Integral Blinds
Mark Smith Glazing supplies premium integral blinds that sit neatly between two panes of glass to eliminate dust buildup and tangled operating cords.
A soft-coat low-emissivity glass layer boosts thermal insulation, while toughened safety glass provides structural integrity needed at busy entry points.
Discover energy-efficient, secure integral blinds supplied by trusted glazing experts in Edinburgh.
Get in touch today for a free quote.
Edinburgh
Our Range of Integral Blinds
At Mark Smith Glazing, we have earned a trusted reputation as Edinburgh’s window & door specialists, providing reliable service since 1996. From survey to installation, we deliver craftsmanship you can see and quality you can feel.
Our integral glazed blinds feature robust toughened glass panes that protects the internal slats, with a magnetic operating system to control them from outside the unit. This configuration ensures smooth mechanical movement and maximum thermal efficiency inside any window or door in your home.
Using the Screenline Uni-Blind® system, every unit is argon-filled and double-sealed, with one seal for long-term performance and a second for structural strength. That second seal matters most in larger glazed areas like patio and bi-fold doors, where a single seal can flex or shift over time.
The sealed units we supply fit standard frame sizes from 300 mm to 2,600 mm wide, in aluminium, timber and uPVC profiles. Whether you’re retrofitting into an existing frame or specifying glazing for a new build, there’s a system to suit your needs.
Integral Blinds for Windows
Integral window blinds provide a highly practical solution for busy households. Sitting safely sealed between two glass panes, you never have to clean or maintain the internal slats.
A discreet, external magnetic slider on your double-glazed windows allows you to raise, lower and tilt the blinds with ease, giving you total control over daylight and privacy. Integral blinds maintain a clean, contemporary appearance throughout your home without the need for hanging cords or bulky fittings.
We supply and fit these high-performance units to replace standard glass setups across a comprehensive range of framing sizes. Pair these integral window blinds with our sculptured uPVC window profiles to give your home a sleek, stylish upgrade while boosting energy performance.
Integral Blinds in Doors
Integral blinds are built directly into double‑glazed units, offering privacy and light control without the clutter of external coverings. Because the blinds are sealed within the glass, your doors remain clear, functional, and easy to operate.
The discreet mechanism is safely housed inside the unit, making these blinds especially practical for bi‑fold, patio and sliding doors, where traditional coverings often block movement or are prone to damage.
When fitted into our high‑security uPVC doors, integral blinds add more than convenience by creating a durable, weather‑resistant entrance that helps:
Maintain warmth
Reduce noise
Enhance everyday comfort
Integral Blind Benefits
By sealing the blinds within a double-glazed unit, integral blinds offer various advantages over traditional external window dressings. The enclosed design prevents structural wear while boosting the overall thermal performance of your glazing.
Additional benefits of integral blinds include:
Solar control: Venetian blind slats positioned between two panes of glass block harsh glare and heat gain, helping maintain consistent indoor comfort and privacy.
Energy efficiency: Every insulated glass unit utilises a warm-edge spacer bar to enhance energy performance and lower heating bills.
Condensation control: The airtight seal keeps your glazing clear by preventing moisture build-up inside the sealed unit.
Noise reduction: The sealed glass layers create a dense acoustic barrier that reduces external noise throughout your living space.
Household safety: Built with robust safety glass, this cord-free product meets strict child-safety standards by eliminating dangerous hanging loops.
Slimline Integral Blinds for Narrow Frames
Standard integral blinds need at least a 20 mm cavity between the glass panes to operate. If your frames are narrower, which is common in composite doors, vertical sliders and older uPVC profiles, the SL16 system solves this. Built around a 10 mm slat designed specifically for a 16 mm cavity, it fits where most systems can’t.
The SL16 is available in nine colours and delivers the same light control and privacy as a full-size unit, with no compromise to the seal or thermal performance. If you’re unsure whether your frames are wide enough for a standard unit, we’ll check during the survey and recommend accordingly.
Integral Blind Colour Options
Beyond how the blinds look, the slat colour you pick also determines how much heat they absorb or reflect. Lighter slats bounce more solar energy back out, while darker tones absorb more, which can actually deepen privacy in bright conditions. Our range runs from neutral whites and warm greys through to darker contemporary finishes, available across both Venetian and pleated styles.
Tip: Colour is specified at the manufacturing stage, so it’s worth deciding early, especially if you’re matching to a window frame or door colour already in place.
Integral Blind FAQs
Find answers to common questions about our integral blind systems below.
How do integral blinds operate & how are they controlled?
Integral blinds operate via a sealed SV system built entirely within the glass unit’s internal cavity, controlled by an external magnetic slider. The internal magnet engages a perfectly balanced linear movement, allowing the internal slats to be effortlessly raised, lowered, and adjusted with precise tilt control.
The external slider runs along the left-hand edge of the frame, maintaining stable, smooth movement across the full width, dimension and unit height. This cordless design ensures that the physical operation of large bi-fold doors, windows, and conservatories remains completely unobstructed.
Because the entire mechanism is safely enclosed behind the glass, the system uses only one device to provide complete light management with no exposed cords. Every component is manufactured to the highest standards to ensure the device delivers consistent control and an immediate, reliable response during daily use.
What makes integral blinds a practical, high-performance solution?
