Buying Guide · September 2026

Combi/Zebra Blinds Opacity Guide: Choosing the Right Fabric Tier

Every Combi (zebra) blind we fabricate comes in one of two fabric tiers — Dimout or Blackout — and picking the wrong one is the single most common regret we hear about after install. Here's exactly how the two compare, and which one actually fits your room.

How Combi/Zebra Blinds Control Light

A Combi blind is really two blinds sharing one headrail: a sheer horizontal stripe and an opaque horizontal stripe, alternating down the full drop of the fabric. Rotating the blind slides these two layers past each other — align the sheer stripes and light streams through; stagger them so opaque overlaps sheer and the window closes down. It's the reason Combi blinds feel more flexible day-to-day than a plain roller blind, which is really only "up" or "down."

What that alternating structure can't do, in either fabric tier, is close completely flush — there's always a narrow seam where one stripe meets the next. That single mechanical fact is what decides whether Combi is the right product for a room at all, before you even get to which fabric tier to pick.

The Two Fabric Tiers: Dimout vs Blackout

35–50% Dimout fabric ($88/sqm) is our standard tier — a lighter weave that softens direct sun and cuts glare without cutting your view or your daylight. Most living rooms, dining areas, and home offices are happiest with Dimout: you get privacy and comfort during the day while the room stays bright.

60–85% Blackout fabric ($99/sqm) is a heavier, tighter weave built for rooms where light control matters more than daylight — bedrooms, nurseries, and media/home-cinema rooms. It costs $11/sqm more but blocks noticeably more heat and glare, which also takes some load off the air-con on a west-facing Singapore bedroom in the afternoon.

Both tiers are available in the same 7 standard colours — Grey, Light Brown, Dark Brown, Green, Light Blue, Beige, Light Beige — so the decision is purely about light performance, not looks. We bring physical swatches of both to every free on-site survey so you can hold them up against your actual window before committing.

Dimout vs Blackout: Side-by-Side

Room-by-Room: Which Tier Actually Fits?

Living room / dining area: Dimout, almost every time. These are rooms you use during the day and want to stay bright — Dimout gives privacy from the corridor or neighbouring block without turning the room into a cave.

Bedroom: Blackout is worth the $11/sqm here, especially on an east-facing HDB unit that catches early sun. If you need genuinely total darkness — shift workers, light-sensitive sleepers — pair Blackout Combi with a separate blackout curtain or roller for the small gap Combi's stripes can't close, or switch to a Blackout Roller Blind outright.

Study / home office: Dimout, to cut screen glare without losing the daylight you need for video calls and reading.

Media room / home cinema: Blackout, paired with a smart home "Movie Night" scene that also dims other lights in one command.

Kids' room / nursery: Blackout is the common choice for daytime naps, though check our note below on why it still isn't a true 100% blackout solution.

Why Combi Can't Reach 100% Blackout

Even our 60–85% Blackout fabric only gets you most of the way there. Because the alternating stripes have to overlap rather than fuse into one solid sheet, there's always a thin seam of light along the join. For most bedrooms this is a non-issue — most customers find 60–85% dark enough for comfortable sleep. But if your need is genuinely total darkness (a newborn on a strict nap schedule, a dedicated home cinema, a night-shift sleeper), the more reliable options are a Blackout Roller Blind, which closes as one continuous panel, or a blackout curtain on a Smart Curtain Track with side channels that overlap the frame. We cover the full trade-off between the two fabric families in our Blackout vs Sheer Curtains layering guide.

Fabric Tier and Window Size in Singapore Homes

Neither fabric tier changes how your window is billed or panelled — the same rules apply across both. Every window is billed at a minimum of 1.5 sqm even if your actual measurement is smaller, and any window wider than the 2.4m max single-panel width for Combi is automatically split into multiple panels on a shared headrail, each with its own motor. This matters most for HDB living room windows and condo balcony sliding doors, which often run wider than 2.4m — worth knowing before you compare a quoted price against a single-panel product elsewhere.

For the full breakdown of how panel-splitting, install fees, and minimum billing interact across our whole product range, see our 2026 pricing guide.

Motorising Either Fabric Tier

Fabric tier and motor choice are independent decisions — both Dimout and Blackout fabric are the same weight class and work identically with our S (25mm tube) and M (35mm tube) motor sizing, auto-picked from your window's width. Choose between the A-OK Tuya Smart motor (Wi-Fi, plug-in, most popular), the A-OK Tuya Cordless motor (Wi-Fi, rechargeable battery, no wiring needed), the Aqara Smart motor (Zigbee, native Apple HomeKit, requires an Aqara hub), or a free manual beaded chain if you'd rather skip motorisation for now and upgrade later. All Combi blinds carry a 1-year motor warranty. See our battery vs hardwired motor guide if you're deciding between plug-in and battery power specifically.

Frequently Asked Questions