Parts, boxes, rails and mounting · Rolling Shutter Guide
Can security shutters go on the inside of a window or door?
Yes. A rolling security shutter can mount on the outside wall, inside the window or door opening, or on the room's inside wall. Outside gives the most security and storm protection, because the barrier is in front of the glass; inside leaves the exterior unchanged, which is why HOAs, landlords and historic homes ask for it.
Key facts
- Roll-A-Shield shutters can mount on the exterior face, inside the opening (in the jamb or reveal), or as a surface mount on the inside of the building, and can face either direction. Roll-A-Shield data
- An inside or reverse mount is a different build from an outside mount: it changes the sizes, the box orientation and, for a mount in the jamb, the axle end parts, so the mount is set on the order and confirmed at the measure. Roll-A-Shield data
- The box is roughly square in section, so allow roughly its height in depth; one reverse-mount job needed about 7 to 7-1/2 in of depth, so the figure is confirmed for each opening. Roll-A-Shield data
- Handles, cranks or hinges that stick out on the shutter's side are cleared with furring, which stands the shutter 1 or 2 in further out. Roll-A-Shield data
Applies to: Rolling security shutters on windows and doors; Roll-A-Shield 38 mm and 55 mm insulated and 63 mm single-wall shutters, manual or motorized, mounted outside, in the opening or inside the room.
Most rolling security shutters go on the outside of the house, but they do not have to. Roll-A-Shield shutters can be mounted inside the opening or inside the room, and can face either way, so "can I put it on the inside?" has a plain answer: yes. The choice trades some protection for an unchanged exterior, and it changes how the shutter is built.
Where can a security shutter be mounted?
There are three positions, and the exact one for each opening is confirmed at the measure.
| Position | What it is | Security | Look from outside |
|---|---|---|---|
| Outside wall (surface mount) | Box and rails on the exterior face around the opening | Most: the barrier is in front of the glass | Box and rails visible |
| In the opening (in the jamb) | Box and rails fitted inside the window or door reveal | Bars the opening; position relative to the glass depends on the opening | Little or nothing |
| Inside the room (surface mount) | Box and rails on the interior wall, usually facing inward | Bars the opening from inside; the glass is exposed | Unchanged |
Note the naming: an "inside mount" in the trade means inside the opening. A shutter on the wall inside the room is a reverse-mount build. Inside vs outside mount covers the in-the-opening option in detail.
Is an inside shutter as secure as an outside one?
Not quite. An outside shutter is the most secure and gives the fullest storm protection, because it stops an intruder or flying debris before the glass. An inside shutter still bars the opening and gives the same privacy, but the glass in front of it can still be broken, and it does not protect the glass from direct impact. If storm protection is a goal, mount outside; How rolling shutters resist break-ins covers the security side.
Why do HOAs, rentals and historic homes choose inside shutters?
Because an inside shutter leaves the outside of the building exactly as it was. That matters where exterior changes are restricted or not yours to make:
- HOA communities. The objection HOAs raise most often is shutters on the street-facing front of the house; an inside mount is the usual way round it. Get the HOA's approval before you order, because rules vary. Roll-A-Shield can supply photos of the color and box, and spec sheets, for the submission. See HOA approval and permits.
- Rentals. An inside shutter adds security without changing the landlord's exterior.
- Historic homes. Where the facade cannot change, a shutter inside the room or in the opening keeps it untouched.
What changes when a shutter is built for inside?
An inside or reverse mount is a different build, not an outside shutter turned round.
- Sizes. You give the overall space the shutter must fit for a mount in the opening, or the opening size for a surface mount on the inside wall, and the wall thickness enters the math.
- Box and slats. On a reverse mount the box faces inward, and the slats hang the opposite way round on the axle.
- Axle parts. A shutter recessed in the jamb is built with self-bearing axle end parts.
So the mount is set on the order and confirmed at the measure, and switching between inside and outside after production starts costs time.
How much room does an inside shutter need?
Room for the box, clear of anything that opens or sticks out on that side. Boxes run 6.5 to 12 in tall and are roughly square in section, so allow roughly the box's height in depth; that is an approximation, not a dimension. One reverse-mount job needed about 7 to 7-1/2 in of depth (a box about 6-1/2 in deep plus clearance). That is one job, not a rule: the depth is confirmed for your opening.
Before choosing an inside mount, check for anything in the shutter's path: door swings, window cranks, handles and hinges, retractable screens and cabinets. Handles and hinges can be cleared with furring, which stands the shutter 1 or 2 in further out. See What is furring?.
What about power, locks and bedroom windows?
These work much as they do outside.
- Power. A wired motor needs a power source within 3 ft of the shutter. Solar and battery motors need no wiring.
- Locks. A manual shutter can take a key lock or slide lock; you choose which side of the shutter it sits on.
- Bedrooms. If the window is a bedroom's emergency way out, read Rolling shutters on bedroom windows before you choose an operator.
Stop: Mains wiring to a motor is work for a licensed electrician, who follows the motor maker's rule: terminate the motor cable in a listed junction box, and do not run it through the wall.
What next
Send photos of the opening, from inside and outside, with your measurements, and say where you want the shutter. Call Roll-A-Shield at (480) 921-0200 or request a quote.
Frequently asked questions
Is an inside shutter as secure as an outside one?
It still bars the opening, but the glass in front of it is exposed. An outside shutter stops an intruder, or wind-blown debris, before it reaches the glass, which is why Roll-A-Shield treats outside mounting as the most secure.
Do I need HOA approval for shutters mounted inside?
Check your HOA's rules before ordering; they vary. The objection HOAs raise most is shutters on the street-facing front of the house, and an inside mount, which leaves the exterior unchanged, is the usual way round it.
Can I move an outside shutter inside later?
Not as it is. Inside and outside mounts are built to different dimensions and, for a mount in the opening, with different axle end parts, so the mount is decided on the order.
Can a shutter go inside a sliding glass or French door?
Yes, it can be mounted inside, though on a patio slider an outside mount usually looks better. Check the door's swing and handles first; anything that sticks out on the shutter's side needs furring or a different mount.
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.