Hear from Our Customers
You know the drill. It’s 3 PM in July, and your back patio is basically a convection oven. The furniture’s too hot to touch. The glare makes it impossible to see your phone. And forget about sitting outside for more than five minutes without sweating through your shirt.
Here’s what changes with outdoor roller shades: your patio becomes usable again. The temperature drops by up to 30 degrees in the shade. Your AC isn’t fighting a losing battle against windows that let in as much heat as a space heater. You’re not squinting. Your outdoor furniture stops fading and cracking from UV exposure.
The inside of your house cools down too. Exterior window blinds block heat before it ever hits the glass, which means your AC can actually keep up. Most homeowners in Azle see their cooling costs drop noticeably once they stop letting the sun cook their windows all day.
And if you’re near Eagle Mountain Lake or in one of the newer neighborhoods off 199, you already know how exposed some of these lots are. There’s not always a tree line to help. That’s where outdoor shade blinds make the biggest difference.
A Plus Shutters & Shades grew out of A Plus Home Remodel, a construction company that’s been working in the Arlington and Fort Worth area since 2014. We’re not new to this. We’ve installed thousands of window treatments across Tarrant County, and we know what holds up in Texas heat and what doesn’t.
We’re local. We’re in Arlington, and we serve Azle, Fort Worth, Southlake, Mansfield, and the surrounding area. That means we understand what you’re dealing with—the sun exposure, the afternoon heat, the wind that kicks up near the lake.
We don’t subcontract installations. Our team handles everything from the consultation to the final install, and we use Texas-made products whenever possible. You’re not getting the cheapest option on the market, but you’re getting something that works and lasts.
First, we come to your place in Azle for a free consultation. We measure your windows or patio openings, talk through what you’re trying to solve, and show you samples of different materials and colors. If you want motorized outdoor roller shades, we’ll walk through how that works too—whether you want a remote, wall switch, or phone control.
Once you pick what you want, we order everything custom. Most orders are ready in a few weeks since we work with a USA-based factory. When your shades arrive, we schedule the install at a time that works for you.
Installation usually takes a few hours depending on how many windows or openings we’re covering. We mount the exterior shades to your home’s exterior, make sure everything operates smoothly, and test any motorization. If it’s an outdoor patio blind setup, we’ll also check that the fabric tension is right so it doesn’t sag or flap in the wind.
You’ll know how to operate everything before we leave. And if something ever needs adjusting down the road, you’ve got our number.
Ready to get started?
Every exterior roller shade we install is custom-built for your exact measurements. You’re not buying something off a shelf and hoping it fits. We measure, you choose the material and color, and it gets made specifically for your home.
Materials matter. We offer fabrics that block anywhere from 85% to 95% of UV rays, depending on how much light and heat you want to stop. Some fabrics are see-through from the inside but block the view from outside, which is great if you want privacy without losing your view of the yard or lake. Others are blackout-level if you’re covering a sleeping porch or want total shade.
For Azle homeowners dealing with afternoon sun on west-facing patios, we usually recommend a tighter weave fabric with higher UV block. It makes a noticeable difference in temperature. If you’re covering a large opening, motorization is worth it—managing a 10-foot outdoor shade blind by hand gets old fast.
We also install exterior window blinds on second-story windows where the sun just bakes the glass all day. A lot of people don’t realize how much heat comes through an upstairs window until they block it at the source. Your AC will thank you, and so will your electric bill. In Texas, cooling costs can eat up 50% to 70% of your summer energy use, and most of that is fighting heat gain through windows.
Cost depends on the size of the area you’re covering and what material you choose. For a standard patio opening or large window, you’re typically looking at $150 to $500 per shade. Motorized options add to that, but not as much as most people expect.
If you’re covering a full back patio with multiple openings, the project might run a few thousand dollars. But you’re also cutting your cooling costs and making your outdoor space usable again, which adds real value. We’ll give you an exact quote during the free consultation once we see what you’re working with.
The upfront cost is higher than interior blinds, but exterior shades block heat before it gets inside. That’s way more effective than trying to stop it after it’s already warmed up your house. Most people see a return on investment through lower energy bills within a couple of years.
Yes, if they’re made for outdoor use. The fabrics we install are UV-resistant, water-resistant, and built to handle wind, rain, and sun exposure. Cheap outdoor shades will fade, tear, or stop operating smoothly after a season or two. The ones we use are designed to last.
We’ve had shades up in the Fort Worth and Azle area for years with no issues. Texas weather is tough—high heat, sudden storms, plenty of wind—but outdoor-grade materials are made for exactly that. The motorized components are also weather-sealed, so rain won’t short out the system.
If you’re near Eagle Mountain Lake where wind can be a factor, we make sure the mounting is solid and the fabric tension is right. A poorly installed shade will flap and wear out fast. Ours don’t. We’ve been doing this long enough to know what works and what doesn’t in this climate.
You can, and for most people, yes—they’re worth it. Motorized outdoor roller shades let you control everything with a remote, wall switch, or your phone. Some systems even integrate with Alexa or Google Home if that’s your thing.
The main benefit is convenience. If you’ve got a large outdoor patio blind or multiple shades, being able to lower them all with one button is a lot easier than cranking each one by hand. You’re also more likely to actually use them, which means you get the energy savings and comfort you paid for.
Motorization adds to the cost, but it’s not a huge jump. And if you’re already investing in custom exterior window blinds, it’s worth considering. We install both manual and motorized options, so we can walk you through what makes sense for your setup during the consultation.
You can expect a temperature drop of 20 to 30 degrees in the shaded area, depending on the fabric you choose and how much direct sun you’re blocking. That’s not an exaggeration—exterior shades stop heat before it builds up, which makes a massive difference.
Inside your house, blocking the sun at the window can lower indoor temps by 10 to 15 degrees in the rooms with the most sun exposure. That’s huge when your AC is already working overtime. Every 10 square feet of unshaded glass lets in as much heat as running a 1,500-watt space heater. Exterior roller shades stop that heat gain at the source.
If your patio faces west or southwest, you know how brutal the afternoon sun is in Azle. Outdoor roller shades make it possible to actually sit outside after 2 PM without feeling like you’re in a sauna. The difference is immediate and noticeable.
Exterior roller shades block heat and UV rays before they hit your windows. Interior shades try to block it after the heat is already inside, which is way less effective. Think of it like putting up an umbrella versus standing in the sun with a hat on—one works a lot better than the other.
Outdoor shades also protect your view and your furniture. You’re not stuck choosing between blocking the sun and being able to see outside. With the right fabric, you can see out clearly while still getting serious heat and UV protection. Interior blackout roller shades block everything, including your view.
For patios and porches, exterior shades are really the only option that makes sense. They create a shaded, usable outdoor space and keep bugs out if you pair them with screens. Interior shades don’t do any of that. If your goal is energy savings and comfort, exterior is the way to go.
From the time you order to the day we install, it’s usually three to four weeks. That includes the time it takes to custom-build your shades and get them shipped to us. We work with a USA-based factory, so turnaround is faster than a lot of competitors who source overseas.
The actual installation takes a few hours in most cases. If you’re covering a large patio or multiple windows, it might take half a day. We’re not rushing through it—we make sure everything is mounted securely, operates smoothly, and looks right before we leave.
Once they’re up, you’re done. Exterior roller shades don’t need much maintenance. An occasional rinse with a hose if they get dusty, but that’s about it. The fabrics are made to stay clean and hold up without constant attention.
Local Resources
