Best Cordless exterior roller shades for your home

Keystone Fabrics cordless exterior roller shades

The Keystone Fabrics Premium Outdoor Sun Shade is a remotely operated cordless roller shade. It works by attaching heavy-duty roller shade brackets to the top of the shade that can be operated by a remote that is included in the packaging. The included remote is programmed to handle up to five shades at one time. You also need a CR2 battery in the motor for it to function which is included in the box. The roller shade clutch parts are easy to install and a comprehensive guide to the installation comes with if you’re unsure of how to proceed. 

Keystone Fabrics has a longstanding tradition of coming up with premium furniture and this is no different. This type of roller shade can be quite a boon for the elderly who have trouble getting up. Every little bit of saved effort can make their lives easier. It might seem a bit extravagant, and for those who need it, its a lifesaver

Material wise, its made with durable PVC coated polyester fabric that blocks up to 90% of UVA. This holds true for the Caribbean and Kona versions while the Tropic Bahama blocks 85% and the Maui blocks 72% UVA. So, if your main concern is blocking UVA then go for one of the first two colors. 

Green Mountain Roller Shade

The Green Mountain Vista Textured Cordless Roller Shade is one of our personal favorites on this list. The chief reason being its simplicity. It doesn’t bother with intricate roller shade clutch parts or hard to affix side channels but simply uses one headrail to be affixed to the inside or the outside of a window, depending on the window construction. Since it is easy to install, all you need to worry about is whether or not you have the right size, the quality is a guarantee. It comes in various standard sizes that are all available at the store. 

This version is made of Wicker material that goes along with a lot of types of decor and furniture. It gives off an earthy tone that can fit in almost any living space without worry. It uses a roller shade hem grip that pretty straightforward to understand. The bottom is slightly weighted so it doesn’t flap with every little bit of wind. 

Windowsandgarden Custom Cordless Single Cell Shades

Often times the major concerns when making this type of purchase (Roller shades, curtains etc.) is that the measurements are absolutely correct. Most sellers include all the standard measurements a window usually has. But what you have is even slightly non-standard, it becomes a huge headache to get the absolute right size of outside mount roller shade brackets or the right roller shade clutch kit. 

With the Windowsgarden Custom Cordless exterior roller shades that is not a concern. Before you make a purchase the company forces you to provide the correct measurements and they make it all custom just for you. Since the burden of providing the correct readings of height and width fall on you, you can satisfy yourself first before entrusting the task to the company. 

As we are talking about cordless exterior roller shades here, you can just provide the height and width you want the roller shade to be and they’ll deliver you exactly that. But if you are talking about interior roller shades then you have to do some mental gymnastics and provide 1/8th of an inch less for the sides so the roller shade side channel can fit snugly without overlapping with the window sill.

Luckily, if you mess up the Windowsgarden company is known for their excellent customer service. You can simply contact them and explain the problem and they’ll take it back and replace it with what you need. 

Coolaroo Exterior Roller Shade

When it comes to roller shades, be they cordless exterior roller shades or interior ones, Coolaroo has the niche cornered in the online market. They’re the most prevalent company that manufactures these products and they have a wide variety for both interiors and exteriors. One standout feature of roller shades at Coolaroo is the UV protection.

This particular model provides a whopping 90% UV protection which is the best you’re likely to get, even from other companies. The fabric used in these roller shades is Polyethylene, a weather-resistant, stain-resistant material that can withstand some wear and tear. 

Like Windowsgarden, there is no roller shade side channel here nor is there any need for roller shade clutch parts as the entire construction is very simple. All you need to do is fix the headrail of the shade to a steady surface and provide some space on the side for the crank. You pull up the shade by rotating the attached crank on the side and lower it by rotating it again in the opposite direction. The construction is aluminum made which makes the entire construct light and sturdy though not overly so.

