Sun-X UK

Sun-X Cap & Rack Rollers have an external ratchet mechanism with a cord-operated release pin, all enclosed within a brass cap at one end of the roller barrel.The blind pictured above is an example of our high standard of craftsmanship. Each blind is individually crafted to exacting standards and original patterns. Designed specifically for large, 'long drop' windows, Cap and Rack roller blinds provide total control when raising the blind. The ratchet release mechanism ensures that the operator is able to control the speed at which the cover is raised, thereby reducing the possibility of 'running off' and avoiding unsightly fraying of the fabric edges.

Sun-X Cap & Rack Roller Blinds are now installed using brass brackets as standard (unless otherwise specified) and can be installed singly or, if required, as a double blind system to provide a variable means of maintaining appropriate lux levels.

Used in conjunction with Sun-X UV Filters, Sun-X Cap & Rack Roller Blinds provide a complete barrier against fade and fibre degeneration

When the National Trust rebuilt Uppark House following the catastrophic fire in 1989, Sun-X was chosen to manufacture and install a double system of check action blinds to their usual exacting standards. The attention to detail, from bracketure and robust roller to cover, stitching and cotton corded fruitwood acorn, contributed to Uppark's restoration to its former glory.

The double blind system enables separate operation of dark and light covers providing a variable means of maintaining appropriate lux levels. The photograph above shows the internal champagne coloured cover obscuring the navy cover, which is set half-way to combat the angle and extremes of the sun. The room-side cover allows the furnishings and exhibits to be viewed while displayed items remain protected. This system provides a controllable, aesthetic and traditional solution to visible light reduction, from almost blackout to light shade.

Used in conjunction with Sun-X ultraviolet filters, this system provides a complete barrier against both fade and fibre degeneration.

A blind printed for an exhibition space, or even for signage, can add great value to a visitor attraction, as well as protecting the display objects from sunlight damage.

The installation to the Venetian-style window pictured above illustrates how a uniform facade is achieved, taking into account the arched top light. The    roller blind is fitted to the rectangular section of the window while the arch is covered using matching blind material attached to a timber frame    formed to suit the shape of the arch. The architectural detail is, therefore, kept intact. 

Sun-X Flange-End Roller Blinds can be virtually any size. These blinds have no centre cord and are recommended for doorways and for large windows where the operation of Cap & Rack or Check Action blinds would be difficult or inappropriate. Operated with a single cord at one end of the blind, the cord    winds around the flange as the cover descends. The cover can then be held in the desired position by securing the cord on a brass 'button' or 'K' cleat.    Large Flange End Blinds incorporate a spring within the barrel to slow descent and assist in raising the cover. 

Used in conjunction with Sun-X ultraviolet filters provides a complete barrier against both fade and fibre degeneration.

Expertly manufactured in our workshops by our own trained personnel, Sun-X motorised blinds offer simple control for out-of-reach locations, child-safe    operation, large windows where manual operation would be difficult, or simply to automate a group of blinds to run together from a remote handset,    wall switch, home automation system, mobile app, or even voice control.    

Any type of blind can be motorised, with either mains power, or with a rechargeable lithium battery which can be topped up by connection to a mains charger,    or even with a solar panel, to provide constant trick-feeding to the battery.    

Product warranties are available for up to 5 years.

Motorised blinds are perfect for listed buildings, where installation of electrical wiring would be either very costly and disruptive or even not permitted.    

The neat, modern solution to the problem of heat, glare and light control, Sun-X Pleated Blinds can be manufactured to suit windows of almost any shape. Most often specified for conservatories, they can be made to fit the triangular and trapezoid shapes found in the popular Victorian style sun rooms. The wide choice of fabrics includes a range solar reflective backed materials to reflect solar gain in summer and reduce winter heat loss. The narrow pleat and headrail width ensures that these blinds can be used where window frame space is restricted and for doorway vision panels.

