Cheap Window Treatments to Protect Furniture from Summer Sun Damage

If you're like most people, you're dreading summer heat because you constantly need to keep your windows covered with aluminum foil to protect your interior furnishings from sun damage. Don't panic; there is a way to mask the ugly foil and still beat the heat. Compared to the price of blinds for a very large window, at $75 and upward for a small pane, this project will save you a bundle of cash.

You will need:

-A roll of white plastic or rubber lace cupboard and pantry liner. The kind which has an open weave pattern you are able to cut along.

-Spray adhesive from your craft store.

-Heavy duty aluminum foil.

-Sharp scissors

-Masking tape/Duct tape

Step 1.

Begin by cleaning your windows thoroughly. This will allow the plastic liner material to stick without peeling from the sides. You can use a solution of white vinegar and warm water for this. Dry the windows making sure the window frames are not harboring any water.

Step 2.

With some sharp scissors, cut a piece of the plastic lace to fit the window glass. Be sure you purchase the kind which has an open weave or larger lace print style, as it can easily be cut along the pattern leaving a scalloped edge. You will want this edge to stop just above the bottom of your window glass, about 3 inches, so it appears to be a lace curtain from the exterior of the house,

Step 3.

Once cut, use some tape to fasten the plastic carefully to the window frame. Go outside to look at the window and see if it needs adjusting. It will be easier if you have a friend to help, but it is not a difficult task so you can do it alone if necessary.

Step4.

If it seems to be in place, go back to the inside of the window, and lift the lace gently back one corner at a time. Spray the glass with adhesive, then press the lace onto the glass and hold for 30 seconds. Lift the next section away from the glass by removing the tape and repeat until the lace is secured onto the glass.

Step 5.

Once you have fasted it to the glass, you can then cover it with aluminum foil on the inside, and cover the window with your usual curtain or light cotton fabric to disguise the foil. The outside of your home will look much more attractive, while on the inside the foil will not be seen due to the curtain or blind you have in place. It is best that you use white plastic lace for it's reflective qualities. Any space where light would otherwise come into the room is backed up by the aluminum foil. People will ask you where you got the great new lace blinds, the exterior view is quite eye catching.

You can also make these on light cork board so that the whole panel can be removed and put away during winter. If you don't plan to move house in the near future this would be a more practical, money saving solution.