A metal tape, a cordless drill and an afternoon is usually all it takes. Here’s the full process from unpacking your panels to the final check, step by step.
Six stages in about a minute, from opening the boxes to the last bead of caulk.
It starts on its own once it scrolls into view and pauses when it leaves. Use the arrows or the numbered chapters to jump; the button becomes Replay at the end. If your device has “reduce motion” switched on, each stage appears as still frames instead of moving — that is deliberate.
Pre-drill fixing holes in both the shutter frame and the window recess before securing the frame — this keeps everything sitting flush and stops the material cracking. If you're drilling into brick or masonry, switch to a masonry drill bit and fit a wall plug first, so the self-tapping screw has something solid to grip.
Every order that includes a frame arrives as separate lengths, ready to click together on site.
Lay the frame pieces out on a soft surface or the packaging card so nothing gets scratched. Match each pair of corners, then push the corner connectors into the slots at each end until the joint sits flush. A light tap with a mallet is usually enough to seat them fully — check each corner is square with your spirit level before you move on.
How the frame goes in depends on whether you ordered an inside (recess) or outside (face) fit — pick the one you chose in the design centre.
Offer the assembled frame up into the recess and check it sits square using packers behind the frame where the opening isn’t perfectly even — a few millimetres out is normal and the frame will absorb it. Pre-drill through the frame into the reveal down each side at every hinge point — if a panel only has two hinges, add a third hole halfway between them — plus one hole at the top of the frame, then fix with the screws supplied. Once it’s square and secure, run a bead of sealant around the outer edge in wet areas (bathrooms, laundries) to keep moisture out.
Recesses are rarely perfectly square. Pack out the gap behind the frame rather than forcing screws in tight — a squarely fitted frame is what keeps your louvres opening and closing smoothly for years.
Hold the assembled frame up to the wall, centred over the window opening, and check it’s level and plumb before marking your fixing points. Pre-drill and plug the wall where needed, then screw the frame back through the wall down each side at every hinge point — if a panel only has two hinges, add a third hole halfway between them — plus one hole at the top of the frame. Because the frame sits proud of the opening rather than inside it, there’s no sealant needed — just make sure it’s firmly anchored, particularly along the bottom rail which carries the weight of the panels.
Check level and plumb before you drive a single screw — it’s much easier to adjust the frame's position now than after the panels are hung.
Your panels arrive with the hinges already attached — simply align the hinge pins with the frame and click each panel into place. Open and close every panel a few times to check the louvres tilt smoothly through their full range. If a panel feels loose or stiff, the tension screws on either side of the panel can be adjusted a quarter-turn at a time until it moves freely but holds its position when set.
Before you finish, make sure nothing obstructs the louvres as they rotate — window handles, deep architraves and other panels all need a clear path. The wider your louvres, the more room they need behind the panel: 63 mm louvres need around 35 mm clearance, 89 mm need around 47 mm, and 114 mm need around 62 mm.
Hand it to a tradesperson — we can recommend installers in your suburb — or book a free design session and we’ll talk you through the fit for your specific windows.
Book a free design sessionPrefer a person? Call 1300 053 147, Monday–Friday 9am–3pm AWST.