After much thought this morning I have gathered thoughts on the best way to answer a question from a client that came to me yesterday. Specifically, their question was more about Window Coverings in general rather than a specific type of covering. This gives me a unique place to start which really should be the way I start all my articles. The question was: "What is the difference between" Inside Mount "and" Outside Mount "when it comes to Blinds, Shades & Shutters?" I have laid out the basics below so please read on …
The first thing to understand is when selected "mount type" in Window Coverings; you may not have a choice at all. If your home builder mounted the glass or window frames so that you do not have a Window Well (a recessed area which holds the Window frame and glass) you do not have a choice.
There simply is no "inside" to order a Blind or Shade made as an Inside Mount. That being said, I would like to address the large portion of readers who do have the choice of how their Blind are mounted.
Determine your goals –
Do you want the most privacy? The most light control? The lowest price? The least obtrusive style?
If so, you are describing Inside Mount Window Treatments. They fit neatly inside the home builder's window well and are by far the most popular way to mount Window Blinds. I have an illustration the I of Reviews Inside Mount Blinds applications Which can be seen here .
Do you want to enlarge the look of your Window? Do you want to frame your view? Are you mounting to a door or to a window where there is no window well to allow an inside mount?
If so, you are in need of an Outside Mount Window Treatment. They mount onto the face of the wall surface and normally mount above the window header a few inches to allow for brackets. It is also important to order these Window Covers a few inches wider than the window to make certain you get privacy on both sides of your Blind or Shade. Again, the I have assembled an illustration here to show the differences of the two styles and how to measure for each.
Next week, I will go over Window Covering Installation in detail.