Specs are compiled from manufacturer listings and verified buyer reviews and can change over time — please confirm the key details on the product page before buying.
Basement windows are short, set high in the wall, and often buried behind a washer or a shelf. So the right cover needs to fit an odd opening, survive damp air, and raise without a cord dangling into a child’s reach. The picks below all solve those three problems. Each one is aimed at a slightly different basement: a finished rec room, a damp laundry corner, a rented apartment, or a landlord patching a unit fast.
I’m Mohammad Maruf — the founder and writer behind KitchPrep. This guide is built by comparing the manufacturers’ published specifications and the patterns across verified customer reviews, so you get each pick’s real strengths and trade-offs instead of marketing spin.
Measure your frame, check the mount depth it demands, and decide up front if you want light filtered or fully killed. That single decision is what separates a cover you love from one you fight every morning. This guide walks through the basement window cover options that get it right.
Our Picks at a Glance
How To Choose The Best Basement Window Cover
A basement window is not a normal window. It is usually short, narrow, and recessed into a concrete or block wall, so the cover has to be cut to a real measurement rather than a standard size. Get the measuring method right and everything else falls into place.
Measure the frame, not the glass
For an inside mount — where the cover sits back into the recess — measure the window frame itself, not the glass pane. Most makers cut the fabric slightly narrower than the size you order so it slides in without scraping. Lumino, for example, cuts every blind a half-inch narrower than the ordered width. If your frame is exactly 31.5 inches wide, you order the 31.5-inch blind and it lands at 31 inches. Measure twice here and you will not be returning anything.
Decide how much light you actually want to lose
A basement rec room that gets your afternoon TV light may only need light filtering — slats or fabric that soften glare while keeping the room bright. A bedroom or a room someone sleeps in during the day needs near-total blackout. Those are two different products, and the descriptions tell you which is which: “light filtering” still passes a soft glow, while “blackout” is built to shut the room down.
Check the depth your mount demands
Inside-mount covers need a minimum recess depth to sit flush. Some roller shades want about two inches of frame depth, and thicker zebra styles can ask for closer to 2.75 inches. If your basement sill is shallow, plan on an outside mount instead, which hangs the cover on the wall in front of the frame and covers the edges around it.
Weight damp air and cordless safety
Basements run humid, so vinyl slats and aluminum rails hold up better than fabric that can warp or milde shade in a damp corner. On the safety side, a cordless lift removes the hanging loop that kids and pets can tangle in, and it is the single easiest upgrade for a room where children play.
Quick Comparison
| Model | Best For | Size (W x L) | Light Control | Lift Style | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lumino Cordless Mini Blinds★ Best Overall | Everyday finished basement | 31.5″ W x 36″ L | Light filtering | Cordless | Amazon |
| NICETOWN Blackout DrapesBest for Total Dark | Darkening a whole wall | 42″ W x 36″ L | 85%-99% light blocking | Grommet slip-on rod | Amazon |
| ChrisDowa Blackout Roller ShadesBest for Full Blackout | Killing glare and UV | 22″ W x 72″ L | 100% blackout + UV | Cordless buckle | Amazon |
| ChrisDowa Cordless Zebra Blinds | Balancing view and privacy | 20″ W x 72″ L | Semi-sheer | Free-stop cordless | Amazon |
| Tonature No Drill Cellular Shades | Renters who cannot drill | 22″ W x 64″ H | Blackout | Free-stop cordless | Amazon |
| LazBlinds 1″ Vinyl Mini Blinds | Damp laundry corners | 29″ W x 36″ H | Room darkening | Cordless | Amazon |
| LazBlinds No Drill Cellular Shades | Odd-size basement casements | 22″ W x 36″ H | Light filtering | Cordless spring rod | Amazon |
| MYshade 6 Pack Paper Shades | Fast temporary cover-up | 36″ W x 72″ H | Blackout | Clip control | Amazon |
| AOSKY Cordless Zebra Blinds | Premium dual-layer finish | 34″ W x 72″ H | Light filtering | Free-stop cordless | Amazon |
In‑Depth Reviews
1. Lumino Cordless Light Filtering Mini Blinds, 31.5″ W x 36″ L
Our pick — over 4.5★ from 800+ verified ratings; the strongest balance of quality and price.
