Free-hang outdoor blinds turn a patio, pergola, balcony or braai area into a room you can use through the sun, wind and glare. A weather-proof screen cloth rolls down from a cassette or open roll and stops at a weighted bar, cutting heat and UV while you keep the view. Total Blind Design has measured, made and fitted outdoor blinds across Cape Town for 25 years, and you can now order them online for anywhere in South Africa.
Design & order online → Book a free measure
Why choose a free-hang outdoor blind
- Sun and glare control: screen cloth blocks most of the heat and UV while you still see out.
- Shelter from wind and light rain: lowered blinds take the edge off the south-easter and keep the table dry in a shower.
- Privacy: a dark screen reads as a solid wall from outside in daylight.
- Built for the coast: PVC-coated polyester cloth, aluminium tube and powder-coated hardware that shrug off salt air.
- Made to measure: each blind is made to your opening, up to 3 metres wide and 4 metres high.
What you choose
Cloth. Dayscreen, Mode and SheerWeave 4500 outdoor screens in a range of charcoals, greys, bronzes and naturals. The darker the cloth, the better the view out and the glare control; lighter cloths give a softer, brighter space.
Operation. A geared manual crank, or a motor with a remote: ShawSmart (with a solar-charged option, so no electrician) or Somfy Maestria for the quietest, most robust drive. One remote runs every blind in the group.
Headbox. Open roll for a clean, minimal look under a roof, a 135 mm or 165 mm full cassette to hide the roll and protect the cloth, or a recess fascia where the blind sits inside a beam.
Fit. Face fixed to a wall or beam, or top fixed under a roof. Our team fits in greater Cape Town; online orders come with a fitting guide and the brackets you need.
Free-hang or Zip X?
Free-hang is the simpler, better-value blind for a covered patio or a sheltered balcony: it rolls up out of sight and costs less. If your space catches the wind, or you want a fully sealed screen against insects and rain, look at our Zip X outdoor blinds, which run in side channels.
Price and lead time
Free-hang outdoor blinds start from R7,110 including VAT and delivery from the factory to Cape Town, for a single blind in a standard cloth with a crank. Motors, cassettes and the larger sizes add to that; the online designer shows the exact price for your opening as you type. Making takes about 10 to 15 working days. See the blinds price guide for what drives the price.
Cape Town: we measure and fit. Elsewhere: we courier
In greater Cape Town, from the Atlantic Seaboard to the Helderberg, our own team measures your opening, advises on cloth and operation, and fits the blinds. Book a free measure. Outside Cape Town, measure with our guide, design and pay online, and we courier the finished blinds to your door; fitting is straightforward with the brackets supplied.
Design & order online → Book a free measure
Outdoor blinds questions
How big can a free-hang outdoor blind be?
One blind covers an opening up to 3 metres wide and 4 metres high. Wider openings take two or three blinds side by side on one wall, which is how most patios and pergolas are done.
Will the blind flap in the Cape Town wind?
A free-hang blind has a weighted bottom bar and hangs from a cassette or open roll, so it moves in a strong south-easter. For a tight, wind-proof screen choose our Zip X blind, which runs in side channels.
Crank or motor?
A manual crank suits a single blind you lower a few times a day. For two or more blinds, or a high opening, a ShawSmart or Somfy motor with a remote is worth it; ShawSmart has a solar option so there is no wiring.
How long does an outdoor blind take?
About 10 to 15 working days to make. In Cape Town our own team measures and fits; elsewhere in South Africa we courier it to you and you fit it with our guide.
Looking for an outdoor blind that seals against wind and insects? See Zip X blinds. For indoor blinds and curtains, start at the Order Online hub.