NOTE: This blog post is currently being improved.

It seems that there is a misconception about sheer drapes, perpetrated by AI.  I believe this has come about because AI’s process is to scour the Internet to seek out the best information and present it to you as fact.  It is my guess that many manufacturers of sheer drapes have promoted misinformation that sheer drapes allow air flow that AI has promoted.  The fact is they can and do if you properly hang them so as to allow at least one side and bottom of the drape to be pushed back by any gentle breeze passing through the window.

Artificial Intelligence shows these results:

No, sheer drapes do not significantly block airflow from windows. They are designed to be lightweight and allow light and air to pass through, unlike heavier curtains or drapes. Sheer curtains diffuse light and offer a degree of privacy, while still permitting airflow.

What are the best window coverings to allow air flow by AI?

• Sheer curtains – allow air to pass while diffusing sunlight.
• Solar shades – reduce heat without blocking airflow.  (AI: Solar shades are window treatments made from an open weave material designed to filter sunlight, reduce glare, and block harmful UV rays while still allowing you to see outside. They are ideal for spaces where light control is important, such as home offices or sunrooms.)
• Roller shades – easy to lift for full window exposure.
• Louvered blinds – adjustable to control both airflow and privacy.

Just look at the movie shown below.  The movie shows you that sheer drapes do block air flow.  They do let light shine through.  If sheer drapes allow unrestricted air flow to pass through the fabric, then why are the drapes pushed aside when there is air movement toward the drape?  Their secret is they are so light WEIGHT that gentle air can move them!  But, you must allow this process to take place by properly installing the sheer drapes to cool a room.

It is important to understand that a major attraction to sheer drapes are as follows:

• They are light weight.
• They allow light from outside a window to shine through.
• Light can shine through the sheer drapes but people can not easily view what is taking place because the curtains block clarity.
• Sheer drapes, because they are so light in weight, do not require strong heavy support hardware.  They might be easier and less expensive to install than heavy drapes.
• Sheer drapes, due to their light weight, can be used as a trick to be opened up by easily being pushed by outside air flow and thus can allow a room be cooled if the outside temperature is cooler than the room temperature.

Correct Window Installation:  It just so happens that you should configure the installation of your sheer drapes by knowing the predominate direction that outside air normally comes toward your house.  My explanation in the first part of this post shows my home where the predominate air flow comes from the south and sometimes a bit west.  We are fortunate to have purchased a home  that has the front of the house facing south where the winds come from.  If you are in search for buying a new home, consider how each home you visit is facing a good direction for planning wind effects upon your open windows and as a separate issue, solar power.

Installation Consideration: It looks nice from the inside of the room looking out to see both left and right edge of the sheer curtain to be framed by a heavier curtain.   Do position the heavier curtain either against the wall or you can butt it up in line with the sheer to ensure that the heavier curtains do not stop the sheer curtains from moving because they are side by side to each other.  The effort here is to NOT hold back the sheer curtain from being pushed into the room by any outside air flow.  You also should consider not placing any furniture like short tables and chairs up against the sheer drapes.

 

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Understanding this fact, you can still use sheer drapes as a rather clever method to allow almost unrestricted airflow into a room if you carefully position the sheer drapes to allow them to be moved out of the way.  Do not overlap the drapes with any other curtain or drape but instead form a swinging doorway where any kind of breeze wanting to come into a room easily pushes the sheer drape out of the way.  The light weight of the sheer fabric really allows a breeze to push the drape away, one side or both sides.  When the breeze subsides, the sheer drape should come back into a closed position to retain visual privacy.  Make sure that there is no impediment for the sheer drapes to not come back to full closed position if there is no outside breeze.

Do NOT anchor the bottom of the sheer drapes, unless you have a very good reason to do so.    Allow the bottom of the drapes to move!  The sheer drapes should NOT be too long and drag upon the floor and carpet.

In some home environments, there can be really significant winds blowing into your windows.  This will really move the sheer drapes out of the way and people walking outside will  be more able to see inside your house.  The only solution I have for this is to plan what anyone will see is not important.  Placing rather tall items inside away from the window to block anyone looking inside but the tall items are far enough back from the window to thwart revealing much.

CONCEPT UPDATE FOLLOWS

Please allow me to now modify the direction that this post was taking.  There is more to explain.  I wanted to start simple and now I wish to elaborate.   The prior writing makes an assumption that all air flow is into the front windows of a house, as explained in my prior writing.  I only wrote that first piece to provide you some basic facts.  It is now my turn to expand on what was written previously by literally turning the house into a different directions to expected  prevailing winds to see if anything changes.  There are changes!  In my prior explanation, I told you to position your sheer drapes so that they would move out of the way when an outside breeze wanted to enter your room.  Keep this illustration in mind but you must be willing to understand what is the predominate direction that wind will come toward your house?  This is so important because this should determine in which direction the sheer drapes will move: away from the window or toward the window.

Airflow toward y0ur home should mean that the windows on that side of the house  have the sheer mounted next to the window frame so they can be pushed back into the room by the incoming air flow.

Windows on the opposite side of the house from where the prevailing wind is hitting will be receiving all resulting airflow through the house when it exits on the leeward side. Note that the in these rooms that have windows, the air is coming in to the rooms from hallways and open doors into the last exit room thus pushing the sheer drapes outward, not inward, against the window screens.   I have this problem in a large bedroom on the north side of the house.  The sheer drapes slam against the window screen shutting off the airflow.  This will have the effect that the sheer drapes will act as an impediment, shutting down good air flow!  So, you might think that the sheer drapes should be placed on the other side of the screen but this is nearly impossible to do.  It is best to pull the sheer drapes to either side of the window to make a clear air passage.

The problem here is that you will loose your privacy.  If this side of the house has a street sidewalk then anyone walking there might be able to see inside your house.   Possible solutions:

• Window blinds that are opened partially.
• Large, wide and tall outside plants that are placed, typically beyond a front porch but set back far enough to allow airflow out of the window and around the plants.

Airflow toward a the side of the house; I yet do not have good answers that I yet wish to test.

 

Published July 28, 2025 by Score Card
Revised July 30, 2025