Single Cell vs. Double Cell

As one of the most popular window treatment choices around, cellular shades offer a number of benefits and customization options. One of those options includes single cell versus double cell construction. What does this mean and which option is best for you? Let Bloomin' Blinds be your guide to more information.

What Are Cellular Shades?

Cellular shades are a type of window covering made of two or more layers of material back to back. Unlike a roller shade, which rolls around a tube or dowel, a cellular shade folds up along pleats like an accordion, and each pleat forms the pockets or cells for which the shade is named. These popular window treatments are incredibly versatile, providing privacy, light control, and insulation in a simple yet polished design.

The Difference between Single Cell vs. Double Cell Shades

Just based on their names, the immediate difference between single cell shades and double cell shades should be obvious: Single cell shades have one layer of cells or pockets, while double cell shades have two layers of cells. Single cell shades come in wider widths, from 3/8 inch to 2 inches, while double cell shades are often narrower in width, ½ inch or less. When deciding between single and double cell shades, you’ll typically want to stay true to the proportion of the window you’re covering. For instance, larger windows do better with wider-width cellular shades, while smaller or narrower windows can handle the busier look of narrower double cell shades.

Single cell shades tend to work best if you have larger, wider, or deeper windows. The pockets created by the pleats help to insulate windows, block UV rays, and filter light, so they are excellent window treatments for energy efficiency. They are also less expensive than double cell shades and don’t take as long to manufacture, so if you’re on a tight budget or tight deadline, single cell might be the way to go.

Double cell shades work especially well in shallower or smaller windows. Thanks to the extra layer of cells, they offer even more insulating properties than single cell shades and can even help block noise from outside. Though they tend to cost a little more than single cell shades, double cell shades may make up for the extra investment in energy savings.

Is There a Difference between Honeycomb and Cellular Shades?

Honeycomb shades and cellular shades two names for the same thing. This sometimes confuses homeowners shopping for window treatments, who wonder if they are different in some way. Some manufacturers label their shades as cellular, while others use the term honeycomb based on the shape created by the tubular cells when looking at the side of the shades. No matter which name you use, you can rest assured you’re talking about the same type of window treatment.

Do Double Cell Shades Block More Light than Single Cell Shades?

Generally speaking, the material you choose for your cellular shades will have more effect on how much light comes through than whether you opt for single cell or double cell construction. The extra layer of pockets on a double cell shade offers extra insulation and additional noise reduction, but single and double cell shades are similarly effective at blocking light.

Do Cellular Shades Really Insulate?

Whether single cell or double cell, cellular shades are among the most insulating window treatments available. The pockets of air created by the cells add a barrier for hot or cold air trying to pass through, which helps keep your home at the temperature you want. Thanks to twice the insulating air pockets, double cell shades offer exceptional energy efficiency and can make a significant impact on your heating or cooling bills.

Ready to find the perfect cellular shades for your windows in single cell or double cell construction? Request a free consultationwith Bloomin' Blinds today!