The one-inch vinyl slat that slides up with a single finger — and stays put.
If your basement window is a boxy 31.5 inches across and you want the room to stay usable rather than cave-dark, this is the pick to start with. Lumino cuts the blind to exactly 31 inches wide so it drops into that frame as a proper inside mount. The slats are one-inch vinyl — a thin plastic slat rather than metal — which shrugs off the splash and humidity that comes with a below-grade room. You still get 100% privacy with the slats closed, but the light filtering opacity means daylight creeps through instead of dying at the glass.
The lift is the part people fall for. It is cordless, so there is no loop of string for a toddler or a cat to find, and it carries a Certified Best for Kids designation. Owners describe it in almost physical terms — you touch it with one finger and the whole blind glides. The brackets got a redesign, and install is genuinely a ten-to-fifteen-minute job with the included hardware and manual. One caveat worth knowing before you order: the white runs slightly off-white, which reads clean and bright but is not a stark paper white.
Lumino also cuts each blind to order here in the USA and runs US-based support, which is why the fit lands so consistently for awkward openings. Against the LazBlinds vinyl mini blind further down this list, this one is wider in the catalog at 31.5 inches versus 29 inches, so a slightly larger recess goes here. What wins buyers over is the sheer quality of the build — it is the most-praised thing in the reviews by a wide margin, and the smooth lift is a close second.
What buyers rave about
- Cut to order in the USA so the 31.5-inch size arrives at exactly 31 inches for a true inside mount
- Cordless one-finger lift that glides and holds without a dangling loop
- Water- and splash-resistant vinyl slats suited to a damp basement
- Build quality is the single most-praised thing in the reviews
Worth knowing first
- White is actually off-white, not a crisp paper white
- Light filtering means it softens glare rather than blacking the room out
- A few folks over a long stretch have had slats give out, so handle the lift gently
Best for: a finished basement or rec room where you want privacy and softer daylight, not total darkness.
Think twice if: you need a true blackout for daytime sleeping — the light-filtering slats will let a glow through.
2. NICETOWN Kitchen Curtains Blackout Drapes for Basement Dorm, 42″ W x 36″ L
Heavy polyester drapes that shut a basement wall down and hold the room’s heat in.
When you would rather hang fabric than fiddle with a roller, these panels are the move. Each pack gives you two panels at 42 inches wide by 36 inches long, plus a 1.2-inch header, for a finished drop of 37.2 inches top to bottom. That 42-inch width is a full third wider than the 31.5-inch Lumino blind above, so a wider basement opening that a single shade cannot span is exactly where this pair earns its place. They hang from 1.6-inch grommets, so you slide them onto a rod rather than mounting brackets.
The blackout claim sits at 85% to 99% light blocking, which is honest phrasing for “very dark, not necessarily pitch black.” Owners who run them in bedrooms say the room darkens well and that they genuinely hold heat and cold at the glass, which matters in a basement that leans cold in winter. The polyester fabric is fade-resistant and the same color on both sides, so the outside of the window looks tidy too. They are machine or hand washable with mild detergent and can take a low-temperature iron.
There is one recurring wrinkle in the feedback that is worth sizing properly: a few people note the seams curl slightly and that the lightest colors let a hint of glow through at the edges. That is a fit-and-color nuance, not a flaw in the blackout itself, and hanging them on a double rod with a sheer behind solves it neatly. What the reviews keep praising is the overall quality of the fabric for the price — it is the top thing people bring up, with the light blocking right behind it.
The real advantage: 42 inches of width per panel covers openings a single mini blind or roller simply cannot reach, and the thermal layer works on both heat loss and outside noise.