Key Features

• Reproduce corporate logos 
• Stunning designs achievable
• Transform plain blinds with bespoke images
• Attract passing trade with marketing messages
• Or simply create plain blinds in specific corporate colours

Over the past few years, historic buildings have seen a significant shift away from traditional cotton blind fabrics, towards a more modern but very effective    range of perforated materials. Cotton, or 'Holland' fabrics do transmit the light beautifully, but unfortunately suffer from many disadvantages:

• Shrinks in sunlight, distorting the cover and increasing light spill at the sides
• Stains irrevocably (squashed insects and leaky windows are problematic)
• Restricted to a neutral colour range, due to colour fastness
• Limited material width (1.8 m / 6 ft), resulting in fabric joins on larger windows
• Does not allow a view out, thereby 'boxing in' the room        
• Sustainability and pollution issues in manufacture

The wide range of perforated 'sunscreen' materials at the disposal of Sun-X will eliminate all the above shortcomings. The robust and sustainable fibreglass    construction means the material will remain stable & hang true for many years, and can be wiped clean as required. A vast myriad of colours and    weave densities are available to suit any requirement; a dark colour with one of the more open weaves will provide over 90% reduction in lux levels,    whilst maintaining an excellent clarity of through-vision. This has a priceless positive impact on visitor and staff satisfaction. It will also be    near-invisible from the outside, giving a uniform appearance even if half-drawn, and also an added security benefit, as it appears that shutters are    not closed, and the building is occupied. Roll widths of up to 3.2 m enable almost all windows to be covered with just a single piece of material.

Following an extremely successful trial at Kensington Palace in 2011 prior to its grand refurbishment, Sun-X installed blinds throughout the building in    the now highly popular charcoal/bronze colour. Hampton Court Palace and Kew Palace have now followed suit with wholesale replacements. Once word had    spread, many other prestigious properties are continuing the trend, such as the Palace of Westminster, Somerset House, Apsley House, and a growing list    of several National Trust buildings including Waddesdon Manor, Tyntesfield, and Uppark.    

Manufactured to customer specifications in our own workshops, our extensive range of Sun-X roller blind fabrics are mounted on side-chain, crank-handle,    or motorised rollers as required. Sun-X roller blinds, used in conjunction with one of our solar control window films, provide a complete light control    solution to solar heat gain and glare in the workplace.

Sun-X Solar Shade Blinds are an ideal alternative to permanently installed solar control film for the workplace environment. They provide privacy and a    high degree of solar control, rejecting heat and glare only when required, without blocking the view, and can be rolled up in lower lighting conditions.    

Our one way blinds are expertly manufactured in our workshops by our own trained personnel at Sun-X. Perforated sunscreen blinds (one way blinds) give    flexibility in sunlight control while maintaining a constant view of the world outside. 

The maximum solar energy rejection, using a white internal fabric with a tight weave, is around 68% on single glazed windows. Greater efficiency can be    obtained if the one way blinds are fitted externally. 

Darker fabrics on one way blinds are less efficient at solar rejection, but provide greater glare reduction, as well as enhanced clarity of vision to the    exterior. If one way blinds are drawn to different heights, this fact will not be overly apparent from the outside, as dark colours will blend into    the glazed facade. 

Better light control and external visibility will be achieved using finer weaves. 

Sunscreen fabrics are available in many different weave patterns and colours, made into one way roller blinds or vertical blinds, with either manual or    motorised operation. Roll widths of up to 3.2 m allow for larger seamless panels.

Sun-X Venetian blinds offer the perfect solution to light control in the workplace. Made to measure, they are available in a wide choice of materials and colours with colour co-ordinated headrails and ladder strings. Matching colour tapes are also available as an optional extra. The facility to tilt the horizontal slats through 180 degrees provides complete control over the amount and direction of light entering the room and ensures complete privacy when required.

Sun-X vertical blinds are the versatile solution to light control. Louvres are available in standard 127 mm (5") or slimline 89 mm (3.5") in a variety of materials. The ability to tilt, turn and draw the blinds ensures complete control over light distribution. Fabric colours can be mixed and matched and even printed with individual designs and company logos.

100 Micron high performance Safety Window Film is designed to protect against breakage in case of human impact. It has    been installed successfully as an anti-shatter laminate at many schools, commercial and government locations and continues to provide ongoing protection.

The 175 Micron high performance Safety Window Film is designed to protect against breakage in case of bomb blast or forced    entry. It has been installed successfully as an anti-shatter laminate at many commercial, MOD and government locations.

Sun-X 'limo black' anti-glare window film will reduce glare by over 90%, to enable computer screens to be used without discomfort, or the need for blinds.    Anti-Glare Window Film also reduces eyestrain. Staff productivity and morale will be boosted, whilst complying with the Display Screen Equipment Regulations 1992. 

The non-reflective finish of anti glare window film will give an unobtrusive external appearance, particularly useful in conservation areas. Whereas cheaper    dyed films will lose their colour within a few short years, this next-generation technology allows for greatly enhanced durability. Anti glare window    film also results in nearly 60% of solar energy being rejected, helping to create a still more comfortable working environment, and saving energy on    cooling systems. 

