Outside Mount Roller
Shade Side Channel

Finally A Solution that Solves the Light-Gap and Privacy Issues Associated with Outside Mount Roller Blinds

Here at Sleepy Time Tracks our focus is always on how to block light coming in through window blinds, and shades. Our original L-Shaped Tracks have already helped thousands of people block the light along the sides of their blackout blinds, honeycomb shades, and more.

But to be painfully honest, if there is one area of improvement for our tracks, it was with Outside-Mount Roller Shades.

Problems with Outside Mount Roller Shades

Outside mount roller shades pose unique problems.

  • In terms of light-leaking through the gaps are generally wider which lets more light in.
  • In terms of privacy, prying eyes can see through the gaps.
  • In terms of aesthetics often times the edges curl up.

Customers using these types of outside mounts tend to go through the trouble of finding a way to fix the problem such as using expensive curtains or taping something like a vertical blind slat on the edge so that it overlaps and covers the gaps.

Using curtains can change the entire look of a room and covering the gaps with other materials seems a bit tacky.

So we went to work on coming up with a solution for Outside-Mount Roller Shades.

outside mount roller shade with curled edges

Developing a Solution for Roller Shades with Outside Mounts

From what I’ve seen working in this industry for nearly 30 years is that most suppliers of window treatments do not offer a solution for outside mount applications.

The products out there are channels designed specifically for their inside-mount roller shades. These channels are made from metal and mounted to your wall with screws. They are difficult for the average homeowner to trim to size, and in many cases, require an expensive installer visit to have them mounted. Plus they are sold to work only with the manufacturer’s brand of shade products.

The bottom line is that nobody out there was making an after-market application for outside mount roller shades that could be installed by a homeowner. Plus when we dug a little deeper, the products being offered were made in China, but still carried a hefty price tag.

So when we were developing a solution we knew we needed to stick with our core principles of :

  • Do-It-Yourself Installations
  • Can be used in most outside-mount applications
  • Material must be light, durable and easy to trim to length
  • Must be made in the USA
  • Must be affordable to the average consumer
  • Must be backed by our 100% Guarantee

The Solution – Sleepy Time Track Roller Shade Side Channel

Many months and prototypes later we finally came up with a workable idea. It’s an idea we’ve been sitting on for while, but held off on pulling the trigger until now. We held off while our customers tested the new prototypes, and part of the testing was to make sure they could be used with the majority of existing roller blind applications.

We’re very happy to announce that the results are in! Our new U-Channels for outside mount roller shades passed our customers in-home testing with flying colors.

The first innovated solution for outside mounted roller shades – our roller shade side channel:

  • Works on doors or windows
  • Effectively blocks sun light
  • Elegant design
  • No more peeping Tom’s
  • Easy to install
  • Affordable
  • Made in the USA
  • Backed by our 100% Guarantee
  • Patent Pending

 

close up of Channel-tracks-side-view original

What you get and how to install

  • U-Channels come as a set of two
  • They come in either 60″ or 72″ lengths
  • They are designed to be trimmed on site with a pair of utility scissors or tin snips.
  • They come in either a Removable (magnetic) or Permanent (special foam tape) version.
  • Removable version uses magnetic tape to attach to your wall or trim and can be removed and reinstalled at your convenience.
  • Permanent version uses a special foam tape to attach to your wall or trim. What makes it special is the adhesive we use. The side that is stuck to the channel is permanent and is not removable but the side that attaches to your wall is much more forgiving. It can be removed with little to no damage.

 

Watch This Video For Assembly and Installation Instructions.

Sleepy Time Tracks have helped thousands of people across America, Canada, Europe and Australia get better sleep.

Sky

Perfect solution to block out light in our bedroom.
Make sure you order the right quantity as they are sold in a set as well as individually. I had to place another order after making that mistake, but it was definitely worth it. Very happy with the look of this solution.

The adhesive strip could not be easier to install, and it is extremely secure. I also find having the channels on magnets is a real advantage. Not only is is just as secure as regular adhesive, it also has the huge Benefit of being able to remove and replace at anytime for any reason you would need to work on the window eg washing screens etc.

The seller was a pleasure to work with and the product has really improved quality of life, because it works!