Measure the rod first: these hang from a rod rather than mounting to the frame, so if you have no rod and no wall to anchor one, a bracket-mounted shade below is the better fit.
Grab these if: you want the darkest possible basement room and prefer fabric drapes over slats.
Look elsewhere if: you need a drill-free, frame-mounted cover or a color-matched hard window treatment.
3. ChrisDowa Blackout Roller Shades Pull Down, Cordless
A 72-inch drop of blackout fabric that turns a bright basement corner into a dark room.
This one is built for the person who wants the sun gone and the UV with it. The roller drops a full 72 inches of 100% blackout fabric with a white backing, so a tall basement window or a French door gets covered top to bottom. That 72-inch length is the longest drop here, well past the 36-inch reach of the Lumino blind, which is why a floor-length window needs this one instead. The fabric blocks out 100% of sunlight and UV rays, and the thermal-insulated backing cuts heat and cold transfer through the glass.
The cordless mechanism is spring-loaded rather than string-driven. To open, you pull the shade to whatever height you want; to close it, a gentle tug on the buckle lets the roller carry itself down. ChrisDowa rates that spring mechanism to 5,000 lift-and-pull cycles per shade. Cleanup is a damp cloth, and an accessory kit with metal brackets, screws, and instructions is included.
Here is the honest part. The feedback skews hard positive on functionality and light blocking, but the mounting hardware is the weak spot — a few people with wide windows had to buy extra screws, and one shade reportedly would not roll back up, with the seller hard to reach afterward. Order the right width, read the measurement note (the fabric is cut a bit under the size you pick), and keep the return window open, and that risk is small. For a dedicated dark room, the performance-to-price is hard to argue with.
Why it lands the dark room
- 100% blackout fabric also blocks UV rays
- 72-inch drop covers a tall basement window or French door
- Spring lift rated to 5,000 cycles per shade
- Thermal backing works on both summer heat and winter cold
The honest trade-offs
- Hardware can run short on extra-wide windows
- Inside mount leaves a small light gap at each edge unless you cover the sides
- An occasional unit arrives that will not retract, so check it inside the return window
Built for: a dark basement bedroom, media corner, or door glass where full sunlight and UV need to disappear.
Not the one if: your sill is shallow — this wants about two inches of frame depth to mount inside.
4. ChrisDowa Cordless Zebra Blinds, Light Filtering Roller Shades, 20″ W x 72″ L
Zebra-style fabric that flips between a bright room and total privacy with one pull.
A zebra blind is two layers of fabric — a sheer mesh and a set of solid slats — that slide against each other. Line them up and you get privacy; offset them and you get a view. That is the whole appeal here, and it is why this 20-inch-wide, 72-inch-long shade suits a narrow basement window with a long drop. It also fits a room where you want daylight at noon and a shut-in feel at night without swapping covers.
The lift is free-stop cordless, which means the shade stays exactly where you let go rather than drifting. ChrisDowa rates this spring mechanism to the same 5,000 lift-and-pull cycles per shade as the blackout roller above. The fabric is semi-sheer, so it softens harsh sun rather than killing it, and the cordless design keeps a clean look with nothing hanging at the side of the window. The 1.17 kg shade installs with the included bracket and screw kit.
The recurring note worth acting on is the measurement. People who order the wrong size are the ones who end up returning it — the fabric is cut 0.8 inch under the size you select, and this version wants about 2.75 inches of frame depth for an inside mount. One more thing the feedback flags honestly: on wide windows, the included hardware can run a little short, so plan to grab a few extra screws. Get the size right and the build quality is what people bring up over and over.
Why it stands out: no other pick here gives you a sliding view-or-privacy setting, and it does it without a single cord in the room.
The one thing to nail: measure your frame depth and width before ordering — this model is the least forgiving on sizing in the list.
Pick it for: a narrow, tall basement window where you want to choose between a view and privacy on the fly.
