might highlight the inconsistencies in the window. Mounting blinds to the glass, overcomes these issues.
WHAT COLOUR ARE YOUR WINDOW FRAMES?
Perfect Fit frames come in the following colours. The frame colour is designed to blend with the colour of the internal window (internal, not external).
If your internal window colour - uPVC or aluminium is not one of the colours listed, Perfect Fit is not a good option as the frame will simply be an eye sore against the colour of your uPVC/aluminium.
- White
- Brown
- Silver
- Anthracite
- Black
- Mahogany
- Golden Oak
Functionality of Perfect Fit Pleated
Daytime Privacy
Perfect Fit Pleated blinds are either all or nothing, so they’re not ideal for filtering the view into your room during daylight hours.
Protect items against fading
With the blinds shut, your furniture will be protected from fading. However, this means covering your window during daylight hours. If this is a crucial requirement, you might want to consider alternative options.
Glare from the sun
The sun’s glare is usually confined to the upper part of any window, depending on the height of the sun. This allows you to cover the necessary area without fully closing off the window. These can be positioned anywhere to prevent harsh glare.
Nightime Privacy
These can be fully closed for night.
Thermal Gain (Heat)
These are one of the most effective blinds for reducing heat build up in your home, in part because they are attached to the glass and in part because of the way the cellular pleated fabric works.
Thermal Loss (Heat loss from inside your house)
Perfect Fit Pleated blinds are our most thermally efficient blinds.
Blackout effect for bedrooms
Perfect Fit Pleated blinds provide an excellent blackout. For a comprehensive understanding of your options for blackout blinds, visit our Blackout Blinds product page.
Types of Windows & Doors Suitable for Perfect Fit Pleated
Most Standard Windows
If the frame can be attached to your window, they are suitable for nearly all windows.
Sliding Doors/French Doors/Bi Folding Doors
Perfect Fit Pleated blinds will fit most French doors, rarely will they ever work on sliding doors and they may work on bi folding doors.
Bay Windows
They are excellent for bay windows, especially if your bay window is particularly “out of square”.
PERFECT FIT PLEATED BLINDS vs OTHER FORMS OF “SYSTEM OF BLIND” WHERE THE BLIND IS ATTACHED TO THE GLASS
There are other systems of blinds that aim to replicate the functionality of Perfect Fit. These blinds also have brackets that allow the blind to be attached to the glass without the need for drilling.
However, these blinds have a few drawbacks. Firstly, they never fully cover the width of the glass, leaving part of the glass uncovered. The Perfect Fit system frame helps cover this gap. Many of these systems also use inferior components and brackets. The plastic used in these systems are often not UV-stabilised, which means they breaks down over time when exposed to UV light.
In order to avoid further complications, we do not offer any other system. Over the past 52 years of manufacturing and supplying to end customers, we have gained a good understanding of what is expected in terms of shelf life, product quality, and ease of use. Unfortunately, these systems do not meet our expectations, so we do not manufacture them.
WHY ARE PERFECT FIT PLEATED BLINDS SO THERMALLY EFFICIENT
Pleated cellular material, commonly known as honeycomb, consists of two layers of material bonded together to create an air pocket between them. This air pocket effectively reduces the transfer of heat and cold between the layers. In the case of blackout cellular pleated fabrics, there are multiple layers of material, including layers of foil. This is the reason behind their exceptional ability to retain heat and allow for efficient ventilation.
PRACTICAL PROS AND CONS
Got a bad back?
In the case of doors, to close a Perfect Fit pleated blind means bending right the way down to the bottom of the door each and every time. If you have any restrictions with that movement, consider motorisation or other types of blind
Opening doors in the wet
If you have a door that opens outwards and is your only method of accessing, for example, your back garden, keep in mind the blind is material! With pets especially, sometimes you will have no choice but to open the doors when its raining and the blinds will not appreciate this.
Condensation on your windows
If your window seals have blown and you suffer from condensation in the winter months, you risk prematurely damaging the materials. They will not appreciate getting wet.
Obstructions such as kitchen and utility sinks
If you have a sink in the way of your window, reaching across to raise and lower the blind can be difficult, even for tall people. Unless motorised (there are restrictions to motorisation), they are operated by hand. We are frequently requested to measure for these across sinks and it is not until we have pointed this out that our customers realise the difficulties in being able to use them. Consider freehanging pleated blinds as an alternative.
South facing doors?
Whilst Perfect Fit pleated blinds are superb at keeping out heat, when attached to doors remember the blind sits outside when the doors are open. We frequently encounter customers who, when sitting at a kitchen table, for example, want to keep the heat out but forget that in the course of very hot weather, may want the doors open to bring in fresh air. With the doors open, there is no longer any blind in your door area to keep out the heat.
MOTORISATION OPTIONS
Perfect Fit Pleated blinds can be motorised, subject to certain width restrictions. See our Motorisation page for more information on motorisation of pleated blinds in general.
Since Perfect Fit Pleated blinds are attached to each panel of glass and therefore are often smaller than other types of pleated than might cover an entire aperture, you are more likely to encounter windows that are simply too small to motorise.
RESTRICTIONS
As with all products, there are certain restrictions to consider. Just because your window is made of UPVC or aluminium doesn’t mean perfect fit blinds can be installed. There are many exceptions to this rule. If you’re unsure, please arrange for us to survey your windows or send us a photograph, and we’ll take a look.
There’s no “one size fits all” approach to windows, so there are always examples where the depth doesn’t match any available bracket for installing a perfect fit frame. Additionally, obstructions around the window or door can interfere with the frame of the perfect fit blinds.
There are also minimum and maximum width and drop restrictions to consider.
We are able to manufacture Perfect Fit Pleated blinds from around just 140mm wide where as most other manufacturers cannot.