insulating/heat-reflecting curtain material

[brom]

A few years ago, we think it was possible to obtain silver-grey curtain material, which had insulating/heat-reflecting properties. We would like to obtain such material to make curtains for the rear windows of our Transit motorcaravan - but we can't find it anywhere on the internet, and when we spoke (some while ago) to someone from Taylormade, I recall they said it wasn't easily available any more. Does anyone know where the material could be obtained?

[ROON]

Isn't that daft!!!! I've just found this on Google:

 

A thermal insulating curtain, especially for use in greenhouses, which comprises a plurality of superimposed uni-directionally arranged tubular members with a common slat-like partition between each two adjacent ones of said tubular members. Each of these tubular members along its two opposite sides has a folding crease to allow collapsing said tubular members to thereby permit collapsing the entire curtain in a manner of a blind or to roll the curtain up in the manner of a shade.

 

But then when I tried to find a supplier or contact number or indeed ANYTHING so I could try and help, there was NOTHING.... sorry, but is this the type of thing you meant? The last sentence sounded promising. Joy

[Mel B]

Roon ... you been reading naughty ads again ... I'm still trying to work out what "uni-directionally arranged tubular members" are!

 

As for insulated curtains ... instead why not make some insulated pads to go on the windows themselves, similar to those which you put in the front windscreen/cab area. Then get a nice thick pair of normal household thermal curtains and alter them to fit across the back as required. The pads will help to reduce heatloss through the glass itself and the curtains will keep the draughts out.

[brom]

Thanks Roon and Mel B for your helpful comments. The green house stuff sounds just like a blind, which we wouldn't be able to accommodate, and the idea of putting 'silver screens' at the back windows is also a non-starter because we have heated windows and the elements do not leave room for the suckers (they can be felt on the surface of the window and therefore could be damaged).

This is why we are after just material, from which we can make replacement curtains.

The fabric they make reflective ironing board covers out of looks just the job, but can I find it?!

Thanks for your help, all the same.

[J9withdogs]

There is a fabric called Reflectatherm that is used in clothing & sleeping bags, but I can't find anyone that sells it by the yard on Google.

[colin]

Best I can find on this link, not realy what you want but maybe best you'll find?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Blackout-Thermal-Curtain-Lining-heading/dp/B0019C5AF8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=kitchen&qid=1216500998&sr=8-2

[ROON]

oops, Colin beat me to it....

 

I never cease to be amazed how, when you consider how many caravans and motorhomes there are around, there are endless such 'accessories' in them which appear to be difficult to find from the numerous postings on all forums of people searching for these items.... It takes me back to the water cap problems ... why don't the manufacturers look at recurring problem/requests and make things a bit easier. Small businesses would go out of their way to do this to be successful.

[Basil]

I would suggest you try 'Thinsulate' lining see

 

http://www.outdoorgear.co.uk/infopoint/definitions/thinsulate.htm

 

not cheap though see

 

http://www.d-m-s.co.uk/thinsulate.html

 

may also be worth looking here

 

http://daybag.com/diecut/materials.html

 

Bas

 

[Mel B]

Hi again

 

I assume the rear doors are metal an dhave the metal showing around the windows? If so, could you make some oversized pads, with the edges overlapping the metal door frame around the windows, of a thinner piece of material preferably, and sew some magnets into the edges to grip the door frame so that the pads sit in the windows? If not, and they are covered in material, you could try a similar thing but replace the magnets with the hook park of Velcro?

[Derek Uzzell]

I found the following link that might prove useful:

 

http://www.candh.co.uk/Category-Thermal-Lining-FLNGFLTH/

 

but Mel B's suggestions are probably the best way forwards.

[brom]

Thanks for continuing to work on this for us - it is appreciated! Typically, the rear doors aren't finished in bare metal, or material, but a moulded plastic surround. Magnets might still work, though, as the plastic is thin. Velcro would work, I'm sure, but could look a bit BIY (bodge-it-yourself - I'm an expert), against the grey plastic. Also, we will then need to store the pads when not in use, when the original idea was to have a replacement curtain, on the existing curtain rail. Far too simple! The irritating thing is that we have seen the material in the past, and it seems to be unobtainable now in this country. Anne Taylor (Taylormade) replied to our enquiry, saying they have only ever dealt with the quilted silverscreens, so it must have been someone else we spoke to in ages past.

I have seen it on a Murvi Mallard or Mirage in the past, and there were similar curtains on an Adria Coral we inspected recently.

I have emailed a firm in the USA who seem to have a similar product, but they haven't come back to me yet.

Thanks again - if we can't get the curtain material, we'll look at the velcro/magnet route.

Brom

[brom]

Eureka!

We were in Todds at Preston the other day, in the Accessories Shop, and the Missus found some silver screens. It wasn't the screens themselves which interested her, but the bag in which they were packed, which was made of the material we wanted.

We contacted the manufacturer/supplier, who are 'Cover Systems' of 49 Grove Road, Rushden, NN10 0YD, (sales@cover-systems.co.uk). They use two weights of the material, which is heat reflective, for covers for cars, caravans, aeroplanes etc. The material is very reasonably priced, so we bought lengths in both weights for comparison, and it was dispatched straight away, so Missus is beavering away making curtains at present.

The material is silvery grey, but is also available in green and maroon, although I guess these won't reflect light in the same way.

Thanks to everyone for their thoughts, interest, and help.

:-D