Although solar shades come with many benefits, one of their very few limitations is the existence of approximately 5/8” of a gap on each of their sides. These gaps exist due to the structure of the solar shade, which includes a clutch system and a pin on the ends of the roller tube and therefore prevent the fabric from “hugging” the window casing. As you may have guessed, this poses an issue for those wanting to achieve complete room darkening.
One of the ways to remedy this problem is by mounting the shade outside of the window casing. However, as the fabric of the shade will project outward approximately 1/2” from the wall, some light leakage may still occur. Additionally, this mounting technique may not be as aesthetically pleasing to some users.
Fortunately, window treatment manufacturers have recognized that the light (or edge) gaps of solar shades impact their suitability as a blackout product, and as a result created the supplemental aluminum blackout channels. These channels are installed on the sides and sill of the window casing and come with a color-coordinated 4” aluminum fascia top treatment to ensure that the opening is concealed in its entirety. The blackout channels are 2” wide for sufficient coverage and solely require 1” of depth inside of the window casing. Finally, they have a sleek appearance and have become quite popular in modern residential properties and commercial settings, such as schools, offices, and assisted living facilities.
We encourage you to schedule your Free In-Home Consultation to learn about integrating blackout solar shades and channels into your home.