We frequently get asked for advice on what size magnets would work best for magnetic blackout window covers used in campervans/caravans. This advice is based on feedback that we have received from past customers who have commented on how the given sizes worked well for their use.
Hopefully the information is useful. If it is, it would be wonderful if you could reach out and give us the feedback - we are always looking to provide useful information!
The basic idea is to sew some magnets into the material of the window cover so they can magnetically attach to the vehicle metal body.
One consideration to think about is how the size of the magnet determines the strength of the magnet.
The larger the magnet, the stronger it is.
However, the pulling strength also decreases as the distance between the magnet and the metal increases.
Therefore, if you are using a thicker material for the curtain, then a larger magnet option would be advised.
If the material is less than 1mm, then it shouldn’t be a problem especially if the material would “squish”. But if it's thicker than 2mm/3mm and less likely to squish, then a larger magnet would be better.
Some suitable sizes include:
- 8mm x 4mm - this is the smallest of the options. Since it is smaller, you get more units for the same price.
- 10mm x 5mm - we can confirm from 2 customers that this size works well for them. This is stronger than the 8mmx4mm so it would be more suitable for the larger covers that are heavier, or if the material is thicker. If you are looking for a secure fit, we think these would work well. Take note that the material could rip when peeling the covers off if the magnet is too strong. If this is the case, you can always padd it with more material between the magnet and the metal, to decrease the strength!
- If you are trying to cut low on costs, you might be able to get away with using the 10mm x 5mm for the top and bottom of the covers, and use some 10mm x 1.5mm for the side ones. Since the side ones won't be holding a lot of the weight, we are guessing they would only be useful to ensure the material is up against the window so it blocks all the light.
- You can also stack multiple of the 10mm x 1.5mm magnets together to make a larger, stronger magnet. 2 of them stacked can make an equivalent magnet of size 10mm x 3mm, and 3 of them stacked can make one of 10mm x 4.5mm. This option could be useful if you are more for experimenting with the pull strength.
Again, this information is based on feedback from our customers. We are always looking to improve these blog posts so any feedback, insight or photos would be much appreciated!