Applications · Rolling Shutter Guide
Can a rolling shutter go over a skylight or be mounted horizontally?
No. A rolling shutter only works vertically. The curtain relies on gravity to drop down the guide rails and rolls up into a box at the top, so it cannot lie flat over a skylight, follow a pitched roof or pergola, or run sideways. Laid flat or at an angle, the curtain would not come down properly and would jam.
Key facts
- Roll-A-Shield shutters are built to be mounted vertically only; none has been tested for horizontal use, and staff decline skylight and angled jobs. Roll-A-Shield data
- The box always goes at the top: the curtain is lowered by gravity, and a curtain run on its side starts jamming. Roll-A-Shield data
- A sloped sill or threshold is different: the shutter stays vertical and the rails are made to their own lengths as a custom job. Roll-A-Shield data
Applies to: Rolling shutters (roll-down shutters with a top box and side guide rails), any make; Roll-A-Shield shutters of every slat and operator.
The question comes up for skylights, flat-roof hatches, glass pergola roofs and sloped sunroom glazing: can a rolling shutter lie flat or at an angle and cover them? The answer for a roll-down shutter is no, and the reason is in how it works.
Why does a rolling shutter only work vertically?
Because gravity does half the job. A rolling shutter's box sits at the top; when the shutter closes, the curtain unrolls and drops down the guide rails under its own weight, and it rolls back up into the box to open. Turned on its side or laid flat, nothing pulls the curtain along the rails, and it starts to jam.
Roll-A-Shield has no shutter tested for horizontal use, cannot guarantee how one would perform laid flat, and declines skylight requests whether the glass is flat or at an angle such as 45 degrees. This applies to every operator: motor, solar, wired or manual, the shutter still has to stand upright.
Can a shutter follow a sloped roof or pergola?
No. A shutter cannot be built at an angle for a pergola roof. Where an opening sits under a sloped roof line, the shutter still goes straight across; on one recorded call, staff said that hiding or closing the angled space above it, for example with a facade, is work for another company.
The vertical sides of a pergola, patio or carport are a different matter: those openings are enclosed with shutters regularly. See Enclosing a patio, lanai or carport.
Does a sloped sill count?
No, a sloped sill or threshold is not the same problem, because the shutter itself still hangs vertically. There is no standard product for it; each one is handled as a custom job, for example by making the two side rails to their own true lengths and setting the box height from the taller side. Send photos and the measurements of both sides.
Which orientations are possible?
Any vertical one. A Roll-A-Shield shutter can mount on the outside wall, inside the window or door opening, or on the inside wall of the room, facing either way. A reverse mount turns the box to face into a cabinet or wall so it can be hidden; see What is a reverse-mount shutter? and Can security shutters go inside?.
Nothing in the range slides open sideways like a mall gate either; every shutter rolls up and down.
What can I use over a skylight instead?
Roll-A-Shield does not know of a horizontally mounted shutter product to recommend. If the goal is to darken a room, a shutter on the room's vertical windows is the part that can be done; see Can rolling shutters black out a room?. For any other unusual opening, send photos and call (480) 921-0200 before ordering.
Frequently asked questions
What about a small skylight?
Size makes no difference. Even a small skylight is horizontal or sloped, and the shutter only works vertically.
Can the curtain roll sideways, like a mall gate?
No. Roll-A-Shield makes nothing that slides open sideways; every shutter rolls up and down.
Can I put shutters on the sides of a pergola?
On the vertical openings, yes: patios, pergolas and carports are enclosed with shutters regularly. What cannot be done is the roof.
Parts and next step
Need a part or a hand?
Replacement motors, remotes, straps, slats and hardware ship from our Tempe, Arizona factory. Phoenix-area owners can book a service visit; everywhere else, our technicians help by phone. Call (480) 921-0200; the factory answers technical questions for any rolling shutter, not only ours.