What Do EN 13561 Wind Classes Mean for Zip Screens?

The Short Answer

A wind class under EN 13561 tells you the wind pressure a tested external blind withstood, on a scale that runs from class 0 to class 6 for screens with fabric in lateral guide rails. It is defined in pressure (N/m²), not in wind speed, and it applies to a stated product at a stated size and mounting.

A class is therefore not a promise that any screen of that type will survive any wind. It is one input, to be compared with how exposed the actual opening is and with the manufacturer's instructions on when to raise the screen.

What Are EN 13561 Wind Classes?

EN 13561 is the European standard for the performance and safety of blinds and awnings fitted externally to buildings. It works together with a test standard and an EU regulation that sets the classes.

Which documents define the classes

Three documents are worth keeping apart:

• EN 13561 sets the performance requirements, including resistance to wind loads.
• EN 1932 describes how wind resistance is tested and judged.
• Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/1188 establishes the wind-load classes for external blinds and awnings under the Construction Products Regulation.

EN 14501 often appears in the same data sheets, but it deals with thermal and visual comfort, not wind.

Nominal pressure and safety pressure

Each class has two pressures. Under EN 1932, nominal pressure (pN) is the test pressure at which the sample is not deformed or damaged. Safety pressure (pS) is a higher pressure at which no damage dangerous to people is observed.

Why zip screens have a longer scale

The regulation sorts products into families, and the highest class differs by family. Zip screens fall within the first family because their fabric runs in lateral guide rails.

This is why a "class 3" arm awning and a "class 3" zip screen sit in very different places on their own scales. If you are still choosing between the systems, our zip screen vs outdoor roller blind comparison covers the wider differences.

What Do Classes 0 to 6 Mean in Numbers?

The table below shows the pressure thresholds for the guide-rail family. The first two rows come from the regulation. The third row is our own arithmetic, added only to give a sense of scale.

How to read the speed row

That row uses the dynamic pressure formula, q = ½ρv², with an air density of 1.25 kg/m³. It is not part of the standard, it is not a rating for any product, and it is not a wind speed you can read off a local weather report and compare directly.

Why published speeds disagree

Different websites attach different km/h figures to the same class, because the conversion depends on the assumptions used. When figures disagree, go back to the class and the pressure, and ask the supplier what the speed is based on.

What Does a Wind Class Not Tell You?

It is not a rating for every size

EN 1932 tests at the manufacturer's maximum dimensions, in the most unfavourable configuration for the product type. In practice, some manufacturers publish tables where the permitted class falls as the screen gets wider, or as the fabric moves further from the wall. Always ask which sizes a stated class covers, and whether your opening falls inside them.

It does not describe your site

Wind on the site depends on the region, the surrounding terrain, the height above ground and the position on the building. Corners and upper floors can be much more exposed than the middle of a low facade. The product class tells you about the screen, and a separate assessment tells you about the site.

It does not cover everything on the opening

The class concerns the tested product. The strength of the pergola, the wall and the fixings is a separate question for whoever designs and installs them. A screen fixed to a light profile or to cladding is not automatically as strong as the same screen on the test rig.

How to Match a Zip Screen to an Exposed Opening

Describe the exposure of each opening

For each opening, note the country and location, the height above ground, whether it faces open sea or open land, and whether it stands at a building corner or an open pergola side. Our guide to measuring an opening for a zip screen shows how to build an opening schedule, and exposure can simply be one more column in it.

Compare, then look at the alternatives

Share that information with the manufacturer and, on larger or more exposed projects, with the engineer or consultant responsible for the facade. If an opening looks too demanding for a single screen, the options are usually:

Set operating rules for the people using it

Your manufacturer's instructions should state when a screen needs to be raised, and these should reach the people who actually operate it, including restaurant and hotel staff. On motorised systems you can ask whether automatic wind control is possible for the project, but treat it as an aid. Sensors may not catch sudden gusts or turbulence around a facade, so keep the plan for raising screens before a forecast storm.

What Should You Ask a Zip Screen Manufacturer?

Questions about the test and the product

• Which class is claimed, under which edition of the standard, and for which exact system?
• What sizes, fabric and mounting did the claim cover?
• Is there a test report or declaration you can review?
• At what wind speed does the manufacturer say the screen must be raised?

Fabric matters because an open screen fabric and a closed transparent PVC are different materials, so do not assume a result for one applies to the other.

Documents to ask for in the EU

EN 13561 is a harmonised standard under the Construction Products Regulation. For products placed on the EU market, ask for the CE marking information and the declaration of performance, and read the declared wind class together with the sizes and conditions it applies to. Outside the EU, requirements vary, so check what your project specification and local authority expect. This guide is general information, not legal or engineering advice.

What affects the cost of a higher specification

Stronger profiles add material, dividing an opening adds screens and posts, and motors or controls add further items. State the wind requirement in the first enquiry, so that quotations compare like with like.

How We Handle Wind Questions at LuxiVeil

LuxiVeil is the export brand of Gökcan Home, a curtain and blind manufacturer producing in Antalya, Türkiye, since 1994. We make zip screen blinds to measure, with manual or motorised operation. We do not publish general wind classes or maximum sizes, because the result depends on the opening, the mounting and the exposure of the site. We review each opening in your enquiry and confirm in the quotation what can be produced for it.

If your project specification requires a particular class or a particular document, state that in the enquiry and we will tell you clearly what we can and cannot provide. Pergola and awning companies can read how we work with them in our supplier guide and on the zip screen systems page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good wind class for a zip screen?

There is no single answer, because it depends on the site, the height, the size of the opening and how the screen is used. Compare the class with an assessment of the opening.

Is class 6 the highest class for a zip screen?

Yes, on the scale in Regulation (EU) 2019/1188, class 6 is the top class for external blinds with fabric in lateral guide rails. It means a nominal pressure of 400 N/m² or more, for the product and conditions stated.

Can I convert a wind class into km/h?

You can estimate a speed from the pressure, but the classes themselves are defined in pressure. Figures differ with the assumptions used, so treat any km/h value as a guide and rely on the manufacturer's stated operating limit.

Does a high wind class mean I can leave the screen down in a storm?

No. A class is a test result, not permission to leave a screen lowered in any weather. Follow the manufacturer's instructions, and raise screens before forecast storms.

Does a wind class apply to every size of the same system?

Not automatically. Ask which sizes, fabric and mounting the claim covers, and check that your opening falls within them.

Does EN 13561 apply outside Europe?

It is a European standard, but specifiers elsewhere may still refer to it. For projects outside the EU, including in the Gulf, check which standards and documents the project specification actually requires.

Request a Quote or Samples

Send us your openings with their sizes, mounting, location and height above ground, along with any wind requirement in your specification, your fabric preference and the operation you want. We will review each opening, tell you what we can confirm, send fabric samples for approval and return a quotation per screen. Use the quote form on our contact page, or message us on WhatsApp for a quick first answer.