What is a cellular shade?
A cellular shade, also called a honeycomb shade, is a fabric shade made of rows of hexagonal pockets. Those pockets trap a layer of still air between the glass and the room, which slows heat loss in winter and heat gain in summer. Cellular shades are the most insulating everyday window covering available.
Why cellular shades are our best seller in Atlantic Canada
Most of the homes we measure were built before modern windows. A 1950s bungalow in the West End of Halifax, a farmhouse outside Truro, a row house in St. John's that has stood up to a hundred winters of wind. Windows are where those houses lose heat, and in a region with some of the highest home energy costs in Canada, that heat is money.
The US Department of Energy tested cellular shades in real homes and found they can cut heating energy use by up to 20% compared with uncovered windows, and save up to 15% on total heating and cooling energy. That is not a marketing figure; it is a government lab study.
People notice it first as comfort. The cold that falls off the glass and pools on the floor near the window on a January night, the draft you feel on the back of your neck on the couch. Close a well-fitted cellular shade and most of that goes away.
Single cell or double cell?
| Single cell | Double cell | |
|---|---|---|
| Insulation | Good | Better: two layers of trapped air |
| Look | Crisp, larger pleats | Fuller, slightly deeper |
| Best for | Most rooms, moderate climates, budget-conscious whole-home orders | Coldest rooms, north-facing windows, older single-pane or drafty windows, Labrador and exposed coastal homes |
Choose your light level
- Sheer and light-filtering. Soft, glowing daylight with privacy. Living rooms, kitchens, dens.
- Room-darkening. Most light blocked. TV rooms, guest rooms.
- Blackout. A foil or blackout liner inside the cell blocks light and adds insulation. Bedrooms, nurseries, shift workers.
Choose how it opens
- Cordless. Lift and lower by hand. Child and pet safe. Our most common choice.
- Top-down bottom-up. Lower the top for daylight and sky while the bottom stays closed for privacy. Brilliant for street-facing rooms and bathrooms, and for making the most of short winter days.
- Day-night. Two fabrics in one shade: light-filtering on top, blackout on the bottom.
- Motorized. By remote, wall switch, app, schedule or voice.
- Vertical cellular. For patio doors. Glides side to side on a track. See patio door options.
Getting the most energy savings
The shade only insulates the window it covers. Three things make the difference between a good result and a great one:
- Fit. An inside mount with tight side clearance, or an outside mount that overlaps the frame, keeps air from looping around the edges.
- Side channels. Slim tracks along the sides of the window seal the edges. They add the most for blackout and for the coldest rooms.
- Habit. Close shades at dusk in winter. Open them on sunny winter days to let free solar heat in. Motorized shades on a schedule do this for you.
Pair cellular shades with a heat pump and you get a room that holds its temperature on the coldest nights. Read: blinds and heat pumps.
The honest trade-offs
- Cellular shades do not tilt like a blind. To let in light you raise them, or use top-down bottom-up.
- Very large patio doors are better served by vertical cellular or a different product.
- Pleats can collect dust in kitchens with a lot of cooking. A quick vacuum with a brush attachment every few weeks keeps them clean.
Frequently asked questions
Do cellular shades really save energy?
Yes. A US Department of Energy study found cellular shades can reduce heating energy use by up to 20% compared with bare windows, and total heating and cooling energy by up to 15%. Savings depend on fit, the number of cells, and closing the shades at night in winter.
Are cellular shades worth it?
For most Atlantic Canadian homes, yes. They insulate better than any blind, they are cordless and child-safe, they come in blackout, and they cost about the same as many quality blinds. They are especially worth it in older homes and rooms that feel cold or drafty near the windows.
Single cell or double cell: which is better?
Double cell insulates better and suits the coldest rooms, north-facing windows and older, drafty windows. Single cell is a little less expensive, looks crisper and is plenty for most rooms in newer homes with good windows.
Are cellular shades good for blackout?
Yes. Blackout cellular shades use a liner inside the cell to block light completely, and add insulation at the same time. For a fully dark room, add side channels to seal the light gaps at the edges.
What does top-down bottom-up mean?
A top-down bottom-up shade can be lowered from the top as well as raised from the bottom. You can cover the lower half of a window for privacy while letting daylight in through the top, which is useful for street-facing rooms and bathrooms.
How much do cellular shades cost?
Custom cellular shades range from about $200 to more than $1,200 per window installed in Canada. Single-cell, light-filtering shades sit at the lower end; double-cell, blackout, top-down bottom-up and motorized shades cost more.
Do cellular shades help with a heat pump?
Yes. Heat pumps work best in rooms that hold heat well. Closing cellular shades at night reduces heat loss through the glass, so the heat pump runs less hard on cold nights and the room stays more comfortable.
How do you clean cellular shades?
Dust them with a vacuum on low using a brush attachment, or use a hair dryer on cool to blow dust out of the cells. Spot-clean marks with a damp cloth and mild soap. Avoid soaking them.
Pairs well with: Energy-efficient blinds · Blackout solutions · Motorized blinds Read next: Are cellular shades worth it? · Blinds and heat pumps