Ziptrak® Options Explained
The Ziptrak® order form asks you a lot of questions, and most of them are asked without much explanation. None of them are trick questions — but several of them are decisions you only get to make once, and a couple of them are decisions your installer would rather you made deliberately. This page walks through every option on the configurator, in the order you meet it, and tells you what each one actually changes.
If you only read one paragraph
Outdoors, face fit is almost always right. If the head of the blind is out in the weather, get a pelmet; if it rolls up under a roof or beam, a bracket is fine. Take the 30 mm weatherstrip unless your floor tells you otherwise. Everything else is comfort, looks and cost — and anything you are unsure about can go in the notes box at the bottom of the form.
Jump to an option
Face or reveal fitBracket or pelmetBottom rail: lock sideCentre lockHeavy duty railWeatherstrip & skirtFixed or removable postFront brush insertSide track bottom capsHow to decideQuestions1. Face fit or reveal fit
On the form
What you are choosing. Where the side tracks land. Face fit screws them to the front face of your posts or walls, so the blind sits in front of the opening and overlaps it at both sides. Reveal fit sets them inside the opening, between the posts, so the blind sits flush within the frame.
Choose Face Fit when. Almost always, outdoors. Because the blind covers the posts as well as the gap, it seals far better against light, draughts and wind-driven rain, and it forgives posts that are not perfectly plumb or parallel. It is the default for alfresco, patio and pergola openings.
Choose Reveal Fit when. You want the blind tucked inside the frame for a neater, built-in look — and your posts are genuinely plumb, straight and parallel to one another. It gives a slightly narrower blind for the same opening.
Think twice if. Your posts are timber, old, or visibly out of square. A track-guided blind needs its two tracks parallel down the whole drop; reveal fit puts that tolerance under a microscope. Face fit hides a multitude of sins.
Mixing the two? The form asks you to select Face Fit and then describe the mix in the notes at the bottom of the page. Do exactly that — a sentence like “blinds 1 and 2 face fit to the posts, blind 3 reveal fit between the house wall and the corner post” is far more useful to us than a guessed selection. There is more detail in our guide to face fit vs reveal fit, and how to measure each.
2. Head option: bracket or pelmet
Every Ziptrak blind rolls up into something at the top. That something is either a bracket — the roller sitting in the open on a pair of cast arms — or a pelmet, a slim box that encloses the roller completely.
When the blind is up, the whole thing — fabric, tube, spring or motor — is sitting in a roll at the top of the opening. Left in the open it collects rain, UV, dust, leaves and, in a surprising number of Australian homes, wasp and spider nests. None of that stops a Ziptrak working next week. It is what shortens the life of the fabric and makes the blind feel gritty and stiff five years in. A pelmet is simply a lid on that problem, and the six options below are variations on how much lid you buy.
1. Bracket (standard)
Most economical
Section cut through the middle of the blind. Wall or beam on the left, outside to the right.
What it is. A pair of cast brackets bolted to the wall or beam, carrying the roller tube between them. Nothing covers the blind — when the blind is up, the rolled fabric sits in the open where you can see it.
Choose it when. The blind tucks up under an existing roof, soffit, eave or pergola beam that already shelters the roller from rain and sun. It is the lightest, cheapest and lowest-profile option, and it keeps the head detail almost invisible against a beam.
Think twice if. The head of the blind is out in the weather, or the retracted roll would be in plain view from the garden or the street. Ziptrak specifically recommend a pelmet for blinds installed outside the structure.
2. Bracket with Back Flashing
Price on request
Section cut through the middle of the blind. Wall or beam on the left, outside to the right.
What it is. The same cast bracket, plus a folded metal flashing that closes off the back and top of the opening. It hides the rolled-up blind from the outside and sheds water outward instead of letting it run back down the wall junction.
Choose it when. You want the tidy, slim look of a bracket rather than a full pelmet box, but the head is partly exposed — a slightly open beam, a gap between the blind and the roof edge, or a spot where you can see the roll from outside.
Think twice if. The roller needs real all-round protection. A flashing tidies up the back and the top; it does not enclose the roll the way a pelmet does. It is also quoted per job rather than carrying a set price, so allow time for a price back.
3. 135 Traditional Pelmet (folded)
Budget pelmet
Section cut through the middle of the blind. Wall or beam on the left, outside to the right.
What it is. A 135 mm enclosure made from powder-coated sheet, cut and folded into a multi-angle profile with an angled front face. It wraps the roller so the fabric rolls up inside a box.
