Florida housing types behind the measurements
Post-2000 Florida production housing clusters into a few repeating types: CBS block ranch and "Florida contemporary" single-family on master-planned sections, villa and townhome rows with shared front elevations, and 55+ active-adult plans with narrower front windows and wider rear lanai glass. The lanai is the organizing feature — most single-family plans place the kitchen and great room on the rear elevation with a slider to the covered patio, sometimes screened.
- CBS block/stucco single-family (1990s–present): under-truss lanai, impact-rated sliders, 8–9 ft ceilings — dominant new-build type in Central and North Florida
- Villa / paired product: two homes sharing a wall — narrower front windows, same lanai slider module as detached plans
- Townhome row: stacked floors, front-loaded garages, repeated bedroom widths floor to floor
- 55+ active adult: similar window modules with optional wider great-room glass and screened lanai enclosures
- Impact-rated windows and doors — thicker frames than non-hurricane stock; verify depth at each opening
- Humidity and sun exposure favor PVC faux wood and roller fabrics over real wood on whole-home orders
Products Florida production-home orders use most
Roller shades lead lanai and great-room orders. Faux wood covers whole-home bedroom specs. Vertical remains an option on budget lanai sliders.
Roller shades — lanai slider favorite
Light-filtering and blackout fabrics, cordless or beaded chain, fascia mount — the most common rear-opening treatment on new Florida production homes.
2" faux wood blinds
Whole-home bedroom and front-elevation spec — moisture-resistant PVC, custom width and length.
3.5" vertical blinds
Budget lanai slider option — 68×84 and 78×84 reorder sizes.
Typical opening → blind size
Typical reorder bands for shipped Florida production-home orders — measure each opening and the lanai slider separately:
| Opening (approx.) | Order size | Room |
|---|---|---|
| 35" | 34.5" | Bedrooms (most common) |
| 47" | 46.5" | Kitchen / dining |
| 58" | 57.5" | Lanai-facing living window |
| 71"–96" | 70.5"–95.5" | Great-room picture window |
| 72" × 80" lanai slider | Roller or 68" × 84" vertical | Rear lanai slider |
Mounting by material & situation
CBS block returns are often deeper than wood-frame stock — but impact-rated frames and stucco ears can still block a 2" headrail. Pick mount type from measured depth, then pick material for humidity.
Roller shades
View product line →The default for lanai sliders and lanai-facing great rooms on new Florida builds — cordless or beaded chain, light-filtering or blackout fabric, fascia mount above the slider header. Handles humidity without the stack-side bulk of verticals.
Lanai slider — ceiling or wall fascia mount
Pro often usedMeasure the exact glass width and height. Mount the fascia to the wall above the slider frame or to the ceiling/soffit when the header is flat. Keep the chain or cordless pull clear of the door handle and screen track.
- Hardware:
- Supplied fascia brackets; #8 screws into solid header or block
Wide great-room glass facing the lanai
Open plans often combine a picture window group with the slider — measure each opening separately. Wide openings over 80" may need our wide-width roller line at /roller-shades/wide-width. Blackout fabric is popular on west-facing rear elevations.
Screened lanai enclosure
When the lanai is screened after closing, treat the slider as the primary opening — shades mount inside the conditioned space, not on the screen side. Confirm the screen frame does not block bracket placement.
2" faux wood blinds
View product line →Whole-home bedroom and front-elevation spec — white cordless 2" PVC composite resists warp in humid climates better than real wood. Deeper headrail than vinyl mini; verify depth on impact frames.
Inside mount — adequate block or vinyl jamb depth
CBS block homes often have adequate returns for inside mount — but impact-rated sashes and thicker frames can reduce clearance. Measure depth at both top corners. Needs roughly 1½"–2½" clear.
- Min depth:
- ≈ 1½"–2½"
- Hardware:
- Heavier brackets; #8 screws into solid trim or jamb liner
Outside mount on stucco returns
Pro often usedWhen stucco ears or shallow impact frames block inside mount, face-mount on the flat trim board. Overlap 1½"–2" per side. Drill into solid block or wood trim — not loose stucco alone.
- Min depth:
- N/A — mounts on trim face
- Hardware:
- Extended brackets or spacer blocks
Front elevation and street-facing bedrooms
Many Florida HOAs allow white or off-white window treatments only on front elevations. Confirm architectural review rules before ordering colored faux wood on street-facing windows.
3.5" vertical blinds
View product line →Still used on lanai sliders when price per opening matters or the owner wants a classic stack-side treatment — less common than rollers on new builds but stocked in 68×84 and 78×84 reorder pairs.
Wall-mount track above lanai slider
Pro often usedFace-mount the track above the slider header on CBS block — verify you are hitting solid structure, not hollow soffit. Keep stack side clear of the handle.
When to hire a pro in Florida
First-floor bedroom installs are often DIY on CBS block when you have masonry bits and solid anchors. Lanai sliders, wide great-room rollers, second-story long drops, and stucco drill work push many Florida buyers toward a local window-treatment installer — especially on impact-rated frames where bracket placement must miss reinforcement. We custom-cut and ship blinds nationwide from Texas; in-home installation is available in the Dallas–Fort Worth metro only. Send your Florida installer our measuring guide and exact SKU list.
Frequently asked questions
What blinds are best for a Florida lanai slider?
Roller shades are the most popular choice on new Florida production homes — a clean fabric line that handles humidity and mounts above the slider header. Vertical blinds remain a lower-cost option when you want stack-side vanes. Measure the exact glass width and height before ordering either product.
Can I inside-mount faux wood on impact-rated windows?
Only if you have roughly 1½"–2½" of clear depth in the frame for the headrail and brackets. Impact-rated frames are often thicker than non-hurricane stock — measure depth at both top corners before assuming inside mount will fit.
Do you install in Tampa or Orlando?
We install in the Dallas–Fort Worth metro and ship custom-cut blinds nationwide. Florida buyers typically hire a local installer for lanai sliders and second-story work; we supply sized product and SKU lists.
Do you ship to Florida?
Yes — custom-cut blinds ship nationwide from Texas. Transit time depends on carrier service to your ZIP. Florida is one of our highest-volume ship-to states on production-home orders.
Related guides
- Blinds for Florida new construction
Builder-specific sizing for Lennar, D.R. Horton, Taylor Morrison, and Maronda.
- Florida condo & townhome guide
Attached plans, HOA rules, and shallow-jamb mounting in Florida metros.
- LA courtyard & dingbat guide
Stucco walk-ups and courtyard stock — comparable humid-climate mounting notes.
- Houston & Gulf Coast production guide
Comparable stucco slab stock — rear patios instead of lanais.
- Patio slider & sliding door guide
Vertical vs roller on lanai sliders — sizes and stack side.
- Wide-width roller shades (Florida)
Lanai-facing picture windows and great-room glass over 80" wide.
- Shipping info
Lead times and delivery to Florida.