The number that decides whether you'll love or return your solar shades isn't the color, it's the openness factor. It sets exactly how much sun you block versus how much view you keep, and getting it wrong is the most common solar-shade mistake. Here's what 1%, 3%, 5%, and 10% actually mean, and how to pick the right one for your windows.
Quick answer: A solar shade's openness factor is the percentage of the weave that's open. Lower openness (1%) means a tighter weave, the most glare, UV, and heat control, and the most daytime privacy, with a softer view. Higher openness (5–10%) means a more open weave, the clearest view and most daylight, with less sun control and privacy. Choose 1% for strong sun, home offices, and street-facing rooms; 3% as the balanced all-rounder; 5% when the view comes first. Curtarra's Leo Solar Shades come in 1%, 3%, and 5%.
What Is the Openness Factor?
Solar shade fabric is a tight mesh of woven fibers with tiny gaps between them. The openness factor is simply the percentage of the fabric surface made up of those gaps. A 3% openness means 3% of the fabric is open and 97% is solid fiber. That small number drives everything about how the shade performs, and it's the first spec you should decide on, before color or lift.
New to solar shades entirely? Start with our overview of what solar shades are and how they work, then come back here to choose your openness.
How Openness Changes Everything
There's one rule to remember, and every choice flows from it:
Lower openness = tighter weave = more sun control (glare, UV, heat) and more daytime privacy, but a softer view. Higher openness = more open weave = a clearer view and more daylight, but less sun control and privacy.
In other words, you're always trading view for control. The right openness is wherever that trade tips in favor of your room's biggest problem.
Solar Shade Openness Compared: 1% vs. 3% vs. 5% vs. 10%
| Openness | Weave | View out | UV block | Glare / heat control | Daytime privacy | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1% | Tightest | Softened | ~99% | Highest | Most | Strong west sun, home offices, street-facing rooms |
| 3% | Medium | Clear | ~97% | High | Moderate | Home offices, living rooms, everyday sun |
| 5% | Open | Sharp | ~95% | Good | Least of the three | View windows, kitchens, dining rooms |
| 10% | Most open | Clearest | ~85–90% | Moderate | Minimal | Scenic view windows (market option) |
UV figures are approximate and vary by fabric and color. Curtarra offers 1%, 3%, and 5% openness in Leo Solar Shades, the three that cover the vast majority of homes.
What Does 1% Openness Mean?
A 1% openness is the tightest common weave, giving you maximum control. It blocks the most UV (around 99%), reflects the most heat, cuts the most glare, and offers the most daytime privacy. The trade-off is the softest view, you still see out, but the world looks slightly hazier than through a 5%. Best for: strong west- and south-facing windows, home offices where screen glare is the enemy, and street-facing rooms that need daytime privacy.
What Does 3% Openness Mean?
A 3% openness is the balanced all-rounder, and the one most people are happiest with. It keeps a clear view while still delivering strong glare, UV, and heat control, with moderate daytime privacy. If you can't decide, this is the safe pick. Best for: home offices, living rooms, and any room with everyday sun where you want a bit of everything.
What Does 5% Openness Mean?
A 5% openness is the view-first choice. The weave is open enough to keep a crisp, clear view and a bright room, while still blocking most UV (around 95%) and cutting glare. Privacy is the lowest of the three, so it's less suited to street-facing rooms. Best for: large or scenic view windows, kitchens, and dining rooms where light and view matter most.
What Does 10% Openness Mean?
A 10% openness is the most open weave you'll see marketed, prioritizing the clearest possible view and maximum daylight, with the least sun control and privacy. It's a niche choice for scenic windows where preserving the view is the only goal. In practice, most homes are better served by 1–5%, which is why Curtarra offers 1%, 3%, and 5%, the range that fits the overwhelming majority of rooms while still keeping a great view at 5%.
Does Fabric Color Change How Openness Performs?
Yes, and it's the detail most buyers miss. With the same openness percentage:
- Darker fabrics (charcoal, bronze, black) absorb light, so they give you a crisper view out and better glare reduction. They're the choice for view and screen-glare control.
- Lighter fabrics (white, cream, gray) reflect more solar heat and offer a bit more daytime privacy, but they can create more interior haze and a slightly less sharp view.
So openness sets the baseline trade-off, and color fine-tunes it. If keeping a clear view is your priority, lean darker; if reflecting heat and adding daytime privacy matter more, lean lighter. Free color-card samples make this easy to test in your own light.
How to Choose Openness by Room and Window Direction
| Your situation | Recommended openness |
|---|---|
| West- or south-facing window, strong afternoon sun | 1% (or 3%) |
| Home office with screen glare | 1–3% |
| Street-facing room needing daytime privacy | 1–3% |
| Living room, everyday sun | 3% |
| Kitchen or dining room, keep it bright | 5% |
| Large or scenic view window | 5% |
For the full room-by-room breakdown, see solar shades for every room. And remember: no openness gives nighttime privacy, so if a room needs it, plan to layer a blackout shade (see solar shades vs. blackout).
Measure and Order
Once you've picked your openness and color, measure your windows, an outside mount blocks the most edge light, while either mount works for solar. Our measuring guide covers inside vs. outside mount step by step, and every Curtarra shade is cut to your exact window, cordless or motorized.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is lower or higher openness better for solar shades?
Neither is universally better, they're a trade-off. Lower openness (1%) gives more glare, UV, and heat control and more daytime privacy, with a softer view. Higher openness (5–10%) gives a clearer view and more daylight, with less sun control and privacy. Match the openness to your room's biggest need.
What does 1% openness mean on a solar shade?
It means 1% of the fabric is open weave and 99% is solid fiber, the tightest common weave. It blocks the most UV (about 99%), cuts the most glare and heat, and offers the most daytime privacy, with the softest view. It's ideal for strong sun, home offices, and street-facing rooms.
What openness is best for west-facing windows?
Choose 1% (or 3%) for west- and south-facing windows. The strong, direct afternoon sun calls for the tighter weave's superior glare, UV, and heat control. Go 1% if overheating and fading are your main concerns.
Can you see through 5% solar shades?
Yes, 5% gives the sharpest view of the common openness options, so you keep a clear connection to the outside during the day. The trade-off is the least daytime privacy and slightly less sun control than 1% or 3%.
Does openness affect privacy?
Yes, for daytime. Lower openness (1%) makes it harder to see in during the day, so it offers the most daytime privacy. But no openness provides nighttime privacy, once interior lights are on after dark, people can see in. Layer a blackout shade or drape for nighttime privacy.
What openness does Curtarra offer?
Curtarra's Leo Custom Weave Solar Shades come in 1%, 3%, and 5% openness, the range that fits the vast majority of homes while still keeping a great view at 5%. Order free color-card samples to compare them in your own light.
Keep Reading
Not sure which openness is yours? Order free color-card samples and compare 1%, 3%, and 5% in your own light before you commit. Every Curtarra Leo Solar Shade is cut to your exact window, cordless or motorized.
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