Choose it when. You want the roller properly enclosed and the retracted blind out of sight, at the lowest pelmet price — and the blind sits in a reasonably sheltered spot. The 135 mm size suits smaller and mid-sized openings, where the roll of fabric stays slim.
Think twice if. The blind is coastal, fully exposed, or large. Folded sheet is a thinner section than an extrusion, so it is more prone to bending or twisting, and a folded steel pelmet can rust over time in salt air.
4. 175 Traditional Pelmet (folded)
Budget pelmet, deep
Section cut through the middle of the blind. Wall or beam on the left, outside to the right.
What it is. The same folded, multi-angle Traditional profile in the deeper 175 mm size — the largest Traditional pelmet in the track-guided range.
Choose it when. Your fabricator has specified a bigger tube for the blind — typically a wider or taller opening, or PVC rather than mesh, both of which build a fatter roll — and you still want the budget pelmet. It also gives more clearance around the roll, so the fabric is not running tight to the cover.
Think twice if. Same caveats as the 135: it is folded sheet, not an extrusion. Also check it visually — 175 mm is a noticeably chunkier band across the top of the opening than 135 mm.
5. 135mm Streamline Pelmet (extruded)
Premium
Section cut through the middle of the blind. Wall or beam on the left, outside to the right.
What it is. A 135 mm enclosure in extruded aluminium with a square, architectural profile. Ziptrak rate the Streamline covers as 60% thicker than the folded alternatives, and it is all aluminium, so it will not rust. The front cover lifts off for service, and it carries Ziptrak's insect-control brush system at the fabric slot.
Choose it when. You want the crisp square look, and durability matters — coastal or salt-air sites, fully exposed installations, or anywhere you would rather buy the head detail once. The brushes wipe the fabric on every roll and keep insects out of the box.
Think twice if. Budget is the deciding factor and the blind lives in a sheltered spot, in which case a Traditional pelmet does the enclosing job for less.
6. 165mm Streamline Pelmet (extruded)
Premium, deep
Section cut through the middle of the blind. Wall or beam on the left, outside to the right.
What it is. The same extruded aluminium Streamline profile in the deeper 165 mm size — the larger of the two track-guided Streamline options.
Choose it when. You are getting a Streamline pelmet and the blind is big enough that the fabricator has called up the larger tube. Also the one to pick when you have several blinds of different sizes side by side and want the deeper size run across all of them for a consistent line.
Think twice if. Nothing much, other than cost and the visual depth. If your opening is small and 135 mm is sufficient, the extra depth buys nothing.
Side by side
| Option | Encloses the roller | Hides the roll | Insect brush | Material | Best for | Relative cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bracket (standard) | No — roller open | No | No | Cast alloy bracket | Under a roof, eave or beam | $ |
| Bracket with Back Flashing | Back and top only | Yes, from outside | No | Bracket + folded flashing | Partly exposed heads | POA |
| 135 Traditional Pelmet | Yes | Yes | No | Folded sheet, powder coated | Sheltered, budget | $$ |
| 175 Traditional Pelmet | Yes | Yes | No | Folded sheet, powder coated | Sheltered, larger blinds | $$ |
| 135mm Streamline Pelmet | Yes | Yes | Yes | Extruded aluminium | Exposed / coastal | $$$ |
| 165mm Streamline Pelmet | Yes | Yes | Yes | Extruded aluminium | Exposed / coastal, larger blinds | $$$ |
How the pelmet size gets decided
135, 165 and 175 are the front-to-back depth of the pelmet in millimetres. Bigger is not better — it is simply what has to fit.
A taller opening means more fabric on the roll. A wider opening means a bigger tube to stay stiff across the span. And PVC is thicker and less compressible than sunscreen mesh, so a PVC blind builds a fatter roll than a mesh blind of the same size. Put those together and you get a roll diameter, and the pelmet has to clear it with room to spare. That is why your fabricator specifies the size, not you — and why manual versus motorised makes no difference to it.
Worth knowing: Traditional runs 135 and 175; Streamline runs 135 and 165. So if your blind needs the deepest box available, that can narrow which family is on the table. Tell us early if you have a strong preference either way and we will check it against the size before you order.
3. Bottom rail: roll side or opposite side
On the form
What you are choosing. Which face of the bottom rail carries the lock channel and its handle. Nothing else changes — it is the same rail, turned around. Roll side means the same face the fabric comes off the roller; opposite side is the other one.
