Using solar screens for privacy. Can you see through the solar screen fabric at night?
You can see through the solar screen fabric at night when looking from outside inward through the window. For the daytime, the use of solar screens for privacy is ideal. The solar screen fabric offers incredible daytime privacy, just not evening (night time) privacy.
Here’s a great photo that shows daytime privacy for both of the 80% and 90% solar shade fabrics.

Learn more about the differences between the 80% and 90% shading fabrics here.
You can partially see through the 80% solar shade fabric. You can see about 1 foot past the fabric, but not any farther than that. As you can see by using the 90% solar screen fabric you can not see past it at all during the day.

If you just want to try one or two solar screens, check out my screen store for DIY installation.
For optimal daytime privacy, the 90% solar fabric is your best bet. Never the less, you still get an enormous amount of daytime privacy using the 80% fabric. The 90% solar screen fabric will not make it too dark inside your home. But then again that’s all subjective. To emphasize, you can read firsthand from homeowners here under my customer reviews. There are many reviews for example there that talk about their experiences using solar screens for privacy.
How well can you see into the home at night through the solar screens?
It’s kind of like switching the roles from during the day. During the day you can see out very well. During the day it is well lit outside from the sun and generally darker on the inside. At night, it is well lit within the home, but dark outside, so because of this your eyes can see past the fabric.
Here’s a picture illustrating using solar screens for privacy at night.

I install my solar screens all throughout Austin, including Round Rock and as far south as Buda.
This window has two solar screens installed on it, an 80% for the left half and the 90% for the right half. This picture shows standing about 10′ from the window. See how well you can see through the shade fabric at night while looking in? We get asked all the time if the homeowner can use the solar screens in place of window blinds and as you can see here, the answer is no. You do not get evening privacy with the solar screens.

See how you can see those lights on within the home?
Solar screens are the best way to reduce electricity usage.
To clarify any questions about the use of solar screens, visit my expansive solar window screens Q&A page for answers.
You can get a quick ballpark estimation for your Austin Texas solar screen project from my website. When you are ready to move forward, start your Austin TX solar screen order here.
How about if we use the densest solar shade fabric out there, the 99% solar shade fabric, will that give us evening privacy?
Surprisingly, even with the densest 99% fabric, you will not get evening privacy. Using the 99% solar shade fabric will not give you evening privacy. Even with the 99% fabric, and you only being able to see through 1% of the fabric, you can still see through it at night.
Here are some pictures illustrating how well you can see through the 99% solar screen fabric at night from looking out to inside.

Simulating using solar screens for privacy during the day with the lights on inside and outside.
You can not use solar screen shade fabric for nighttime/evening privacy. Even with the densest of solar fabrics, the 99% dense fabric, you can still see through the fabric at night.

This picture simulates the lights turned on inside and it being dark outside.
As you can see by this picture, you can see through the darker fabric better than the lighter, but never less you can still see through both. Proving that no matter what color or level of density, you can still see through solar screen fabrics at night when it is dark outside.
Can I use your 97% roller shades for patio privacy?
I want privacy for my patio, will your exterior patio roller shades provide me with this privacy I am looking for?
During the day, absolutely you will get an immense amount of privacy from our 97% roller shades. See the below picture to see how much privacy to expect. You can’t see into the patio at all during the day.

To see many more pictures, please go to these pages.
Exterior patio roller shades Pictures Page, Austin TX installations

My mocha solar window screens go well on the windows with these new brown outdoor roller shades.
If you did not have the lights on behind the patio solar sun shades, you could get good evening privacy. The brighter it is on the patio, the less privacy you get.
Take a look at my extensive patio roller shades Q&A page that has in-depth explanations to questions on it.

These pictures did not turn out all that well, but they can give you an idea of what to expect from using the solar shades at night.

Have more privcy questions that aren’t answered on my website, get in touch with me.
Some of my other products and services that I offer.

I make a very sturdy insect screen.