While the Windowsgarden roller shades were meant to be used on top of windows, the Coolaroo shades are a bit more flexible, they can be used on windows as well as on Patios and other outdoor spaces that require a bit of shade from the sun. While the shades themselves are plenty sturdy, its best to cover up the aluminum crank on the sides as it can be affected by heavy rain or prolonged exposure to dust. Just wrap a cheap cloth around it like a sleeve and you’re good to go. 

Springblinds 100% Blackout Roller Shade

The Springblinds Cordless exterior roller shades can be installed on the inside or outside of windows. For an inside installation, provide the measured of the inseam of windows, and for outside measure 3 inches more on all sides so the roller shades can cover everything. 

Unlike our previous mentions, the Springblinds roller shades require the use of roller shade brackets inside mount (for inside installation), outside mount roller shade brackets (for outside installation), and roller shade clutch parts for both. Luckily, all of these are provided with the packaging so you don’t have to go looking at your local hardware store. In-depth and clear instructions are provided in the form of pictures on the amazon page of the product which can easily explain the installation process. 

Like Windowsgarden, you can order custom made roller shades according to your preferences if you don’t find a suitable offering on-site. Owing to the lengthy installation process, you get a few added benefits. The major one being the slow rise system. This system allows the roller shades to rise up very slowly. This prevents children from getting their hands stuck or your pets being startled by the shades moving erratically. The blinds also provide the best UV protection possible for a layer of safety. 

Outsunny roller shade with UV Protection & Crank

The Outsunny Retractable Cordless Exterior Roller Shade is quite similar to the Coolaroo roller shade we’ve mentioned previously. It comes without any roller shade clutch parts or heavy-duty brackets that are impossible to mount without a degree in civil engineering. It is all very casual and you can easily get it up and working in less than fifteen minutes. 

It is multipurpose, it can be used as a replacement for curtains in a modern home or as a UV protection layer at the balcony allowing you to enjoy your coffee without distraction. Though it is cordless, it comes with a manual crank that hangs by the side. You twist the crank to lower the shade and vice versa. Unlike the Coolaroo model, this crank is much less intrusive and doesn’t stick out nearly as much and we prefer this crank as far as aesthetics go. You get hanging metal rods at the bottom which can be fastened when the roller shade is completely lowered to prevent it from flapping in the wind. 

Coolaroo Exterior roller shades

This model of the Coolaro Cordless Exterior Roller Shade is very much the same as the previous version mentioned above with a few key differences. The biggest being the color. While that model had a more earthy tone, this model comes in two colors, Almond and Sesame, which are both shades of light pink. The decor needs to match the shade for it to work otherwise it might end up being an eyesore. 

Material wise, the headrail is made of aluminum that’s a light and sturdy metal, preventing the shade from getting too heavy. The crank and the bottom metal rods are also made of aluminum. The bottom rods can be fastened to the bottom when the shade is fully unfolded to prevent any flapping in the wind. The fabric is made of high-density polythene which is a breathable fabric. It also provides 80% UV block protection which is not as good as the Springblinds but still passable. 

RADIANCE Cord Free roll-up shades

Our personal favorite roller shade on this list is the Radiance Cord-Free Roll-up Reed shade. Why? Aesthetics. There is something about the tropical look of a Reed shade that brings out the giddy feeling when you’re about to go on a vacation. And that is a very attractive quality for us. On top of that, the darkened reed, almost woody color fits with almost any decor making a very safe choice if you’re unsure of what to get.

The Reeds are actual reeds from a natural source and the entire roller shade is entirely handcrafted. This type of shade is meant to be used on a balcony or a patio to provide some mood lighting in the afternoon. The light gets filtered off by the shade and falls in mesmerizing patterns on the floor. Since these are all-natural shades don’t expect any UV protection from these as they don’t have any. The sunlight is being filtered in a more direct sense.

When it comes to installation, these are perhaps the easiest shades to install in this entire list. All you need are two nails hammered into the wall where these shades are supposed to go and you hang up the shade by them like you would hang a painting. There are small fastening on the bottom of the shades that function as a stopgap and prevent the shades from falling down all the way if you don’t want them to. Simply lift them up to the required height and fasten the wooden keys to prevent them from falling further.