To find out more about anti-glare window film call one of our window film experts on 0845 077 9007.

The traditional type of solar film has been dark and heavily mirrored. Modern technology now allows Sun-X 'Clearview' Solar Control Window Film to provide    up to 58% solar energy rejection and is amongst the clearest solar control films available, with visible light transmission as high as 77%. This lightest    film is all but unnoticeable from inside or out, having a minimal visible light reflection of just 8%. These films are ideal for protecting display    items in shopfronts, with UV rejection of over 99.9%.

Now available is an extremely clear external grade film (Vista 80X), for where glass type or access restrictions preclude the possibility for internal    installation.

The Low-E coating on the Energy Saving window films directs both solar and radiant    heat back to its source for substantial energy savings. Low-E film provides a perfect balance of energy efficiency, thermal comfort    & cost savings of over 10% all year round. 

n.b. The Llumar 'Enerlogic' film has now sadly been discontinued.

Where large panes of clear glass are at risk from people walking into them, Regulation 14 of the Workplace (Health, Safety & Welfare) Regulations 1992, stipulates that such panes must be made apparent. Manifestation can take the form of broken or solid lines with permanently applied, durable materials. Company logos or other patterns can also be used, but all manifestation must be of sufficient size and regularity to make it immediately obvious. It    must also be installed at both waist and shoulder heights to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. 

Computerised cutting and digital printing enable opaque or frosted films to include corporate branding. The traditional method of sandblasting or acid-etching    is costly, disruptive, permanent, and difficult to clean. Decorative film can be easily removed & replaced should a corporate identity change, or an office layout be re-modelled. 

Sun-X MT20 has been applied extensively to both internal and external glazing in many of the major museums and art galleries throughout the UK and abroad.    

While it is accepted that exhibits are best displayed in natural daylight, the potential for fading and surface degradation provides enormous problems    for conservationists. Consultations with leading lighting experts and conservation scientists to determine their requirements to reduce the damaging    effects of daylight revealed the ideal answer to be a multipurpose window film which would combine the elimination of ultraviolet radiation to exceed    acceptable limits and the reduction of lux levels by 76% without significantly altering the quality of the transmitted light. 

Sun-X met the challenge and commissioned the production of a dark, neutral density ultraviolet filter which exceed these criteria. The addition of an external    weatherable coating provides the facility for extended life when applied externally. 

Ideal for skylights and the glazing of suspended ceilings, Sun-X MT20 Dark Neutral Ultraviolet filter has been applied to both internal and external glazing    in many of the major museums and art galleries throughout the UK and abroad.

Sun-X MT35 Medium Neutral Filter has been installed at the Tower of London to reduce high light levels without altering the colour of display items.

Sun-X MT50 Light Neutral Filter has been installed at Hampton Court Palace to reduce high light levels without altering the colour of display items.

Sun-X MT65 is recommended where additional light reduction is required but where blinds and/or sun curtains are inappropriate or cannot be fitted. 

This very light neutral ultraviolet filter was specified for the windows of the newly restored state apartments at Windsor Castle following the great fire of November 1992. The majority of these rooms face due south and the neutral grey colour, providing 32% light reduction ensures additional protection against the harsh sunlight. Sun-X Traditional Conservation Blinds were also specified and installed to provide the best possible protection for the works of art, fabrics and furnishings. 

Sun-X MT65 very light neutral ultraviolet filter is also used extensively in retail premises to protect window displays. The neutral colour of this film ensures that there is no change to the colour of the transmitted light and therefore no alteration to the colour of display items while the 100 micron    thickness of this safety grade film ensures additional protection against damage to stock by flying glass particles in the event of vandalism or accidental breakage.

Sun-X MT90 Clear Ultraviolet Filter protects the nation's heritage in Museums, Art Galleries, Royal Palaces, National Trust and English Heritage properties    as well as many privately owned Historic Houses throughout the UK and abroad.

Installation by our own trained personnel is a simple, non-disruptive process where the film is usually applied to the internal surface of existing window    glass. It is virtually indetectable, and does not alter the appearance of the building in any way or interfere with visibility. Warranteed for a full five    years and, dependant upon factors such as location, exposure, atmospheric conditions, cleaning regime etc, it has a life expectancy of between 8 to    15 years.

Given correct lighting conditions, a reflective film can provide one-way privacy during daylight hours. A dark dual-reflective film will achieve the best possible effect, with a grey non-reflective surface on one side, and a highly reflective silver surface on the other. Blinds or curtains would need to be drawn after dusk to prevent this effect from auto-reversing.