How Much Do Blackout Blinds Cost in NZ? (2026 Guide)

Indicative prices

Blackout roller blinds are priced per square metre, supplied and installed. Multiply the rate by the window area in m² (width in cm × height in cm, divided by 10,000). In our standard white and grey fabrics:

Small window, 1.2 × 1.0 m (1.2 m²): from about $66
Mid-size window, 1.5 × 1.5 m (2.25 m²): from about $124
Standard bedroom window, 1.8 × 1.5 m (2.7 m²): from about $149
Large window, 2.4 × 2.1 m (5.0 m²): from about $277

What the from-price covers — and what it does not

$55/m² is for our standard white and grey fabrics, measured, made and fitted. At the measure you will see the full fabric books, and other colours, textures and ranges cost more. So do side channels and motorisation. We always price the standard fabric alongside anything you fall for, so you can see the difference before you decide rather than after.

Bedroom examples

One bedroom, 1 standard window: from about $149
Three bedrooms, 3 standard windows: from about $446
Three bedrooms plus a media room or study, 4 standard windows: from about $595

All in standard white or grey, without side channels. Most homes only need blackout in the rooms people sleep in — for the rest of the house, see what roller blinds cost in NZ.

What moves the price

Fabric. Standard white and grey is the from-price; other colours, textures and ranges step up from there.
Window size. Priced per m², so a wide bedroom window costs several times a small one. Very wide windows can need two blinds side by side.
Side channels. Tracks that close the light gap at the edges — quoted per window, because they depend on the frame.
Controls. Standard chain or cordless operation is included; motorised blinds cost more and can close on a schedule at bedtime.
Mount. Face-fitted over the frame or inside the recess changes the measurements — and how much light gets around the blind.

Blackout or blockout — is there a difference?

No. They are two names for the same thing: a blind made from fabric that light cannot pass through. New Zealand and Australian suppliers tend to say blockout; blackout is the more common word overseas and in search. Whichever a quote uses, the questions are the same — is the fabric itself blockout, and what happens at the edges?

How dark will the room actually get?

True blockout fabric blocks 100% of the light through the blind itself. What you notice at 5am in summer is the light that comes around it: every roller blind has a small gap down each side, between the fabric and the frame. There are three ways to deal with it, from least to most:

Face-fit with overlap. Fitting the blind over the frame, wider than the window, rather than inside the recess. It costs little or nothing extra and is enough for most bedrooms.
Side channels. Slim tracks the edges of the blind run inside, closing the gap. Worth it for nurseries, shift workers and light sleepers. Quoted per window at the measure.
Layering. Blockout curtains over a blackout blind cover the edges as well as the glass — the darkest result, and the warmest. See what curtains cost in NZ.

The other ways to black out a room

Blackout roller blind — from $55/m² in standard white and grey. The cleanest look and the lowest cost per window. See blackout blinds.
Roman blind — from $160/m²; our standard Roman fabrics are blackout. Softer folds that suit character homes, at roughly three times the price of a roller. See what Roman blinds cost.
Blockout curtains — unlined blockout from $30/m², with most made-to-measure curtains landing between $129 and $189/m². They add drape and warmth and cover the window edges.

Not sure which suits the room? Our room-by-room guide to blinds or curtains covers bedrooms and nurseries.

The drawbacks, honestly

Light gaps. The fabric is blockout; the edges are not, unless you face-fit, add side channels or layer curtains. Anyone promising total darkness from a recess-fitted roller alone is overselling it.
All or nothing. A blackout blind is either down and dark or up and open. If you want daylight with privacy in the same room, you need a second layer — a sheer curtain or a sunscreen blind.
No view. Unlike a sunscreen fabric, you cannot see out through it. That is the point in a bedroom and a drawback in a living room.
Warmth. In Consumer NZ’s heat-loss testing, roller blinds came behind honeycomb and Roman blinds. If keeping heat in matters as much as keeping light out, see what honeycomb blinds cost.

Where blackout blinds are the right call — and where they are not

Bedrooms — especially east-facing ones that catch the summer sunrise.
Nurseries and children’s rooms — daytime naps and light evenings, with cordless or motorised controls.
Shift workers — where sleeping through the day is the whole job; side channels earn their keep here.
Media rooms — no glare on the screen.
Not living areas where you want the view — a sunscreen fabric does that job better.
Not as the only layer in a room you use during the day and want private — add a sheer.

How to compare quotes

Is the price per m² or per blind — and does it include installation and GST?
Is the fabric true blockout, or a “room-darkening” fabric that still lets some light through?
Which fabric is quoted, by name? A from-price in a standard fabric and a quote in a designer one are different products.
Is the blind recess-fitted or face-fitted, and how much overlap is allowed for?
Are side channels included, or extra?
What are the controls, and is the child-safe option included?
What is the warranty on the blind and the installation — and has anyone actually measured your windows?

Get an exact price

A per-m² rate gets you in the ballpark; the fit decides how dark the room gets, and that needs someone to look at the window. Our in-home measure and quote is free and no-obligation across Auckland. We advise recess or face-fit for each window, price the standard white or grey alongside anything you like, and tell you plainly whether side channels are worth it for the room. See blackout blinds, or book a free measure.

Frequently asked questions

How much do blackout blinds cost in NZ?

At Kauri, made-to-measure blackout roller blinds start from $55/m² supplied and installed, in our standard white and grey fabrics. On a standard 1.8 × 1.5 m bedroom window (2.7 m²) that is about $149; a small 1.2 × 1.0 m window is around $66 and a large 2.4 × 2.1 m window about $277. Other fabrics, side channels and motorisation cost more, and we price them at your free measure.

Is there a difference between blackout and blockout blinds?

No. They are two names for the same thing: a blind made from fabric that light cannot pass through. New Zealand and Australian suppliers tend to say blockout, while blackout is the more common word overseas and in search. If a quote says either, ask the same question — is it the fabric that is blockout, and what happens at the edges?

Do blackout blinds block 100% of the light?

The fabric does: true blockout fabric lets no light through the blind itself. What you notice in a bedroom is the light that comes around the blind, through the small gap every roller has down each side. Face-fitting the blind over the frame with extra overlap reduces it, side channels close it, and layering blockout curtains over the blind gives the darkest result.

What are side channels, and do I need them?

Side channels are slim tracks fixed down each side of the window that the edges of the blind run inside, closing the light gap. They matter most for nurseries, shift workers and anyone who wakes with the summer sun; many bedrooms are dark enough with a well-fitted face-fixed blind alone. Side channels are quoted separately at the measure because they depend on the window.

Should I choose blackout blinds or blockout curtains?

Blackout blinds sit close to the glass, look clean and minimal, and cost less per window. Blockout curtains add softness and drape, and cover the edges of the window as well as the glass. Many Auckland bedrooms use both — a blackout roller blind for darkness, with curtains over the top for warmth and to catch the edge light. We supply and install both, so you can compare samples at the same measure.

Are blackout blinds safe for a nursery, and what is the warranty?

Yes. We default to cordless or properly tensioned chain controls, in line with current New Zealand safety guidance, so there are no loose loops within a child's reach, and motorised blinds remove the chain altogether. Every blind is custom-made, professionally fitted across Auckland and carries a 3-year warranty from installation against manufacturing or material defects.