Ziptrak, Zipscreen and patio blinds, made locally in Warana.
Kawana Blinds has been making outdoor blinds on the Sunshine Coast since 1982. We design, build and fit external blinds for homes, cafes and businesses, from track-guided Ziptrak and Zipscreen systems to classic patio blinds and clear PVC cafe blinds. Every blind is measured at your place, made to size in our Warana workshop and installed by our local team, anywhere from Caloundra to Noosa.
A good outdoor blind turns a patio you only use on mild days into a room you can use all year. It keeps the low afternoon sun off, stops rain blowing in, cuts the wind and keeps the mozzies out. This page covers every type we make, how they compare, and what actually drives the price, so you can work out what suits your home before we come out.
Seven systems, each good at something different. For a deeper side-by-side, see our types of outdoor blinds compared guide.
The original Australian track-guided outdoor blind. The fabric runs in two side tracks under spring tension, so it stops at any height with one hand and there are no zips, ropes or cords to wear out.
Best for: Patios and alfresco areas you want to use all year
View our Ziptrak blinds
A zip-track blind with a continuous zipper welded to each edge of the fabric. The zip locks into the side rails, giving a tight seal against wind, rain and insects on exposed sites.
Best for: Beachfront homes, pool decks and second-storey balconies
View our Zipscreen blinds
A traditional spring-loaded blind that runs down aluminium side channels and locks at the bottom. Simple, tough and one of the most affordable ways to close in a patio.
Best for: Budget-friendly patio and veranda enclosures
View our side channel blinds
The side channel idea with reinforced extrusions and deeper channels, built for wider openings and spots that take the full force of the wind. Manual crank or motorised.
Best for: Wide spans and exposed coastal homes
View our heavy duty side channel blinds
Instead of solid tracks, the blind runs down tensioned marine-grade stainless steel cables. A light, minimal look for spots where channels can't be fixed, like glass balustrades or slim posts.
Best for: Modern homes and openings where tracks won't fit
View our wire guide blinds
The blind runs on rigid guide rods and can stop at any height. Operated from inside by rope and pulley or a motor, which makes them a practical choice for upstairs windows.
Best for: Upper-storey and hard-to-reach windows
View our fixed guide blinds
Clear or tinted PVC blinds that block wind and rain while you keep the view. Used by cafes and restaurants, and by families who want a deck they can use in any weather.
Best for: Outdoor dining areas, cafes and entertaining decks
View our clear PVC cafe blindsA quick comparison. Prices are a starting guide for a single blind; your quote depends on your openings, fabric and whether you go motorised.
| Blind type | Best for | Wind rating | Insects / privacy | Manual / motorised | Cost guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ziptrak® | All-round patio enclosure | High. Track-guided edges | Good edge seal; mesh gives daytime privacy | Manual or motorised | About $2,250–$7,500 per blind |
| Zipscreen | Exposed and beachfront sites | Very high. Zipped edges lock into rails | Best insect seal; mesh gives daytime privacy | Manual or motorised | From about $1,725 per blind |
| Side channel | Affordable patio enclosure | Medium. Locks at the base | Small gaps at the edges; mesh privacy | Manual (spring-loaded) | Price factors: size, fabric |
| Heavy duty side channel | Wide, windy openings | High. Reinforced, deep channels | Small gaps at the edges; mesh privacy | Manual crank or motorised | Price factors: size, fabric, motor |
| Wire guide | Minimal look where tracks won't fit | Medium. Tensioned cables limit flapping | Open edges, not insect-proof; mesh privacy | Manual or motorised | Price factors: size, fabric, motor |
| Fixed guide | Upstairs windows | Medium. Rigid guide rods | Not insect-proof; blockout or screen fabric | Rope and pulley or motorised | Price factors: size, fabric, motor |
| Cafe / clear PVC | Keeping wind and rain out, keeping the view | High. Designed as a weather barrier | Good seal; clear PVC gives no privacy | Manual or motorised | Price factors: size, PVC type, motor |
Most of the blinds we install go around a covered patio, deck or alfresco area. The aim is usually the same: make the space comfortable in the afternoon sun, keep the barbecue going when a shower comes through, and stop the outdoor setting getting soaked. Track-guided patio blinds do that best because the fabric is held at both edges, so it doesn't balloon in the wind or leave gaps for rain.
Fabric choice changes how the space feels. Mesh lets the breeze through and keeps your view out while giving you daytime privacy from the street. Clear PVC closes the area right in for winter or wet weather. Many families end up with mesh on the western side for sun and clear PVC on the side that cops the wind.
"Outdoor roller blind" covers a lot of products. At its simplest it's a fabric blind that rolls up into a headbox and drops down to shade an opening. On a basic roller the edges hang free, which is fine for a sheltered spot but means the blind can swing and flap in a breeze, and there are gaps down the sides.
Guided blinds fix that. Side channel and wire guide blinds hold the fabric with tracks or cables and lock at the base. Zip-track blinds like Ziptrak and Zipscreen go further, holding the whole edge of the fabric inside the side rail. That's what gives them their wind resistance and their seal against rain and insects. The trade-off is cost: zip-track systems cost more than a simple roller, but for an outdoor room on the coast they're usually worth it. If your patio is sheltered and you mainly want shade, a simpler guided blind can be the better-value choice.
Most of our outdoor blinds can be motorised. We fit Somfy motors and sensors, Automate solar, battery and hardwired motors and the Lynx automation range, so you can run your blinds from a remote, a wall switch or your phone. If you're comparing motorised blinds Sunshine Coast suppliers offer, ask about sensors: a wind sensor raises the blinds automatically if it gets too gusty, and a sun sensor can drop them on hot afternoons while you're at work.
Motorisation makes the biggest difference on wide openings, where a big blind is heavy to wind by hand, and when you have several blinds that you'd like to open and close together.
The fabric decides how much light, air and view you keep. Browse our full outdoor blind fabric range, or go straight to a type:
As a guide, a single Ziptrak blind is typically about $2,250 to $7,500 and Zipscreen blinds start from about $1,725. A motor adds $600–$1,200 per blind, depending on the motor brand and extras (e.g. remotes, sensors, smart-home control). For the full size-by-size Zipscreen breakdown, read our Zipscreen blinds cost guide. What moves the price on any outdoor blind:
Our measure and quote is free, with a written price for exactly what we discussed.
Living near the water is hard on outdoor products. Salt air corrodes cheap hardware and the afternoon southerlies test every blind on the street. We use coastal-rated aluminium and stainless components and choose the system to suit how exposed your home is, not just what's cheapest.
If wind is your main worry, read how Ziptrak blinds are wind rated and how Zipscreen blinds perform in coastal wind. For most homes, a track-guided blind plus a wind sensor on motorised blinds is the answer.
Our workshop is in Warana, right in the middle of the coast, so we're never far away. Our team measures and installs throughout the southern and central Sunshine Coast and up into the Hinterland. See what we do in your area:
A local, family-run business making outdoor blinds on the Sunshine Coast for over 40 years. Your blinds are built in our own workshop.
Thousands of coastal homes fitted, so we know which systems and fabrics last in salt air and strong sun.
Ziptrak and Zipscreen carry a 5-year manufacturer warranty, plus our own installation warranty. See our warranty details.
We're an authorised Ziptrak and Zipscreen installer, and we service all major brands of outdoor blinds.
Call 0474 768 344 or send us a few details and we'll be in touch.
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