Monday, January 10, 2011

Do It Yourself Blinds - Inside or Outside Mount

Once you decide to put up your own blinds, you have a key decision to make...

For each window, are you going to do an "inside" mount or an "outside" mount? Most designers prefer an inside mount for aesthetic reasons. The depth of the window jamb will determine if an inside mount is an option. For most applications, you are going to need at least 1/4" to 1/2" of depth to mount on the inside. Check with your blinds provider if you have questions about the requirements of your particular blind. For a full "flush" inside mount on a 2" blind, you would typically need about 2 1/2" to 2 3/4" of depth to the jamb.
The stained blind to the left has about 3/4 of an inch to mount to. It is mounted inside but sticks out (not flush mount). Note the partial returns on the valance to cover the bracket. They can typically be ordered to size or ordered full and cut on site.

To the manufacturer of the blind, the inside or outside mount designation signifies two things...1) Type of bracket - an inside mount bracket needs to be able to mounted to the side or above and an outside mount bracket needs to be able to be mounted to the wall. Most brackets are made to work in multiple mounts types. 2) Size of the blind/shade - Ordered as an Outside mount, the blind will typically come at the exact size specified. Ordered as an Inside mount, the blind will come with some deduction (i.e. 1/4" or 1/2") to the width. This is done to accommodate the bracket and any variation in the window jamb measurements.

The shade pictured is a flush mounted inside mount woven wood.

To find additional information about measuring and ordering window treatments, you can go to our online blinds ordering site.... www.buyblindsnow.com.