Shades for lanai,
 

After NOT giving as much thought to the orientation of our lot as Jimbo. (Who does???;))

We decided to explore the choices once again for blinds for the screened lanai that faces west and gives us phenomenal sunsets but shines in our eyes and heats us up as we try to eat dinner out there.

We went to Lowes and they are having a sale starting today ( It may be one they have all the time) on Cooleroo shades. I know Happinow mentioned them but we have been undecided because I thought they didn't offer enough shade and Sweetie thought they did. So we are gonna have them installed and see how it goes. Will report.

Anyone have them?

Gracie,

Are you having 90 or 95 (or what?) sun block? I have seen two Cooleroo installations in Sanibel. They both are happy customers!

Gene

I don't KNOW. They will be black. Match the screens and the metal part. Gracie is always concerned with the design element...(I am told by a close male relative)

I am pretty sure that the percentage is UV rays and not light and that is what made it a standoff in our home for a good while.

Sweetie is probably right. He usually is. It is so annoying. ;)

Love that - my husband always says "oh, it has to match". I completely understand where you are coming from with that one!!!:mademyday:

Hi Gracie: We have cooleraroo shades in a dark brown color and absolutely love them. They give us needed privacy and the sun does shine through just enough so it doesn't seem dark. We keep them pulled half way down all the time. My husband bought some tie downs at Sparrs to attach them to the bottom of the frame so they can stay down most of the time even on a windy day.

Gracie,

One of the Sanibel homeowners I spoke with said they enjoy their Cooleroo pull-down screens more for privacy than sun shade. The other couple said primarily for sun shade. Different folks, different strokes.

Two caveats:

1) Privacy only goes so far. At night, outsiders can still see "in" -- color of see-thru shade doesn't matter.

2) Privacy doesn't block sound -- no matter what color of shade you choose.

Let us know how your project ends. Inquiring minds want to know.

Gene

Well if all things go as planned, you and your prettier half will be sitting on our lanai in June eating dinner... so we are waiting for your personal assessment, Mr. Gene

We have the cooleroo shades, love them, they definitely shade the lanai well, still can see out, not as easy to see 'in', but not completely private. Very happy with them!

We have the beige striped version and love them. Hubby installed them perfectly. They do keep the sun and heat out of the lanai. You'll love them too

I was very happy to see this thread and read the positive input. We soon will be removing trees that have provided us with the perfect canopy for shade. With those trees being gone it surely will be an adjustment for us and have been planning to research options for shades. Guess I'll be heading to Lowes tomorrow. Do these Cooleroo Shades come in a variety of widths?

Can these shades be adjusted for width?

We were told by Lowes that if you are handy you can cut them to size....all you need is a hacksaw and good pair of scissors, and we had no problems, and they look great!!

We have them also!! Our Lanoi faces west, so we get the afternoon sun. Bought it at Loews, and I installed it. (Not hard to do) I have eye clips on bottom that attach to screw in aluminum framing, that holds shade from blowing when it is windy. Good Luck Gracie

We also have Coolaroos. Went to Lowes and picked out the color, then their agent came to our place and measured, we picked up to save the $35 fee, then made an appointment with the installer to have them put up. Custom fit and finish. Paid a flat fee for install. We can see out but difficult to see in except if we have our lanai lights on, then more visible. But that was not the reason why we have them. Lanai faces west and we cook at night along with our dinner. Only issue I have is the way to tie them down to keep from blowing in on windy days.

Can you tell me what you used to tie down your blinds and where or what is Sparrs? Haven't found a good way yet. I am hesitant about drilling holes in our lanai frame for attachments.
Thanks.

Gracie Girl - sounds like you should hire yourself out for home decorating/design!! Our current style is "Early American Yard Sale", but we're hoping to change styles when we move to TV in about a year. :-)

Gracie Girl--Please post before and after photos--Im thinking of shades, versus curtains once we get the hot tub!

That is just what we did. Got a message that we need to come in to have the Lowes person tell us the cost today.

Trish...they are custom. I am anxious to know how much they will be and whether I don't think we should pay that much and Sweetie does. (our usual approach to any purchase over a hundred bucks) I will tell you all what they cost.

Installer says to roll them up when it's windy. The options; snaps and velcro don't seem to work as per neighbors. At home we had rattan shades that we held down with something screwed into the frame and we tied the cord to it. This will have a continuous beaded pull on one side only that raises and lowers them. I can't figure out how we can tie them down either. Wind IS an issue here.

I want them, but hate to spend the money.

Gracie the penny pincher.

Like our shades
 

As Gracie mentioned, we are very happy with our Coolaroos. We use them in the late afternoon when the sun starts shining in our eyes at dinner time. They are custom made, but only come just so wide. Some of our columns are pretty wide and the shade did not come wide enough. There is about a 4"gap on both sides, but works well. We would like ideas on what to put across one of the pool lanai screens for privacy. We had them installed. Not sure a Coolaroo would work because it would be exposed to the rain and that couldn't be good for it. The Coolaroos we have installed now are hung inside the frame of the
Lanai as you go to the pool area. They can't get wet.

we use a very cheep system at home to keep shades and curtains from blowing in the wind, and for Gracie it is very inexpensive....we use magnets...two in both corners...they hold on to each other thru the shade and the screen.....i use cow magnets very strong and nothing blows them around......

