Inside or Outside Mount Plantation Shutters?

Inside or Outside Mount Plantation Shutters: Which Do You Need?

Before you start measuring for internal window shutters, you need to decide between inside mount and outside mount. Your choice affects how you measure, which frame type you'll need, and how your shutters will look and function once installed.

What Is Inside Mount vs Outside Mount?

Not to be confused with interior vs exterior shutters, both options here refer to interior shutters. The difference is how and where the frame attaches to your window.

Inside Mount Shutters

Inside mount shutters are measured to fit within a recessed window opening. If your window is set back from the wall enough to accommodate the shutter frame, you can consider an inside mount.

You can measure your recess depth from the edge of your wall or window trim, back toward the glass (or first obstruction such as a crank handle, alarm sensor etc.). You can find the depth requirements for inside mount in our inside mount measuring guide.

Outside Mount Shutters

Outside mount shutters are measured to surround your window opening and mount to the wall just outside of the glass area, or on top of your existing trim. You may also hear this referred to as direct mount plantation shutters.

The shutter frame will project out into the room, ideal for cleaning your shutters if your windows or you have limited to no recess depth available.

You can find measuring details in our outside mount measuring guide.

Inside Mount vs Outside Mount: Pros and Cons

Pros and Cons of Inside Mount

Inside mount is a popular choice if your window is deep enough. Inside mount shutters fit inside the window opening and can be pushed back toward the glass for very deep windows, or they can be pulled forward to be flush with the wall. They also offer the benefit of being able to be pulled out slightly past the wall to give you a little extra depth if needed.

Pros:

• Fits neatly within the window recess

• Can be adjusted forward or back within the opening

• Simple to measure — just provide the window opening width and height (smallest of 3 measurements)

• Works with L-Frame and Z-Frame (Face Mount), we handle the rest

Cons:

• May block tilt-in windows from functioning for cleaning

• Can obstruct crank handles and lever locks on crank-out windows

Pros and Cons of Outside Mount

Outside mount is a great choice for windows with limited recess depth, or windows that may not be perfectly level or square.

Pros:

• Ideal for shallow or no recess

• Hides imperfections and gaps in the window opening

• Can replace or act as window molding/trim

• More forgiving if measurements have a slight variance

• Better suited to tilt-in and crank-out windows

Cons:

• Frame projects out into the room

Next Steps

You should now have everything you need to choose between inside and outside mount shutters. If you need more advice, you can contact our helpful team.