How To Install Roller Shutters

If you’re unfamiliar with roller shutters and just beginning to investigate whether they are suited to your home and needs, installation is something you’ve likely pondered. 

When it comes to installing roller shutters, it is not as simple as just screwing them into an existing window frame. No matter how confident you are with DIY or home improvement projects, getting this step right can take time and considerable effort. 

In this guide, we’ll take a look at how roller shutters are installed, why proper installation is so important and why it’s best to engage professional help with this. 

What Are Roller Shutters?

Roller shutters, also known as security shutters are external window coverings that roll up and down into a fixed pelmet and create a seal over the entry points to your home. 

Made using aluminium slats that are filled with insulative foam, these tough exterior window shutters represent a great investment into your home. 

While primarily designed to protect your home from intruders, roller shutters also aid in:

• The creation of a quieter home due to their insulative properties
• Better energy efficiency for a home that is cooler in summer and warmer in winter
• Achieving enhanced privacy
• Blocking light for better control over daylight entering your home 
• Protecting your home during extreme weather events

The Importance Of Proper Installation

With so many great benefits on offer, it is easy to understand why these shutters have become increasingly popular with homeowners Australia-wide. 

However, with this rise in popularity comes challenges in maintaining the quality of both the shutters and the installation process. 

Where several manufacturers allow you to order your shutters and install them yourself, this is strongly recommended against. 

Installation of roller shutters requires specialist knowledge and a variety of tools to achieve the best outcomes. This is especially true for premium shutters such as our Thermoshield roller shutters.

If incorrectly installed, you risk undermining the integrity of the shutters entirely. This can lead to:

• Ineffective security as the shutters can be easily pulled or leveraged out of place
• Improper control of light or noise due to gaps around the shutters
• Poor energy efficiency as heat and cool air can easily enter or escape through any gaps
• Damage to the shutter during use 

If you want the best results possible, only expert installation can achieve this.

Steps Involved In Proper Installation

At Titan Shutters, we take a thorough and professional approach to installing roller shutters that starts with ensuring proper measurement pre-manufacturing for the perfect fit. 

When installing, we:

Measure & Mark

Before fitting each shutter, we check and double-check all measurements and mark out the position of all components and where they will be fixed. 

Install The Shutter Box

Starting with the shutter box, we then firmly anchor this to the window frame or wall. This is properly levelled and fitted before anything else can be done. 

We use appropriate tools and anchors to suit the material on the exterior of your home (i.e. bricks, cladding or similar) for optimal hold and safety. 

Install The Guides

Vital to the smooth operation of your shutters, the guides are vertically fixed to either side of the window. 

Using a level, proper alignment and secure anchors are ensured; failure to manage this step correctly can make your shutters unable to open or close.  

Mounting The Roller Shutter

In this step, we fit the roller shutter into the guides and check that it can move smoothly up and down without any difficulties. 

The shutter curtain is checked to ensure it is properly fixed in place within the shutter box and that all operating mechanisms are functioning as expected. 

Confirming Alignment

At this stage, the alignment of the shutter is checked again. Both its vertical and horizontal position are reviewed to ensure all is level and plumb and any adjustments needed are made. 

Securing The Bottom Rail

An essential component in ensuring your new shutters cannot be forced open, the bottom rail also gives your shutter added stability when closed. 

The bottom rail is installed by firmly anchoring it to the window frame or lintel and the shutters locking mechanisms are checked. 

Operational Mechanisms Installed Or Tested

For motorised shutters, this involves connecting the shutter motor to a power source and testing its operation. Remotes may be programmed at this stage as needed too. 

For manual roller shutters, winders will be installed inside the home and operation also tested and checked. 

Finish & Seal

A step that is often overlooked by DIY installers, sealing any gaps around the shutter guides and shutter box is essential. 

This creates as tight a seal as possible against the elements to eliminate drafts and improve the insulation capability of the shutters. If any flashing needs to be added to improve the seal where larger gaps are present, this will also be done at this stage. 

Clean Up 

Installation can be a messy process – dust from drilling, metal trimmings, leftover materials and more will all need to be cleaned up and disposed of. 

As dedicated installers, we also handle all of this for our clients to leave a pristine result.

Why Engage Professional Help

As indicated above, the installation process is complex and involves several steps. 

Not having the correct tools or failing to properly anchor or seal your roller shutters can cause several issues over their lifetime. From delivering poor performance to causing expensive damage, DIY installations are simply not worth it and risk voiding any warranties. 

Opting to work with a professional makes the entire process efficient, and the results reliable.

Any concerns over the operation, fit or final seal are all expertly dealt with on the spot and should any issues arise down the line, they are typically covered by the product’s warranty. 

The Titan Shutters Difference 

Offering decades of industry experience and an unmatched commitment to quality, the team at Titan Shutters guarantees to expertly manage every aspect of your roller shutters from start to finish. 

Enjoy perfectly fitted, custom-made shutters that are manufactured in Australia and fitted by one of our highly skilled technicians. 

Protect your investment and ensure years of use with utmost peace of mind and without the need for expensive repairs and replacements, contact Titan Shutters today at 1300 020 001.