“I cannot believe we still get the same view with these screens installed. They blend in seamlessly and work perfectly.”
Lisa Elliot
Outdoor blinds and strong wind
Outdoor blinds are built to live outside, but there is a point where the sensible thing is to retract them and leave them up. Here is a simple way to judge it, using the wind you can already see around you.
Reading the wind
The Beaufort wind scale is the standard way to estimate wind speed from what you can see happening around you, with no instruments needed. It runs from 0 (dead calm) to 12 (hurricane). One extra thing to keep in mind: gusts can be about 40% stronger than the steady wind, so leave yourself some margin.
Here is how it maps to using your outdoor blinds.
| Force | Wind speed | What you will see | Your blinds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 to 3 | up to ~19 kph | Smoke drifts, leaves rustle, light flags lift | Fine to use |
| 4 | up to ~29 kph | Dust and loose paper lift, small branches move | Fine to use |
| 5 | up to ~38 kph | Small leafy trees begin to sway | Fine to use |
| 6 | up to ~50 kph | Large branches move, umbrellas hard to hold | Fine to use, keep an eye on it |
| 7 | up to ~62 kph | Whole trees in motion, hard to walk into the wind | Only if the deck is partly sheltered |
| 8 | up to ~75 kph | Twigs break off trees, walking is very difficult | Retract and leave them up |
| 9 | up to ~87 kph | Slight structural damage, roof shingles can lift | Retract and leave them up |
| 10 to 12 | 87 kph and above | Trees uprooted, widespread structural damage | Retract and leave them up |
The short version: use your blinds freely up to a strong breeze; be careful in a near gale, especially on an exposed deck; and once it is a gale (whole trees moving, hard to walk against the wind), roll them up and leave them up until it passes.
Let the blind do the work
- Side channels hold the fabric. Our outdoor screens run the fabric in captured zip or cable side channels, so it stays firm and quiet in everyday wind rather than flapping.
- A wind sensor can decide for you. A motorised blind can take an optional wind sensor that retracts it automatically when the wind climbs - useful for a holiday home or an exposed site you are not always there to watch.
- The riskiest moment is mid-travel. Avoid running a blind up or down in strong wind; it is least supported while it is moving. Get it fully down and held in its channels, or fully up.
- After rain, let it dry. Roll a damp blind up to get it out of the weather, then run it back down to dry before storing it away rolled up, so you are not trapping moisture against the fabric or PVC.
More on outdoor blinds
See motorised outdoor blinds for the automation and wind-sensor options, our outdoor blinds range for mesh, solar and clear PVC, and the care guide for looking after your screens year-round.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How much wind can outdoor blinds handle? +
As a rule of thumb, our motorised outdoor screens are happy in winds up to around a strong breeze (about 50 kph), and can ride out gusts to around 60 kph once fully down and held in their side channels. Above that - a near gale or worse - retract them and leave them up. Remember gusts can be about 40% stronger than the steady wind.
Will the wind damage my blinds if I leave them down? +
In everyday wind, no - the fabric is held firm in captured side channels. The risk is in a gale, and in running the blind up or down mid-storm, when it is least supported. A motorised blind can take an optional wind sensor that retracts it for you when the wind picks up.
What about clear PVC cafe blinds in the wind? +
Clear PVC is the heaviest option and catches the most wind, so it wants a sturdier cassette (we specify a 180 mm housing) and the same care - roll it up in a gale, and let it dry before rolling it away after rain.