Measuring, ordering and installing · Rolling Shutter Guide
What mistakes should I avoid when ordering a custom rolling shutter?
Most ordering problems are details left unsaid, not bad tape readings. Say whether each size is the clear opening or the overall size, check there is room for the box, list every remote and switch, mark the mount type and control side, label every opening, settle colors once, and specify furring, U-channel, locks and delivery before the shutter is built.
Key facts
- When a customer's size and a field measurement disagree, the cause is often a clear-opening number entered as an overall size, or the reverse. Roll-A-Shield data
- The control side (left or right) is set separately for each shutter and must be confirmed for every opening before production starts. Roll-A-Shield data
- For a surface mount you send the inside (clear-opening) size; for a recessed mount you send the overall size the whole shutter must fit, one or the other for each opening. Roll-A-Shield data
- A motor change can be made until the materials are cut; after that it cannot, and in some cases it would scrap material. Roll-A-Shield data
- Add-on key locks and slide locks are for manual shutters only; they are not available on motorized shutters. Roll-A-Shield data
Applies to: Custom rolling shutters ordered by size from any manufacturer; Roll-A-Shield shutters ordered on the Measurement and Order Sheet, for self-install, dealer or Phoenix-area installation.
A custom rolling shutter is built to exactly what the order says, so the expensive mistakes are the details nobody wrote down or changed later. Each item below is a decision the Roll-A-Shield measurement and order sheet asks for, opening by opening; a size, side or option left blank, unclear or changed after the order is placed is what forces a correction, a revised quote or a rebuild. The list is not in order of frequency.
What are the fourteen mistakes?
| # | Mistake | What to do instead |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | A size with no label | Say whether it is the clear opening or the overall size |
| 2 | No room checked for the box | Confirm the space above or inside the opening before ordering |
| 3 | Motor and controls left vague | List every remote, switch and keypad |
| 4 | Mount type unclear | Mark surface or recessed, per opening, per side if they differ |
| 5 | No manual override where it matters | Add one on a door or window that must open in a power cut |
| 6 | Control side left blank | Mark left or right for every opening |
| 7 | Openings not labeled | Number every opening and use the same numbers everywhere |
| 8 | Delivery not arranged | Say ship or pick up, and note anything that limits a freight truck |
| 9 | Accessories left off | List extra remotes, wands and storm bars |
| 10 | Color changed after ordering | Choose slat and box-and-rail colors once, before you sign |
| 11 | Furring not specified | Measure anything that sticks out past the wall |
| 12 | Slat and box options not stated | Say end retention, reverse mount or box access up front |
| 13 | U-channel not decided | Order one where the sill gives no flat landing |
| 14 | Lock type or side missing | On a manual shutter, name the lock and its side |
How do I send sizes without confusing anyone?
Label every number, and send one kind of size per opening.
A size with no label. For a surface mount, send the inside width and height of the opening (the clear opening); the factory adds the rails and box outside it. For a recessed mount, send the overall size of the space the whole shutter must fit inside. The order sheet asks you to pick one for each opening. When a size and a field measurement disagree, the cause is often a clear-opening number entered as an overall size, or the reverse. Record the smallest and largest reading of each dimension, because openings are not always square. The full method is on how to measure for a rolling shutter.
No room checked for the box. The box grows with the curtain height: the sizing chart picks the smallest box that holds the rolled curtain, from 6.5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12 in. On a recessed mount, measure the height and depth the box must fit into; on a surface mount, check the wall above the opening is clear. See why taller shutters need bigger boxes.
What should I say about the motor and controls?
Name the operation and list every control by type and quantity.
Motor and controls left vague. The order sheet asks for every switch and remote by type and quantity, and the packing list is built from the order, so a control nobody listed does not ship. You do not choose the motor size; it is sized to the curtain's weight. You do choose:
- The operation: spring, pull strap, crank box, wired switch, remote, solar or battery.
- For a wired switch: momentary or maintained paddle switch, its color (white, beige or black), or an outdoor key switch.
- For a remote: handheld 1, 5 or 16 channel, in-wall 1 or 5 channel, key fob, digital keypad or smartphone app, with quantities.
A wired or remote motor needs a power source within 3 ft of the shutter. Solar and battery motors need no house wiring. Choose now: Roll-A-Shield does not build shutters to be motorized later.