Sky

Verified Purchase - amazon.com

Coconut

We have blackout cellular blinds. It is amazing how much light comes in thru the small gap at each end. I wake up at dawn or when the yard light goes on. I saw these, thin, black non-reflective inside – Exactly what I was looking for. I’m a DYI type, some say too perfectionist, so I took off the magnetic strip and used very small flathead screws. If the gap blockers fit in the gap between the shade and the blind with the magnetic strip, even less light would come through. If I were to do it again, I’d go with the magnetic strips first. Either way, they must be removable incase you need to remove the blind. They work very well at darkening the room. But with cellular blinds and the need for some gap at the ends, it is not possible to be completely dark. This goes for the door too, when the room is very dark the small crack at the door bottom lets in an amazing amount of light. All-In-All it is much darker at dawn and I am very pleased. I am quite surprised at how well they blend into the window, you don’t even notice them.

Coconut

Verified Purchase - amazon.com

Christina

I am so grateful for Sleepy Time Tracks. They were so easy to install and they are very effective. I had spent a lot of money hiring a major window covering company to make a custom blackout solution for me, but so much light still leaked through the sides of the blind and curtains. I was really disappointed, but Sleepy Time Tracks solved the light leak. My baby sleeps so well in her dark room! I love that they’re removable, they were shipped to me in Canada very quickly, and very reasonably priced.

Christina

Verified Purchase - sleepytimetracks.com

Brenda

We have not had a good night sleep in years due to the light coming in from the sides of our blinds. We thought about ordering new blinds but saw this system and thought we would give it a try. WOW!!!! What a difference! No more light coming in. Our bedroom is totally dark now, finally. On another note, installation took less than 5 minutes. We will be ordering these for all bedroom windows. Great service from Bob. Excellent communication. Super fast shipping. Well worth the price.

Brenda

Verified Purchase - etsy.com

Jennifer

I work night shift. if you do too, you know the frustration of trying to catch a little sleep during the day. I have room-darkening honeycomb curtains, but light sneaks through around the edges. I would often sleep facing away from the window to try to combat this problem, but you can only sleep on one side for so long! I found the Sleepy Time Tracks while desperately searching Amazon after a less-than-perfect daytime nap. I am so impressed with the ease and quality of this product! I would pay TWICE the price for the benefits!! Easy to install, blocks out 98% of the extra light, and sooo worth the price for quality sleep. I wish I had found this years ago!! So grateful for this product!

Jennifer

Verified Purchase - amazon.com

Jillian

We have a 6 month old who needs her room to be dark when taking naps. We bought black out shades and curtains but nothing helped the light from coming in from the sides. A quick google search and we found SleepyTime Tracks! Worth every penny! Our little one sleeps so much better now which makes her parents happy campers! 10/10 would recommend and I have to other Mommas of newborns!

Jillian

Verified Purchase - sleepytimetracks.com

LOVE IT OR SEND IT BACK

NO STRINGS ATTACHED

Questions?  Look Here.

What do you mean by Channel?

The channel is a recessed pathway for the shades edge to follow as it opens and closes.  The closer the shades edge to the back wall of the channel the more light can be blocked.  I drew this to illustrate what I mean.

example showing channel for outside mount roller shades

What's the difference between these Channels and your L-Tracks?

Our new U-Channel Strips are designed to work best with Outside Mount Roller Shades.  Our L-Tracks are for most other blinds & shades.

Can I remove the channels without damaging my wall

The magnetic or removable version uses a very strong adhesive designed to withstand various temperature changes and will  damage your wall when removing. For best results heat with a blow dryer first. The foam tape or permanent version you can remove with little to no damage to your wall. In either case you cannot restick them once removed.

What colors do the channels come in?

They are avalible in white with black on the inside to absorb light or black /black.

Can I paint the channels any color I want?

Absolutely Yes!  You can paint them any color to match the decor.

Why is a single channel shipped as two pieces?

The side channels are ship in two pieces which require a little assembly. We do this because it is so much eaiser to trim to size.

How long will it the channels take to install

Plan on about 30 mins, but mostly like it will only take 15-20 minutes.  You’ll need a pencil and some tin snips or kitchen shears.  WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW TO SEE HOW TO INSTALL