I was searchng for some silver reflective-type insulated material to back some outdoor shades. Couldn't find what I needed at Home Depot, but I turned up some interesting cheap stuff in their paint supplies dept. Paper-poly drop cloth: a double-layered material, paper adhered to thin plastic film. A 9' X 12' package cost $6.47 (US). A heavier weight 'Double-Guard' package, 8' X 12', same price, looks useful for a more permanent pattern-making material, as it closely resembles heavy pellon, with the addition of a thin layer of clear plastic wrap adhered to the back; this looks as if it would hold well when laid out on fabric, no pins needed. (The patterns which I made from clean newsprint are rapidly deteriorating, so I won't use newsprint again, unless for very temporary patterns.) Other interesting fabrics: painter's canvas dropcloths, neatly packaged, looking like crisp heavy oatmeal-colored raw silk, or muslin, nice surface texture, might make rustic indoor curtains, shades, seat covers, etc. Priced very reasonably. To get back to the outdoor shades: I hung roll-up bamboo shades in front of windows which get late-setting western sun, and over the A/Cs. The goal, reduce sloar heat gain, thus reducing air-conditioning bills.If you can keep the heat from hitting surfaces, you can reduce heat build-up, and radiation of heat into home interiors. I like that I can see through the bamboo slats, and the room temp is down an easy 12 to 15 degrees. I think further heat reduction possible if I hang reflective metallic fabric behind the bamboo, but I was seeking an inexpensive alternative to the costly goods available at local fabric shops. One attempt led me to a 'Dollar Store', where I picked up metallic car window sunscreens for $1.00 each. In keeping with the $ store cheap tradition, the shades are abnormally small, so I'll have to seam two of them together lengthwise to back the shade, but the Mad Scientist is willing to experiment if the price is right. Next stop for interesting off-beat fabrics: the local auto shops. Think I'll wait till the weather isn't go ungodly hot, though. Cea
- posted
17 years ago