Blackout Roller Shades with Side Channels
A blackout fabric stops light going through the shade. Side channels stop it going around the shade. If you want a room that is actually dark at 7 a.m., you need both.
Shop Blackout Roller Shades with Side Channels
Made to your exact window size. Prices shown for a 36" × 60" window, shipping included — your size is priced live in the next step.
Quick answers
Do side channels really make a blackout shade darker?
Yes — that is their only job. Blackout fabric already blocks light through the material; what you still see is light leaking around the edges, typically a bright line ¼" to ½" wide down each side and a glow over the top of the roll. Channels cover the sides and the cassette covers the top. The remaining leak is at the bottom rail, which sits against the sill on an inside mount.
Can I use side channels on an outside mount?
Yes. On an outside mount the channels screw to the wall or trim on either side of the window and the shade runs inside them. It works well when the window frame is too shallow for an inside mount, or when the frame is not square enough for channels to sit flat against the jambs.
How much do side channels add to the price?
Side channels are a priced option in the configurator, shown live on the price as you add them, along with the cassette style you choose. The starting prices on this page are for a 36" × 60" shade without the channel option.
Why a “blackout” shade still lets light in
Blackout fabric is opaque — hold it up to the sun and nothing comes through. The problem is never the fabric. A roller shade mounted inside the window frame has to be cut narrower than the opening so it can turn, and that clearance becomes a strip of daylight down each side. At the top, an open roll lets light bounce over the tube. On a bright morning those two leaks light the whole room.
Side channels are aluminum U-profiles fixed to each jamb (or to the wall on an outside mount). The edge of the fabric runs inside the profile, so the clearance is behind metal instead of open to the glass. A cassette headrail does the same job at the top. The only seam left is where the bottom rail meets the sill.
1. Side channels
Cover the running clearance on both sides. The fabric is cut to run inside them.
2. Cassette headrail
Encloses the roll so light can't spill over the top of the tube.
3. Bottom rail to sill
On an inside mount the rail lands on the sill; on an outside mount, order the shade to overlap the sill.
Measuring for side channels
- Inside mount: measure the opening width at the top, middle and bottom and enter the narrowest. We make the deductions for the channels — do not subtract anything yourself. Measure height at left, center and right and enter the tallest so the bottom rail reaches the sill.
- Check the frame is square: if the three width readings differ by more than about ¼", the channels will not sit flat against both jambs and light will show at the wider end. In that case choose outside mount.
- Outside mount: measure the area you want covered and add overlap on each side and above; the channels mount on the wall or trim and the shade is made to that size.
- Limits: 12" to 96" wide, up to 120" tall for the cordless shade; the motorized roller with side channels is made up to 115". Over roughly 72" wide, choose the motor — a wide blackout roll is heavy to lift by hand and a motor keeps it rolling straight inside the channels.
Who these are for
Night-shift sleepers
Daytime darkness that a curtain-and-shade stack never quite delivers.
Bedroom blinds →Nurseries
Naps at 1 p.m. in July. Cordless as standard, no cords within reach.
Nursery blackout shades →Media rooms
No side glare across the screen; the shade disappears into the frame when it's up.
Living room blinds →Migraine and light sensitivity
A dark room on demand, from a remote if you add the motor.
Motorized shades →Channels vs blackout curtains vs blackout cellular
| You care about | Roller + side channels | Blackout curtains | Blackout cellular |
|---|---|---|---|
| Darkness at the edges | Sides and top sealed | Leaks at the sides unless wrapped to the wall | Edge glow ¼–½" each side |
| Footprint | Flat, inside the frame | Stack 6–12" beside the window | Flat, inside the frame |
| Insulation | Basic (single layer) | Good when lined and floor-length | Best — trapped-air cells |
| Sound | Minimal | Some, if heavy | Noticeable reduction |
| Cleaning | Wipe the fabric | Wash or dry-clean | Vacuum with brush |
| Motorized option | Yes | Track motor, separate purchase | Yes |
Short version: for darkness alone, roller with channels. For darkness plus warmth and quiet, a blackout cellular shade. Curtains only when you want the fabric on show.
What the channels change
No halo of light
The fabric runs inside an aluminum U-channel on each side, so the ¼–½" gap a normal inside-mount shade leaves is covered, not just narrowed.
Sealed at the top
A metal cassette headrail encloses the roll, so light can't spill over the top of the tube the way it does on an open-roll shade.
Made to the eighth of an inch
Every shade is cut to your measurement (12" to 96" wide, up to 120" tall; the motorized roller goes to 115"), and our Perfect Fit Guarantee covers the sizing if you follow the guide.
Cordless or motorized
Cordless spring lift by default; add a rechargeable-battery or solar-panel motor and a remote in the configurator if the window is large or high.
Frequently Asked Questions
The questions people ask before adding side channels
Do side channels really make a blackout shade darker?
Yes — that is their only job. Blackout fabric already blocks light through the material; what you still see is light leaking around the edges, typically a bright line ¼" to ½" wide down each side and a glow over the top of the roll. Channels cover the sides and the cassette covers the top. The remaining leak is at the bottom rail, which sits against the sill on an inside mount.
Can I use side channels on an outside mount?
Yes. On an outside mount the channels screw to the wall or trim on either side of the window and the shade runs inside them. It works well when the window frame is too shallow for an inside mount, or when the frame is not square enough for channels to sit flat against the jambs.
How much do side channels add to the price?
Side channels are a priced option in the configurator, shown live on the price as you add them, along with the cassette style you choose. The starting prices on this page are for a 36" × 60" shade without the channel option.
Do side channels block sound?
No. A roller shade is a single layer of fabric and channels are thin aluminum; neither adds meaningful sound insulation. For noise, a blackout cellular shade (honeycomb air pockets) does more — we compare the two below.
Can I add channels to a shade I already own?
Not to a shade bought elsewhere — the fabric has to be cut narrower than the opening to run inside the channels, so channels are specified when the shade is made. If you already have one of our roller shades, contact us with the order number and we will quote a replacement fabric and channel set.
Which is darker: blackout roller with channels or blackout cellular?
Roller with channels. Cellular shades are made without channels, so they keep the side light gap; a blackout cellular is darker than a light-filtering one but still shows an edge glow. If darkness is the goal, roller + channels wins; if you also want insulation and quiet, cellular is the better compromise.
What colors do the channels come in?
The channel and cassette hardware is finished to match the headrail options shown in the configurator; you choose them on the same screen as the fabric so you can see the combination before you order.
Design a blackout shade that is actually dark
Enter your window size, pick the fabric, add the channels. The price updates as you go and shipping is included.