Pass if: you need true blackout or a shallow recess, since this wants deeper frame clearance and only filters light.
5. Tonature No Drill Cellular Shades, Blackout Honeycomb, 22″ W x 64″ H
Blackout honeycomb shades that press into the frame with no drill and no tools at all.
The honeycomb structure here is a stack of air pockets built into the fabric, and those cells are what insulate the window — trapping air so the room holds warmth in winter and stays cooler in summer. This particular shade is blackout at 22 inches wide by 64 inches tall, so a narrow basement window gets a long, dark drop. If you rent and cannot put a hole in the frame, that is the whole reason this one exists: it installs in about 30 seconds without tools, screws, or brackets.
Both rails are aluminum — a rigid, weighted metal rather than flimsy plastic — so the shade hangs flat and does not flap when air moves through the room. The lift is cordless and free-stop, meaning it pauses wherever you touch it and runs quiet on its spring glide. Tonature’s sizing advice is worth reading twice: measure the exact window width, and if it falls between two listed sizes, always round down. Owners regularly spring for this over a custom quote and find it fits between existing apartment blinds with only a sliver of edge light.
The honest limits: it is an inside mount only, so a shallow or oddly angled frame may need a foam strip to seal the last bit of light bleed, and a couple of folks found the shade slightly short and shimmed it with a bit of wood. Noise reduction and temperature control both get real credit in the feedback, which is exactly what you want from a bedroom window below grade.
The standout feature: a genuine no-drill, no-tools install in about half a minute, which keeps a rental deposit intact.
Fair warning: inside mount only, and rounding down on the size means a tight frame may show a hair of light at the edges.
Made for: renters and apartment dwellers who need blackout below grade without touching the wall.
skip it if: you need an outside mount, since this model only fits inside the window recess.
6. LazBlinds 1″ Light Filtering Vinyl Mini Blinds, 29″ W x 36″ H, White
Vinyl slats built for the humid corner where other blinds warp and fade.
Basement laundry rooms and bathrooms are the toughest spots for a window cover, because steady moisture warps wood and dulls cheap fabric. This one is cut from durable vinyl, the same plastic material the label calls out as resistant to warping and fading in high-humidity areas, and it names basements directly among the rooms it is made for. The slats tilt a full 180 degrees on a wand, so you can angle them to filter light, block UV, or open the view — all without a cord.
The 29-inch-wide by 36-inch-high blind arrives slightly narrower than the size you order, at roughly 28.625 inches across, so it slips into a 29-inch frame as a snug inside mount. Because it is cordless, it works around pets and kids without a hanging string. Install uses brackets designed for inside, outside, or ceiling mounting, and all the hardware plus instructions come in the box.
Two things to expect from the feedback. The bottom hold-down clips can be a tight fit, so you may need a little pressure to seat the blind on the peg. And vinyl blocks a touch less light than a metal mini blind would — this is a light-filtering cover, not a blackout one. Neither is a dealbreaker; both are the kind of thing you notice once and then move on from. Buyers who followed the measuring instructions report the fit landing well, and the look reads like a much pricier blind.
Where the value sits: a moisture-proof vinyl build designed for humid rooms and a wand tilt that gives you full control over the slats.
Small niggle to plan for: the bottom clips fit tightly, so budget a bit of firm pressure during install.
Reach for this if: your basement corner runs damp and you want a low-fuss slat cover that will not warp.
Choose another if: you want daylight fully gone — these slats filter rather than blackout.
7. LazBlinds No Drill Cordless Cellular Shades, 22″ W x 36″ H, White
A spring rod that stretches to fit the weird little casement nobody else covers.
Odd-dimension basement windows are a real problem, and this shade solves it with a spring rod instead of brackets. That rod extends a full inch in total, so the blind fits windows from 21.7 to 22.6 inches wide while the fabric itself sits at 21 5/8 inches — it adapts to the frame rather than demanding you match a fixed size. LazBlinds rates this no-tools, no-drill spring-rod system to 30kg, aimed at renters and landlords who would rather not put holes in a frame.
