Phifer SheerWeave 5500 Fabric
7 colourways, openness 5%, solar screen, up to 98 inches wide. Every swatch and every published specification, from the workroom that cuts Phifer in Fort Lauderdale and installs it from Miami to Palm Beach.
A decorative 5% sheer where the light comes through the yarn
SheerWeave 5500 is a seven-colour decorative fabric at 5% openness, 98 inches wide, 21% polyester and 74% vinyl on polyester, at 11.8 oz per square yard and 0.026 inches thick. Phifer publishes UV blockage of about 95% and an acoustic value of NRC 0.15, rising to 0.25 in the Driftwood colourway, which is woven at 31% polyester and 69% vinyl rather than the standard blend. The seven colours are Cloud, Frost, Silver, Wheat, Beech, Driftwood and Shadow.
What separates it from a technical screen is where the light comes from. At only 5% openness the card publishes visible transmission of 18% to 44%, which means most of the light is passing through the yarn itself rather than through the holes in the weave. Beech transmits 44% and Frost 39%; Shadow, the darkest, still transmits 18%. Solar reflectance runs 21% to 52%. The effect is a bright, luminous fabric rather than a dark one, and the trade is heat control: this is not the fabric for glare on a west wall.
SheerWeave 5500
7 colours. Openness 5%; up to 98 in wide; fire listed.
Colourways
Every SheerWeave 5500 colourway, with Phifer's published figures
| Swatch | Colour | Code | Openness | Tv | Ts | Rs | As | SHGC single | SHGC insul. | Width | Docs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frost | 5500 UK2 | 5% | 39 | 40 | 37 | 23 | 0.50 | 0.31 | 98 in | Swatch card (PDF) · Phifer product page | |
| Cloud | 5500 UK1 | 5% | 33 | 34 | 52 | 14 | 0.40 | 0.27 | 98 in | Swatch card (PDF) · Phifer product page | |
| Shadow | 5500 UK7 | 5% | 18 | 20 | 21 | 59 | 0.55 | 0.34 | 98 in | Swatch card (PDF) · Phifer product page | |
| Driftwood | 5500 UK6 | 5% | 20 | 25 | 33 | 42 | 0.49 | 0.31 | 98 in | Swatch card (PDF) · Phifer product page | |
| Wheat | 5500 UK5 | 5% | 32 | 34 | 46 | 20 | 0.44 | 0.29 | 98 in | Swatch card (PDF) · Phifer product page | |
| Beech | 5500 UK4 | 5% | 44 | 44 | 43 | 12 | 0.47 | 0.30 | 98 in | Swatch card (PDF) · Phifer product page | |
| Silver | 5500 UK3 | 5% | 24 | 30 | 39 | 31 | 0.47 | 0.30 | 98 in | Swatch card (PDF) · Phifer product page |
Tv = visible light transmitted, Ts = solar energy transmitted, Rs = solar energy reflected, As = solar energy absorbed, in percent, as published by Phifer for the fabric on its own. SHGC single = solar heat gain coefficient of the fabric behind single 1/4 in clear glass (1/8 in where that is what Phifer publishes), SHGC insul. = behind 1 in insulating glass with a high-performance coating (1/2 in clear where published). Exterior SunTex and SunScreen figures are for the fabric installed outside the glass at a 30 degree profile angle. We bring the sample books to the consultation.
Where SheerWeave 5500 works here
A dining room, a stair window, a bedroom that wants softness rather than a technical look. We specify it on shaded and north elevations in Fort Lauderdale and Miami Beach, or behind a sheer drapery where the roller is doing a decorative job. On the water side of a condo we would still put a proper screen at the glass and keep 5500 for the inland rooms.
SheerWeave 5500: frequently asked
Why does a 5% fabric let so much light through?
Because the yarn itself is translucent. Openness measures the holes in the weave; visible transmission measures everything that gets past the fabric. At 5% openness this card publishes 18% to 44% transmission, so most of what you see is light coming through the yarn, which is what gives it its glow.
Is it fire rated?
Phifer lists California Technical Bulletin 117 for this style and nothing further, so it is not a fabric for a commercial specification that requires NFPA 701. For a residential room it is fine, and we will flag the listing if the project has a code requirement.
How wide can a Phifer SheerWeave 5500 shade be?
Phifer publishes standard roll widths of 98" (248.9 cm) for SheerWeave 5500, so a single shade can run to about 98 inches wide before a seam or a second shade is needed. Wider openings are covered with two shades on one headrail programmed to move together, or with a seam placed where the mullion hides it. We confirm the exact limit for the chosen system when we measure.
Which shades can be made in SheerWeave 5500?
SheerWeave 5500 is a roller shade fabric. We source it directly from Phifer, so the same weave goes on Lutron, Somfy, Crestron or Vertilux motors or a manual chain, cut and finished in our Fort Lauderdale workroom and installed by our own team from Miami to Palm Beach.
Can I see SheerWeave 5500 samples before ordering?
Yes. We keep the Phifer sample books in the Fort Lauderdale workroom (4539 Powerline Rd, by appointment) and the Miami Beach showroom (500 South Pointe Dr #150), and we bring the colours you shortlist to the in-home consultation so you can hold them against your glass in your own light.
Compare SheerWeave 5500 with
SheerWeave 8000
100% polyester at 3%, Cradle to Cradle certified, 118 inches wide
SheerWeave Basic
Five colours, three openness factors, 126 inches, no extras
SheerWeave Infinity2
A TPO screen with no vinyl, in nine warm neutrals
SheerWeave RE-USE
85% REPREVE recycled polyester, three openness factors, 118 inches
SheerWeave Privacy
0.1% openness: daylight with no view, on the Eco colour card
SheerWeave 1000
A 25% open sheer in two whites, for view over control
Phifer SheerWeave 5500 shades in Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Boca Raton & Palm Beach
We source SheerWeave 5500 directly from Phifer for any project from Miami to Palm Beach, cut and finish the shades in our Fort Lauderdale workroom on the Lutron, Somfy, Crestron or manual system the window calls for, and install them with our own team. Both showrooms, 4539 Powerline Rd in Fort Lauderdale (by appointment) and 500 South Pointe Dr #150 in Miami Beach, have motorized shades running so you can see the fabric in motion.
See SheerWeave 5500 in your own light
Book a complimentary in-home consultation. Shortlist the colours you like and we bring the Phifer samples, demo motors, and honest answers about openness, colour and what your windows actually need.