Inside Mount vs. Outside Mount: The Best Option for Your Blinds

You may not have considered it before, but where you mount your blind can make a big difference to both the look and the level of light control you can achieve. It’s important to get it right so you can get the most out of your investment.

You may have heard the terms Inside Mount or Outside Mount. These refer to where the blind is attached to the window.

Inside mounted blinds are fitted snugly inside the window reveal. Outside Mount, on the other hand, refers to fitting the blinds to the outside face of the window opening. For this reason, Outside Mount is sometimes called face fit.

Utilising both inside mount and outside mount Roller Blinds creates flexibility in privacy and light control. The question is: can your reveal accomodate both?

Why the Mount Matters?

There are three key things to consider when deciding on the mounting option for your blinds:

1. Obstructions

There may be physical obstructions that will prevent the blind from working in one position. For example, there may be mullions, handles or locks that prevent a blind from working correctly when mounted inside the window frame.

In this case we would advise you to outside mount your blind.

2. Fabric Allowance

Some blinds, such as roman blinds and panel glides, can experience a relaxing of the fabric over time.

While an allowance is already provided when the blinds are made, some fabrics will relax more than others in certain conditions. When this does occur and the blind is inside mounted, the fabric tends to gather at the bottom of the window sill.

It is for this reason that we always recommend outside mounting for both roman blinds and panel glides. When outside mounted, the blind will simply hang slightly longer past the window opening and will still look great.

3. Light Block

Although the window size is the same, a blind made for Inside Mount will be smaller than the window opening and one made for outside mount will be larger to cover the whole opening. Makes sense, right? Well consider this.

Generally speaking an inside mounted blind will have a small gap between the blind itself and the window frame. This gap is caused by the space required for the mounting brackets and also gives the blind enough space to operate effectively without catching on the window frame. This gap will let a small amount of light through.

If you do require a full light block solution, there are various options available to you. Contact us to talk it over with one of our expert product consultants.

While there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to mounting options, it’s important to understand the look and functionality you can achieve with each. That way you can be sure you’re making the right decision in purchasing blinds you’ll love for years to come.