Copw magnets? ? ?
 

Well, I googled "cow magnets" thinking it was a funny name for something entirely different but no...it's a cow magnet. Apparently cows are indiscriminate eaters and will ingest nails, brads, pieces of baling wire, etc. along with grass and other more digestible green stuff. They thus can suffer from "hardware disease" (honest, I got this off the internet). To stop it, farmers put these magnets in the cow's first stomach to attract the metal stuff and prevent it from going further into the cow's digestive system and causing real problems.

Pictures show them to be round cylinders about 1/2 to 3/4 " in diameter by about 3" long.

How did I reach retirement without ever having heard of this? Maybe it will be a trivia question on game day when I take my next cruise and I'll help my team win the big prize...or not!

omgosh Juneroses. You are smarter than this Cincinnati girl. I was thinking cute little cow refrigerator magnets. This is indeed useful info.

We got the price quoted and paid it. Just over 1000 bucks, but the lanai is 42 ft. long. Now we will see if it was money well spent.

cause you didn't grow up around cows...spend every summer on the famlies dairy farm in KY...at the time it was the largest in the state..yep cows eat everything and the magnets just as they were designed to do...as far as i know they are one of the strongest next to the pacer magnet donut...i have those also but the electric blue is not as easy to hide on a screen

Wow - that cow magnet stuff is serious!!! We lived in New Mexico near the university which is heavy into agriculture. They had cows there that had glass plates in their sides so those interested in this sort of thing could follow the digestion process. Called them cow plates. At first I was horrified then found out these cows have the best lives because they are so valuable to university research - go figure!!!

YOU are from Kentucky, Asian Three??? I cannot wait to meet you.

Where do I buy a cow magnet or do I stroll into a field and wait for one them to burp one up?

Oh gross.

Need coffee.

According to Lowe's website, they come in 3 widths. Not all widths come in the same colors. Will have to check the store today for sizes and colors.

BTW, they come with tie-down bungees.

you may be able to choose your size and color and have it shipped to the store for pickup. I don't think they charge you for that service. Just in case they don't have your color and size in stock. Go on line to do this.

We couldn't buy a stock size. We had these custom made because we have sorta strange size screens. Went to Lowes and contracted for them, They called the installer and he came out and measured, they make them, he hangs them. We get a cow to share his magnet and the wind won't blow them around..

We sit there and think..."See Jimbo..site orientation is not everything. Shade can be purchased". :)

And in the shade we will munch on our burgers and think what lucky folks we are to live here in THE VILLAGES!

Thanks so much for all the great Coolaroo information! I didn't know they came 96" long. I thought they only came in the 'too short' version, and I had no idea they have a measurer and an installer for them. I must have talked to the trainee at the store. You all are the best, & I will happily write a recommendation for anyone who wants to apply for a job at Lowes!

PS: Gracie, while you're sitting in the shade on your lanai munching on your burgers, be sure to check them for magnets. :loco:

LOL gracie///you can buy them online or at a farm supply store for a few bucks

I installed two 72" wide shades Yesterday. Had to chip out a 1/2 " of stucco for the right one to fit. They were fairly easy to install. Took longer than 20 min. per, though, like the directions claim.

Today I'll install my 96" shade. I'll have to engineer this one since it is wider than the screen.

I bought the pebble color. You can't see out very well. They do block out the light and heat. The 20% off sale only applies to special orders.

Got 'em all done. Got the little bungees to tie them down on the bottom. Those 2 little rings that are included are before they included the bungees.

Don't know anything about "cow magnets."

Pictures, please and GOOD for YOU. I love it when someone does something great like this on his/herown.

Yes, I love doing DIY projects and saving money.

Thanks, Gracie. It was cool of you to turn me on to the Coolaroos!!

So I have a ? about the coolaroos. Are you using them in a screen room or enclosed
lanai??? The reason I ask is I had solar shades installed in my glass enclosed lanai and while they do a great job of keeping the sun and UV rays out - no so much the heat. The glass heats up and in turn heats up the shades. I believe I will now have to have tinting applied to the windows that are the problem to keep the heat down.

Ours is a screened lanai. I hope they will dull the suns rays so that when Jimbo's leg gets better and hopefully he and his wife accept our standing invitation he won't feel too smug about selecting JUST the right lot orientation.;)

I would love to see pictures, too. I'm particularly interested in the "rings/bungees" set up.

We're waiting for our order to come in, but we ordered a supposedly sun shade screen that will be wrapped outside of our soon to be glassed in lanai.
Custom Windows of Leesburg is doing it. This may be an alternative to tinting the windows. Supposed to keep the heat from penetrating the windows. We'll see.
Nancy

That is what I have now learned - block the sun on the outside of the window. I am too commited financially at this point with my solar shades to make that change. Was just curious if the coolaroos eliminate that problem on an enclosed lanai.

I sure hope they work. It will be so nice if we do have a break from the sun at dinner time and can eat out there earlier than sevenish.

I have taken some before pictures and will take some afters too.

I am so excited about getting them. Like a kid expecting a new toy!