How to choose. Picture yourself reaching down for the handle. Whichever side you will be standing on is the side the channel should face — which, in an alfresco or patio, is almost always the inside. Which of the two labels corresponds to your inside depends on how your blind is set to roll, so if you are not certain, say “handle on the inside” in the notes and let us set it.
Think twice if. The blind is motorised. Ziptrak's motorised track-guided blinds have no lock on the bottom bar at all, so this question only bites on manual blinds.
4. Additional centre lock
On the form
What it is. A manual Ziptrak locks the bottom bar down at both ends. Without a centre lock you release one end, walk to the other, release that one, then lift. The centre lock adds a release handle in the middle so a single lift unlocks both ends at once.
Choose Yes when. The blind is wide, or it is one you open and close every day. On a 4–5 m blind this is the difference between a two-trip operation and one movement — it is the single option on this form most likely to change how the blind feels to live with.
Choose No when. The blind is narrow enough to reach both ends comfortably from one spot, or it is motorised, or it is a blind you set once a season and leave.
What the locks are for: holding the bottom bar down against wind. Ziptrak are explicit that they are not a household security device and not child-proofing. Do not specify them as either.
5. Upgrade to extra heavy duty bottom rail
On the form
What it is. A deeper, stiffer bottom rail. The wider a blind gets, the more the rail has to resist flexing and sagging in the middle of the span, so Ziptrak step the rail up through standard, heavy duty and extra heavy duty as the width increases. Blinds over 5 m get the extra heavy duty rail automatically — you do not have to ask for it.
Choose Upgrade when. You are ordering more than one blind and at least one of them is over 5 m. That blind gets the deeper rail whether you like it or not, and a deeper rail on one blind in a run of three gives you a stepped, mismatched line across the bottom of the elevation. Upgrading them all keeps the line straight. It is also worth considering if a blind sits just under the threshold, or the site is genuinely exposed.
Choose No Upgrade when. It is a single blind under 5 m, or your blinds are on separate elevations where nobody will ever see them next to each other.
Think twice if. You are treating this as a strength decision only. For most orders it is a looks decision — stand where your guests will stand, and decide whether a stepped bottom line would bother you.
6. Bottom rail options: weatherstrip or skirt
On the form
What it is. A flexible strip along the underside of the bottom rail that closes the gap to the floor when the blind is down. It is what stops your enclosed area behaving like a room with a gap under the door — wind-driven rain, dust, leaves and insects all come in underneath the rail if nothing is there.
How to choose. 30 mm is the default and suits most jobs. 15 mm is for flat, level, well-finished floors where the rail already sits close. 60 mm is for a bigger or more variable gap — decking, pavers, or a slab that falls away for drainage. A custom skirt is made to a shape, for floors that slope or step where no straight strip will ever follow the line.
Think twice if. You are choosing from the best part of the floor. Measure the gap at the worst point — the corner where the slab has dropped, or the board that has cupped. That point is the one that decides the size.
7. Fixed or removable post
On the form
What it is. An upright between two blinds. A single Ziptrak blind spans up to about 6 m, so a wider run has to be two blinds meeting in the middle, and the post carries the head at that junction. It is also how you get a doorway into the middle of a long run.
Choose Fixed Post when. The post is simply structure. It is the simpler, stiffer and cheaper of the two, and once the blinds are in you will stop noticing it.
Choose Removable post when. That junction is also your main way in and out, or you need to get furniture, a barbecue or a table through. Ziptrak's removable post comes out in under a minute, leaving the whole opening clear.
Choose N/A when. Your run is a single blind, or the uprights are already part of the structure and no additional post is needed. This is the right answer for most residential orders.
Think twice if. You are picturing the post coming out with a blind still down. It comes out when the blinds are up — if the plan depends on something else, describe it in the notes and we will check it before it is made.
8. Add front brush insert
On the form
What it is. The brush strip that sits in the pelmet's fabric slot and wipes the blind every time it moves. The slot can take a strip on each side of the fabric; this option adds the one at the front, so the slot is sealed on both faces instead of one.
Choose Yes when. You have specified a pelmet and you want the box properly closed — better against wind-blown dust, grit and insects, and the fabric gets wiped on both sides on the way up and down. On an exposed or dusty site it is a small amount of money for a noticeable difference.
Choose No when. You have chosen a bracket rather than a pelmet. There is no slot for it to go in, so leave this as No.
