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In this article, I’ll review some installation tips for exterior mount cordless cellular shades. Most online retailers have very good installation instructions and videos, but there are some things they don’t talk about. In this article, I’ll show you some of the techniques I use on a daily basis as a window treatment installer.
Before I go into more detail, I want to take a moment and talk about tools. The right tools make all the difference. Having a power drill will make installing cordless cellular shades much easier. Also, if you don’t already have one, go to the hardware store and buy a 1/4-inch nut driver for $3.00. Use this to drive in the screws.
There are many situations I run into when installing exterior mount cordless cellular shades. It could be mounted to a door, or what’s called a mock interior mount, mounted to metal or concrete. I’m going to go over the three most common, mounting to wood trim, mounting just above the trim to the drywall, and no trim to the drywall.
Mounting on wood trim first… this is the most common and accounts for about 98% of the installations I do. The main thing to be careful about is not to crack the wood. You can do one of two things to prevent it from cracking. One is to pre-drill the holes, this works but it takes too long for me. I prefer the second method which is to use self tapping screws. With self-tapping screws no pre-drilling is required, just drive them in. You can buy a pack of them at any hardware store for a couple of dollars.
The second is mounting above the trim… if you are going above the trim, be sure to order spacer blocks. The spacer blocks will space the bracket from the wall so it can be flush with the trim. Next, you’ll need at least 2-inch screws. They should be long enough to go through the stud, spacer block, drywall, and wood framing. If you use shorter screws, you’ll end up using anchors that won’t be as secure an installation as going into wood.
Third, there is no trim that goes right around the window that opens into the drywall… This is similar to going over the trim, except you don’t need spacer blocks. I would recommend going about 1 1/2 – 2 inches above the opening. This way you will avoid hitting the metal corner flashing, which is not a very secure installation and does not look good.
Well that’s it. The tips I covered here will not be found in an installation video. I recommend taking these tips along with any installation instructions, and armed with both, you’ll be well equipped to complete your top-down and bottom-up wireless cellular shade installation.