I am making some curtains for a friends little boy. Anyone have any suggestions as to what to use on the back of them so they help keep out the sunlight? She picked out a cotton fabric that she liked. Do you think if I backed them with fleece or flannel it would be enough to darken his room? Any other suggestions? Thanks!

they have the rubber like stuff at JoAnns by the yard and because the sun in Arizona is hard on everything I lined my RV Curtains with that. It works on keeping cold and hot out.

they actually make room darkening fabric...

I just used prewashed muslin it does a good job

I haven't made curtains in awhile but I used to line them with a fabric called "Rain No Stain". They held up very well.
I think they still sell it.
I hate making curtains! lol :D:D

JoAnn's has a lot of different backings to choose from. Get it when it's 50% off. If your confused, ask the women who work in there, that's what they are there for. I have used the Rain no Stain and really like that. One woman asked me to use the room darkening lining and she loves it. There is a thermal but I figured it would catch even more of my cat's fur. They even have white or ivory. I always thought they should have a dark color or dark drapes.

Is this stuff used for room darkening or is its original use something else?

Thanks! I am headed there tonight

I like this idea. It seems like the cheapest! How well does it work? They aren't looking for blackout just something to darken it up in the early mornings.

I hung a pair in my hall way just to see how they hung and it was working quite well to block out a lot of light. I just made the backing 1/2 inch shorter and narrower than the front the people that bought them were pleased They also do not need to worry about fading with muslin

Not conventional but living in Texas it gets HOT...and its even hotter in South Texas than other places...I made curtains and put car window shades inside them - so the back is the same as the front but the silver shield you put up to keep the heat out of your car is sandwiched between. You can't see it and it really works! All but 1 of my window's have that.....so if they are looking to keep out light or heat - this worked for me!

I make curtains as a side business....lining is very important, especially on curtains with lots of sun...some backings will fray or get eaten away very quickly...use a decent lining and the curtain will last much longer...blackout is good if you want it dark..otherwise regulat 50/50 poly cotton is fine...

A 50/50 poly cotton lining? Not looking for blackout just darker.

Love that idea! We live in WA state near the puget sound. Pretty mild summers here. Really mild compared to what you guys have :) But we are military. So sooner or later I am sure I will need this advice in our future endeavors!

Didn't get a chance to check out what they had for liners tonight but I still like this idea too. Thanks!

I was telling my daughters about your post and my response - they said it help blocks the cold too - not that it gets really cold here but we have an old house and they said when they have it up they can feel the cold air coming through but when its down it blocks it!

I got blackout lining for curtains in my bedroom, and let me tell you - it works wonderfully. Total blackout! The only light is what leaks around the edges. And I hear it is supposed to help insulate the room too.

This sounds like what we need. Do you sew the curtain over a pre-made car sun shade or buy the shade fabric by the yard? If so, where can we get it? I tried a search but wasn't able to find yardage...maybe I'm calling it the wrong thing?

I bought the pre-made shades...I got them at Dollar General for about $3.00 each - which was way cheaper than buying something like that by the yard...you can't tell that they are in there except on one side of my son's curtains where I used white fabric and the only time you can see then is if the sun is pouring right in the window....

True I have used it and it does work.