The honeycomb structure creates air pockets that insulate against outside heat in summer and hold warmth in during winter, and it also works on noise and privacy. The fabric is a soft non-woven polyester that filters light rather than blocking it, so the room stays bright by day while keeping a view out of the equation. The cordless free-stop lift means it pauses wherever you set it, and a bottom handle lets you move it up or down in one motion.
Buyers keep citing the price gap versus a local custom-size quote as the reason they land here. Measure your frame width carefully and add a touch if you want it flush without side gaps; the fit is snug by design, so precision pays off. If your basement window is a genuine oddball size, this is the pick built for you.
The fit-anything appeal
- Spring rod extends a full inch to fit odd window widths
- No-drill install in about 30 seconds, no tools or brackets
- Aluminum honeycomb framework that will not sag
- Cordless free-stop lift safe for kids and pets
Things to weigh
- Light filtering only, so it brightens rather than blackouts the room
- Inside mount only — no outside-mount option on this model
- It fits a narrow window range, so wide frames need a different cover entirely
The right call for: a basement casement or small window at an awkward size you cannot match to a standard blind.
Look past it if: you want blackout darkness or need to cover a window wider than its spring-rod range.
8. MYshade 6 Pack Temporary Blackout Paper Shades, 36″ W x 72″ H, Brown
Six cut-to-fit paper shades for covering a whole basement on the cheap and fast.
Sometimes you just need the windows covered this weekend, and that is exactly what this six-pack is for. You get six pleated paper shades, each 36 inches wide by 72 inches tall, made from durable paper the maker says will not yellow or crack from sun exposure. The point is speed: measure the frame, cut the pleated paper to fit with a box cutter, peel the 3M adhesive, and press it up — no drill, screws, or brackets. Six of them cover six windows in one sitting.
Each shade is blackout, blocking most UV rays as well as light, which makes them surprisingly effective for the money in a basement that is being finished or staged. No cords means nothing to tangle, and the included clips let you raise and lower the shade without a string. The pleats sit on a support structure on the back so they will not sag or flatten, keeping even spacing top to bottom. Brown is the listed color, and the shape is yours to decide — rectangle, sector, even semi-circle.
The adhesive is the honest weak point, and the feedback splits right down the middle on it: some say it grabs firmly, others find it stubborn to remove later. In cold weather the maker’s own tip is to warm the tape with a hair dryer for 30 seconds first. These are also paper, so think of them as a temporary or light-duty cover — heavy daily raising and lowering will wear them faster than a vinyl or fabric shade would. For a quick fix, that is a fair trade.
Why the price works: six shades in one pack at a budget-tier cost covers a whole basement, and they install in seconds with nothing but scissors and the tape.
Set expectations: paper is not built for years of daily tugging, so treat these as a fix-it-now cover.
Best when you need: fast, dirt-cheap blackout across multiple windows right now, like a new home, a rental turnover, or a finishing project.
Not built for: the long haul or a formal look in a fully finished room.
9. AOSKY Cordless Zebra Blinds for Indoor Windows, 34″ W x 72″ H, White
The premium zebra blind that dresses a basement window like a main-floor window.
If the basement is finished and you want it to look anything but basement, this is the pick. AOSKY builds these from 100% high-quality imported polyester in a dual-layer design — a sheer mesh paired with opaque slats — so you dial in light by sliding the layers over each other. The fabric is waterproof, breathable, anti-static, and dustproof, and it carries UV protection and thermal insulation for year-round use. At 34 inches wide by 72 inches tall, it gives you a wide, long drop for a substantial basement window.
