Blackout and Whiteout Window Film: Fully Opaque Glass Film in the North West
Blackout and whiteout window film is a solid, opaque film that hides glass completely. Nothing shows through from either side. Blackout is black and absorbs light. Whiteout is white and gives a clean, bright, blank look from outside. Both go on the glass you already have, and both can be removed later.
People use it to hide a glass balustrade or a store room, to make a bedroom dark for shift work, to cover a vacant shop unit or to darken a studio. This page explains how to choose between the two, and the things to check before you cover glass up. Our fitters offer blackout and whiteout window film in all five North West counties, Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Merseyside, Lancashire and Cumbria, with surveys in Manchester, Salford, Liverpool, Chester, Preston, Lancaster and Carlisle.
Before
AfterThe short answer
Blackout film is black and opaque. Whiteout film is white and opaque. Choose blackout when you want the glass to disappear into darkness or when the room behind should be dark. Choose whiteout when you want a clean, bright blank look from outside.
Blackout and whiteout compared
| Blackout | Whiteout | |
|---|---|---|
| Look from outside | Solid black, matte or satin | Solid white, a clean blank |
| Light and view | Blocks both, completely | Blocks the view, and very little light passes |
| Heat | Absorbs heat, so the glass runs warmer | Reflects more, so the glass stays cooler |
| Best for | Balustrades, bedrooms, studios, darkrooms, store rooms | Shop units, hoardings, offices, glass you want to look blank |
| Think about | Heat build-up on large panes of double glazing | The look of a white panel against the building |
A blackout job: a glass balustrade in Lymm
A raised patio on a rendered house had a clear glass balustrade, and the garden furniture and everything else on the patio was on show to the neighbours. The family wanted the glass to disappear, not just be frosted.
We covered the panels with black film. The photo on the right is mid-job, and the result is solid black from the patio and from the garden. You can read the full story on its job page.
What people use it for
Hiding glass
Balustrades, store rooms, utility spaces and glass behind equipment or shelving.
Making a room dark
Bedrooms for shift workers, nurseries, edit suites, studios and darkrooms.
Covering glass while it is not in use
Vacant shop units, refits and hoardings. Whiteout gives a tidy blank face to the street.
Sensitive rooms
Treatment rooms, data rooms and meeting rooms where nothing should be visible.
Projection
White film can double as a screen for rear projection in the right conditions.
Glass you cannot replace
Where the glass is listed, shared or too costly to change, film gives a reversible fix.
Heat, glass and safety: what to check
Blackout film absorbs the sun's heat, and glass does not enjoy uneven heating. On a large pane of double glazing in strong sun, black film can put the unit under stress, and the same goes for partly shaded glass. We check the glass before recommending it, and we sometimes suggest whiteout, which reflects more, or a dark reflective film instead.
Escape routes and vision panels need thought too. You should not cover glass in fire doors, or in doors that need a vision panel for safety, without checking first. We will always ask about it and say so if film is not suitable.
Worth knowing: Blackout and whiteout film is removable, but a very large black area can show the shape of the panels after years in strong sun. Mention it at the survey if the glass is on show.
When you want some light: choose frosted instead
Solid film is for glass you want to hide completely. If you want privacy but also want the daylight, frosted film is the better choice, and one-way mirror film gives daytime privacy with a view out. See our privacy film guide for how they compare.
Blackout film case study
Our published job for solid film. We have not yet published a whiteout job.
Where we fit it across the North West
We fit blackout and whiteout film across Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Lancashire, Merseyside and Cumbria, for homes, shops and offices. Larger areas such as shop fronts are fitted out of hours.
Blackout and whiteout film is asked for across the North West for very different reasons. In Greater Manchester it is street-lit bedrooms, studios and empty shops in Manchester and Salford, and in Cheshire the glass balustrades and patios of larger houses and Chester's venues. In Merseyside it is Liverpool's apartments, bars and Southport's guest houses, in Lancashire the holiday lets and hotels of Blackpool, Preston and Lancaster, and in Cumbria the cabins, pods and guest houses of Carlisle and the Lakes.
Blackout film blocks light and view completely, so it is a decision, and we explain the heat and glass points before you choose. We fit it across Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Merseyside, Lancashire and Cumbria, and often during the off-season for seaside and Lakeland properties. Manchester, Liverpool, Chester, Preston, Lancaster, Salford and Carlisle jobs are all surveyed free. See the areas we cover across the North West.
Blackout and whiteout film questions
What is the difference between blackout and whiteout window film?
Blackout is black and absorbs light. Whiteout is white and reflects more. Both are opaque, so nothing shows through. Blackout suits glass that should be dark, and whiteout suits glass that should look blank and bright from outside.
Is blackout film completely dark?
Yes. A good blackout film passes almost no light, so a bedroom can be made very dark. Tiny pinholes can appear at edges if fitting is poor, which is why the edges are trimmed carefully.
Can I remove it later?
Yes. It can be taken off and the adhesive cleaned from the glass. See window film removal and replacement.
Will blackout film damage my double glazing?
It can cause stress on large panes in strong sun, because it absorbs heat. We check the glass first and suggest alternatives where there is a risk.
Can it go on a fire door or a vision panel?
Not without checking. Escape routes and vision panels have their own requirements, and we ask about them at the survey.
What does it cost?
Entry-level film starts at about £60 per square metre, and the exact price depends on the film and the area. We quote after seeing the glass.
Do you fit blackout film across the North West?
Yes. We fit blackout and whiteout window film in Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Merseyside, Lancashire and Cumbria, including bedrooms, studios, shop units and balustrades around Manchester, Salford, Liverpool, Chester, Preston, Lancaster and Carlisle. We explain the heat and glass points before you choose a dark film.
Glass you want to disappear?
Tell us what the glass is and what it needs to hide. We will recommend blackout or whiteout, and tell you what to watch out for.