Think twice if. You are unsure what your pelmet already includes. Brush arrangements vary between the Traditional and Streamline pelmets — ask us to confirm what is in yours before you pay for a second strip.
9. Side track bottom caps
On the form
What it is. A small cap that closes the open bottom end of each side track. Without one, the track is a raw cut aluminium channel standing open at ankle height.
Choose Yes when. The tracks run down to a floor where leaves, grit and water collect — which is most outdoor installations. It keeps the channel the blind has to run in clear, and it finishes the end properly instead of leaving an open section on show.
Choose No when. The bottom of the track is already closed or concealed by the structure it lands on.
Worth knowing. This is the cheapest line on the form and the one people most often skip, then notice afterwards. The open end of a channel at floor level is exactly where debris ends up.
Working through the form, in order
- Fit. Face fit unless you have a specific reason and genuinely square posts. Mixed job → select Face Fit and write the detail in the notes.
- Head. Sheltered under a roof or beam → bracket. Exposed → pelmet. Coastal, or you want it sharp → Streamline. Then take the size we quote you.
- Lock side. The face you will be standing on. If unsure, write “handle on the inside” in the notes.
- Centre lock. Yes on anything wide or used daily. No on narrow or motorised blinds.
- Bottom rail upgrade. Only a real question if one blind in a set is over 5 m. If so, decide whether a stepped bottom line across the run would bother you.
- Weatherstrip. 30 mm unless the floor says otherwise. Measure the worst point, not the best. Sloping or stepped floor → custom skirt.
- Post. N/A for most orders. Fixed if you just need the structure; removable if that spot is also a doorway.
- Front brush. Yes if you have a pelmet and an exposed site. No if you have a bracket.
- Bottom caps. Yes, unless the track ends are already concealed.
- Then use the notes box. It is at the bottom of the form for a reason. Anything you had to guess at above, describe it there instead.
Common questions
Which of these choices actually matters most?
Three of them. Face or reveal fit decides whether the blind seals the opening or sits inside it. The head option decides how long the roller lasts. The weatherstrip decides whether wind and rain come in under the bottom rail. The rest are worth getting right, but they will not make or break the blind.
What if some of my blinds are face fit and others are reveal?
Select Face Fit and describe the mix in the notes field at the bottom of the configurator. That is what the form itself asks you to do. Do not try to average it out — each blind is made to its own measurement, and we would rather read your description than guess.
Do I have to have a pelmet?
No. A bracket is a perfectly normal specification where the blind rolls up under a roof, eave or beam that already keeps the weather off it. Ziptrak's own guidance is that a pelmet is highly recommended for blinds installed outside the structure — that is where the box earns its money.
Who decides whether I get 135, 165 or 175?
The fabricator does, from three things: the height of the opening, the width of the opening, and whether you have chosen mesh or PVC. Those set the tube size and how fat the roll of fabric becomes, and the pelmet has to clear it. Whether the blind is manual or motorised makes no difference to pelmet size.
Do the lock options apply to a motorised blind?
No. Ziptrak's motorised track-guided blinds have no lock on the bottom bar — the motor holds the blind wherever you stop it. So the lock side and the centre lock are manual-blind questions.
Are the locks a security feature?
No, and Ziptrak say so plainly. The catches hold the bottom bar down against wind. They are not a household security device and they are not child-proofing.
Can I mix pelmet or rail sizes across several blinds?
You can, but it usually looks better not to. Where blinds sit side by side across one elevation, we will normally run the larger size across all of them so the bands across the top and bottom stay a constant depth.
What colour does the hardware come in?
Ziptrak hardware is powder coated, with a range of standard colours plus custom colours and woodgrain finishes at a surcharge. Ask us for the current chart before you lock the order in.
What is the difference between folded and extruded?
Folded means flat sheet that has been cut and bent into shape — quick and cheap, but a thinner section that can bend or twist, and if it is steel it can eventually rust. Extruded means the aluminium is pushed through a die as a single rigid profile, so it holds its shape, will not rust, and takes a cleaner square edge.
Would you rather we just checked it for you?
Send us the opening sizes and a photo of where the blind will roll up and where it will land. We will tell you which of these options actually apply to your job, and which ones you can leave alone.
Ask us about your openingDiagrams are schematic sections and elevations drawn to explain the difference between the options; they are not manufacturing drawings and are not to scale. Ziptrak® is a registered trademark of Ziptrak Pty Ltd.