The lift is a free-stop cordless system with an upgraded bottom rod instead of a pull string. You nudge the rod and the shade settles wherever you want it, which keeps the window clean and cord-free around children and pets. The accessories are a step above the rest of the list too — square valances and fish-shaped bottom rods in high-quality aluminum with a metallic sheen that matches the trim in a finished room. It mounts inside or outside, and AOSKY also runs a custom-size service if the listed sizes do not fit.
The build quality and the looks are the two things buyers keep coming back to, and honestly the finish is why this one carries a premium label. It is not a blackout shade — the semi-sheer fabric brightens a room while blocking direct sun, so total daytime darkness is not what you get. The one long-term note from a year of ownership is that the end clips are the weak point if you raise and lower the shade too fast, so move it slowly. Do that, and it should hold up well.
What makes it premium
- Dual-layer sheer and solid fabric for adjustable light and privacy
- Waterproof, breathable, anti-static, and dustproof polyester
- Upgraded aluminum valance and bottom rod for a finished look
- Cordless free-stop lift plus a custom-size service for odd frames
Keep in mind
- Semi-sheer fabric filters light — it will not blackout a room
- End clips are the wear point if you raise the shade too quickly, so handle it gently
- It is the most style-forward pick here, so most of its value is in the finish
Choose this for: a finished walk-out basement, office, or living area where the window is meant to be seen.
Not for you if: you need a hard blackout for sleep or a heavily reinforced build for rough handling.
Understanding the Specs
Size (Width x Length) and the Half-Inch Cut
Every measurement on a basement cover is written as width first, then length. The trick most first-time buyers miss is that inside-mount covers are cut narrower than the listed size so they actually slide into the frame. Lumino cuts its blind a half-inch narrower, LazBlinds takes about 3/8 inch off its cellular shade, and ChrisDowa takes 0.6 to 0.8 inch off its roller and zebra styles. So if your frame measures 31.5 inches, order the 31.5-inch blind and it lands around 31 — snug, not exact. Measure the frame itself, and when a size falls between two options, round down.
Lift Style and Why Cordless Wins in a Basement
The lift is how you raise and lower the cover, and on this list it comes in three flavors: cordless, grommet, and clip. Cordless means a spring or free-stop mechanism holds the shade wherever you stop it, with no hanging string — safer around kids and pets and tidier at the window. A grommet style like the NICETOWN drapes slides onto a rod, while a clip style like the paper shades uses small clips you attach and detach. Free-stop is the easiest: pull to a height, release, and it stays put until you move it again.
FAQ
How do I measure my basement window for an inside mount cover?
Will these window covers warp or mildew in a humid basement?
What is the difference between light filtering and blackout shades?
Are cordless shades really safer around kids and pets?
Can I install a window cover without drilling into a concrete basement frame?
How long does it take to install one of these basement shades?
How do I avoid gaps of light at the edges of an inside mount shade?
Do these covers help with basement cold and noise as well as light?
Which is better for a basement bedroom, fabric drapes or a roller shade?
Are temporary paper shades good enough for a finished basement?
Final Thoughts: The Verdict
The safest single choice for most basements is the Lumino Cordless Mini Blinds, because it cuts to an exact inside-mount fit, resists the damp with vinyl slats, and glides on a one-finger cordless lift — and it carries the highest rating of the cordless blinds here, 4.7 stars across 800+ owners. If you need daytime darkness, the ChrisDowa Blackout Roller Shades drop 72 inches of 100% blackout fabric over a tall window or door. For a rental frame you cannot drill, the Tonature No Drill Cellular Shades press in with no tools at all, and if you simply need windows covered this weekend across the whole basement, the MYshade six-pack is the fast, budget-friendly answer.
How We Picked
We do not accept paid placement. Every pick is matched to a real buyer and a real use-case; we do not hands-on test units.
Sources & Methodology
Specifications: manufacturer listings and product documentation. Review insights: verified customer reviews, as of September 2026. Pricing: not shown on this page (it changes often); check the current price via the retailer link.
As an Amazon Associate, KitchPrep earns from qualifying purchases. This does not affect which products we feature.
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