No manual override where it matters. A manual override lets you open a motorized shutter by hand with a wand if the power fails. It is available on wired and remote motors, not on solar or battery motors. The trade-offs: limits are then set with buttons on the motor rather than from the remote, and override motors do not have obstacle detection. Decide for each opening, especially doors and any window you would need to open in an outage.
What do I need to say about mounting and sides?
Mount type, control side and opening labels, for every opening.
Mount type unclear. Mark surface (box and rails on the wall face) or recessed (inside the opening) for every opening; the choice also decides which size you send. If one rail lands on the wall face and the other inside a reveal, say so: mixed surface-recessed mounts can be built, but only if the order says so. See inside vs. outside mount.
Control side left blank. Mark left or right for each opening, as seen looking at the front of the shutter box. It is set per shutter, so a multi-opening order can mix sides, and there is no safe default: a side nobody chose can come out on the wrong side, and a motor on the wrong side means a corrected build. How to choose is on which side the motor, strap or crank should be on.
Openings not labeled. The order sheet has a unit number and a location for every opening; fill in both and use the same names on your photos. On Phoenix-area installs, Roll-A-Shield numbers shutters left to right as seen from inside the building, like reading a book, so the installers can match each shutter to its opening.
What else must be decided before the shutter is built?
Delivery, accessories, colors and the options below all change what gets cut and packed.
Delivery not arranged. Say whether the order ships or is collected; collection from Tempe is weekdays after 1 PM. For freight, put any delivery-address problem on the order, such as no loading dock or a steep grade; Roll-A-Shield's freight policy does not cover delivery problems caused by address conditions that were not recorded.
Accessories left off. Extra remotes, override wands and storm bars are separate items; one added after the order is written means a revised contract. A patio or carport enclosure with no solid backstop behind the curtain may need a storm bar. List them all at once.
Color changed after ordering. Slat color and box-and-rail color are chosen separately, and a color change after the order is written means a revised contract. Insulated slats come in 7 colors (White, Grey, Metallic, Bronze, Black, Beige, Sand) and single-wall slats in 5. See colors and finish before you choose.
Furring not specified. If a door handle, casement hinge or trim sticks out past the wall, the shutter needs furring to stand clear of it. Roll-A-Shield furring is 1 × 2 in tube, powder coated to match the rails; say whether it goes on all sides, the top, the bottom or the sides. See furring and build-outs.
Slat and box options not stated. End retention, which holds each slat in the rail, is only available on the single-wall extruded slat: choose none, every other slat or every slat. A reverse mount (often used for TV enclosures, for a flush look that hides the box) and an easy-access panel on the box are also special orders.
U-channel not decided. A U-channel gives the closed curtain a flat place to land when the sill does not, and adds a light seal. It cannot go where people walk, because it is a trip hazard. See do I need a U-channel?
Lock type or side missing. Add-on locks are key locks or slide locks on manual shutters only, not on motorized ones; say in the notes which side you want the lock, box side or back side. See how rolling shutters lock.
When can I still change the order?
Until production starts; once the shutter is in production, changes are generally not possible. A change after the deposit, such as the mount style or motor side, means a revised quote and a fresh signature: the original deposit is refunded and collected again on the revised agreement. Once the materials are cut, a motor change can no longer be made, and in some cases it would scrap material. Shutters are built in about 10 business days, so settle the details before you sign.
In metro Phoenix, a Roll-A-Shield technician takes a final measure before the order goes to production. A shipped order is built to the sheet you send, so check every field and send a photo of each opening with it.
Watch it done
Roll-A-Shield Measure Guide
The written steps on this page are the reference; the video shows the same job.
Frequently asked questions
Can you quote from rough sizes or photos?
Rough width and height are enough for a ballpark price. The final price and the build sizes always come from a proper measure: Roll-A-Shield's own final measure in metro Phoenix, or your completed measure sheet for a shipped order.
Do I choose the motor size?
No. The motor is sized to the weight of the curtain, worked out from its width, height and slat, not from its square footage. You choose the type of operation and the controls.
Can I change my order after paying the deposit?
Usually, until production starts. A design change such as the mount style or motor side means a revised quote: the original deposit is refunded and collected again once the revised agreement is signed. Once the shutter is being built, changes are generally not possible.
Do I need one override wand for every shutter?
Not necessarily. On an order with several manual-override motors, say how many wands you want; most customers do not need one per shutter.
Parts and next step
Need a part or a hand?
Fill in the measure sheet, attach a photo of each opening, and send it with your questions before you order. Call (480) 921-0200; the factory answers technical questions for any rolling shutter, not only ours.