Integral blinds are an ideal solution because they are manufactured to fit perfectly inside the glass unit. The system combines a robust aluminium structural layout with an innovative plastic side profile to improve stability. A premium warm-edge spacer bar and a narrow, adhesive transparent profile work together to dramatically improve thermal insulation while maintaining an airtight, long-lasting seal.
This permanently enclosed environment:
Eliminates the traditional chore of cleaning individual slats
Blocks airborne dust accumulation entirely
Removes the need for heavy fabric curtains
A versatile palette of modern slat colours and coatings is available to seamlessly match any interior. The durable plastic components and aluminium frame also resist warping across all window sizes.
Beyond structural durability, this sophisticated design delivers direct sun protection, glare reduction and exceptional privacy benefits for modern living spaces. Because the delicate mechanical parts are shielded from physical contact, the risk of operational strain or damage to the seals is significantly reduced, giving homeowners complete peace of mind.
Do integral blinds protect furniture from fading?
Yes. UV exposure through south and west-facing windows is one of the main causes of fading in:
Flooring
Upholstery
Soft furnishings
Integral blinds cut a significant proportion of incoming solar radiation even when the slats are only partially closed. This is particularly relevant in conservatories, orangeries and open-plan extensions where large glazed areas face direct sun for long stretches of the day.
How much solar heat can integral blinds block?
This is one of the most common questions we get, and the numbers are worth knowing. Depending on the slat colour and blind type, integral blind units can reflect up to 70% of summer heat, block up to 78% of sunlight, and absorb up to 88% of solar heat gain. Those figures come directly from the Screenline system specification used in every unit we supply.
In practical terms, south-facing rooms stay cooler in summer without entirely losing natural light. Furniture, flooring, and fabrics are protected from UV fading. And because the blinds are sealed inside argon-filled glass, the thermal barrier works whether the slats are open or closed.
Can I install integral blinds into my existing window or door frames?
Yes, you can swap the glass if your current frames are in good condition. Rather than replacing the actual window or door frame, our professional integral blind fitters slide a new insulated glass unit into your existing profile.
Our installers specialise in this retrofitting process, but your frame depth must accommodate the wider unit. This ensures the components move freely between the two glass panes, which is highly practical if your frames are modern and sturdy.
Are integral blinds available in triple glazing?
Yes. The sealed units we supply can be produced in both double and triple-glazed configurations. Triple-glazed integral blind units offer the highest level of thermal and acoustic performance available, worth considering for:
North-facing rooms
Properties on busy roads
Glazing that faces directly into the prevailing wind
Speak to us if triple glazing is required, and we’ll confirm whether your existing frames can accommodate the additional unit depth.
Will an integral blind system get in the way of bi-folding or sliding patio doors?
No, the system sits completely enclosed within the glass unit, so it never interferes with the physical operation of your hardware.
Traditional external dressings often catch or get crushed during the concertina-folding movement of bi-folding doors, or tangle in the tracks of sliding patio doors. Our built-in blinds are safely protected within the glazing, leaving your tracks clear and your handles accessible.
This internal setup makes them an ideal, maintenance-free option for high-traffic openings, including French doors.
What's the difference between Venetian and pleated integral blinds?
Venetian integral blinds use horizontal aluminium slats that tilt and raise, giving you precise light control at any angle throughout the day. Pleated blinds use a soft fabric panel that folds up from the bottom, producing a gentler, more diffused effect.
While both are sealed inside the unit and operate the same way:
Venetian blinds suit doors and large glazed areas
Pleated blinds work better where softer light and a warmer aesthetic are the priority.
How do I choose the right integral blind system for my property?
The best option depends on where the blinds will be installed and how much privacy and light control you need. Integral blinds are suitable for most rooms and work particularly well in sliding doors, French doors and large glazed areas.
You can choose from a range of colours and designs to suit your property. Positioned between the glass panes and protected behind the inner pane of sealed units, the blinds stay free from dust and everyday wear.
Most systems also include simple tilt functions for adjusting light levels throughout the day. A warm-edge spacer bar helps improve insulation, making integral blinds a smart long-term upgrade.
What happens if a magnetic slider slips or the internal blind gets stuck?
If the external magnetic slider separates from the internal magnet, the operator system will stop responding. This uncoupling usually makes the blind appear jammed or uneven.
To fix this yourself, simply slide the external handle to the very top or bottom of its track until you feel or hear a distinct snap. This physical click confirms the internal and external magnets have re-engaged, immediately levelling out any crooked slats and restoring smooth vertical movement.
If the mechanics remain unresponsive, our expert team can take a closer look. Book our professional window and door maintenance service, and we’ll drop by to ensure everything continues to operate perfectly.
Do integral blinds break the double-glazing seal over time?
No. Because the internal slats sit permanently enclosed between the two panes of glass, the internal mechanics never compromise the perimeter seal. The system uses fully non-invasive, external magnetic sliders or hardwired electronic systems, meaning the perimeter seal remains completely intact.
Drawing on 30 years of trusted glazing expertise, our team ensures that every sealed unit is manufactured with high-quality materials. This premium craftsmanship keeps the perimeter completely airtight, preventing internal moisture or fogging while allowing natural light to stream into your home for decades.
Choose premium integral blinds for Mark Smith Glazing windows and doors, professionally installed to last.
Contact our team today for a competitive, no-obligation quote.
Get in touch
Mark Smith Glazing are happy to quote for jobs of any size and are able to meet all enquiries with a fast and efficient response. Please get in touch to discuss our products or for a free no obligation quote.Or you can call us on 0131 669 9898