The Texas homeowner’s guide to motorized shades and patio screens.
How to pick the right shade for each room and patio, what motorization really adds, how to measure, and what drives the price. Written by the team that builds them in Carrollton.
Texas sun, meet your windows.
Windows bring in light and views, but in Texas they also bring in heat, glare and UV that fades floors, rugs and furniture. The right shade lets you choose how much of each comes in, room by room and hour by hour.
Shades can save energy too. In testing by Oak Ridge National Laboratory, cellular shades saved up to 20% on heating energy and up to 15% on total heating and cooling energy compared with no shades, according to a U.S. Department of Energy fact sheet.
- Heat: shade the glass before the sun hits it, especially west-facing windows
- Glare: soften light on TVs, screens and work spaces
- UV: protect floors, art and furniture from fading
- Privacy: control views in at night without losing light by day
Six styles, and where each one shines.
Every style below is made to measure in our Carrollton factory and can be motorized.
Roller shades
Clean and simple. Solar, light-filtering or blackout fabric. Best for living areas, offices and media rooms.
Roller shades →
Duo (zebra) shades
Alternating sheer and solid bands you can line up for view or privacy. Best for living and dining rooms.
Duo shades →
Cellular shades
Honeycomb cells trap air for insulation. Best for bedrooms and rooms with heat or cold problems.
Cellular shades →
Roman shades
Soft fabric folds with the look of drapery. Best for bedrooms, dining rooms and formal spaces.
Roman shades →
Woven wood shades
Bamboo, reed and jute for natural texture. Add a liner for privacy. Best for living spaces and sunrooms.
Woven shades →Skylight shades
Made for roof and angled glass, usually motorized. Best for vaulted ceilings and sunrooms.
Skylight shades →Which shade for which room?
| Light control | Insulation | Look | Best rooms | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roller | Solar to full blackout | Good with blackout fabric | Modern, minimal | Living, office, media |
| Duo (zebra) | Adjustable view or privacy | Moderate | Modern, layered | Living, dining |
| Cellular | Light filtering or blackout | Best of the interior styles | Soft, tailored | Bedrooms, hot or cold rooms |
| Roman | Light filtering or room dimming | Moderate | Classic, soft folds | Bedrooms, dining, formal |
| Woven wood | Filtered; liner adds privacy | Moderate with a liner | Natural, textured | Living, sunrooms |
| Skylight | Light filtering or blackout | Good | Discreet | Vaulted ceilings, skylights |
A general guide. Fabric choice matters as much as style, so we bring samples to see in your own light.
Zip track, wire guide or vinyl?
Outdoor screens stop the sun before it reaches your windows and turn a hot patio into usable space.
| Zip-track screens | Wire guide screens | Vinyl patio screens | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How it holds | Fabric locks into side tracks | Fabric glides on stainless steel cables | Clear vinyl in a zip-track system |
| Wind | Most stable | Less movement than a free-hanging shade | Seals out wind |
| Bugs | Blocks bugs when closed | Gaps at the sides | Blocks bugs and outside air |
| View | Through solar mesh | Through solar mesh | Clear view |
| Best for | Pools, patios, west-facing glass | Covered patios on a budget | Restaurant patios, year-round rooms |
See zip-track, wire guide and vinyl patio screens for details.
Is motorized worth it?
Motorization makes the most sense for windows that are high, wide, hard to reach or many in number, and for patios where you want screens to react to sun and wind. It also removes cords, which is safer for children and pets.
- Battery: rechargeable, no wiring, ideal for existing homes
- Hardwired: no charging; plan it during new builds and remodels
- Smart home: Alexa, Google Home and Apple HomeKit with the right motor
- Schedules & sensors: open and close with the sun, or raise patio screens in high wind
How to measure a window.
Choose the mount first. An inside mount sits within the window frame for a clean look; it needs enough frame depth. An outside mount covers the frame and wall, which blocks more light at the edges and suits shallow frames.
- Inside mount: measure the width at the top, middle and bottom, and use the smallest. Measure the height at the left, middle and right, and use the largest.
- Outside mount: measure the area you want covered, usually adding a few inches on each side for privacy and light control.
- Write it down: width first, then height, to the nearest 1/8 inch.
Custom shades are built to the size you give, so a small error can mean a gap or a shade that will not fit. We measure every window for free at your consultation.
What drives the price.
Size
Larger shades use more fabric and stronger components.
Fabric
Solar, light-filtering, blackout and natural weaves vary in price.
Motorization
Motors, remotes, hubs and sensors add to the cost per shade.
Mounting & access
Skylights, tall windows and two-story glass take more work to install.
Number of windows
Doing a whole room or home at once is usually more efficient.
Outdoor exposure
Patio screens need weather-rated fabric, tracks and motors.
A four-step checklist.
List the problems
Note which rooms are too hot, too bright or too visible, and when.
Decide on motors early
Hardwired motors are easiest to plan before drywall and paint.
See samples in your light
Fabric looks different at noon and at sunset.
Get a pro measure
Custom shades are only as good as the measurements.
Why buy from the factory?
| Shadeotech | Typical dealer | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it is made | Our own factory in Carrollton, Texas | Often shipped in from an out-of-state plant |
| Installation | Our own in-house team | Often subcontracted |
| Order updates | Live dashboard for every production step | Usually by phone or email |
| Warranty contact | One company, from measurement to service | Dealer and manufacturer |
From first visit to final fitting.
Book a visit
Choose an in-home, video or showroom consultation.
Measure & samples
We measure every window and bring real fabrics to see in your own light.
Built in Carrollton
Your shades are made to size in our own factory.
Installed by our team
We fit, program and test everything before we leave.
Shades in Texas, explained.
What window shade is best for Texas heat?
For the biggest heat reduction, stop the sun outside the glass with exterior zip-track or wire guide screens. Inside, cellular shades insulate best, and roller shades with solar or blackout fabric are a strong choice for west-facing windows.
Do window shades really save energy?
Yes. In testing by Oak Ridge National Laboratory, cellular shades saved up to 20% on heating energy and up to 15% on total heating and cooling energy compared with no shades, according to a U.S. Department of Energy fact sheet.
Are motorized shades worth it?
They are most worth it for high, wide or hard-to-reach windows, skylights, large numbers of windows and patios. They also remove cords, which is safer for children and pets.
Battery or hardwired motors?
Battery motors are rechargeable and need no wiring, so they suit existing homes. Hardwired motors never need charging and are best planned during new construction or remodels.
What is the difference between zip-track and wire guide patio screens?
Zip-track screens lock the fabric into side tracks, so they are more stable in wind and block bugs when closed. Wire guide screens run on stainless steel cables and cost less, but leave small gaps at the sides.
Should I measure my own windows?
You can, using the steps in this guide, but custom shades are built to the exact size you give. Shadeotech measures every window for free during the consultation.
Let us see it in your own light.
We bring the fabrics to you, measure every opening, and quote it there and then.