Well to begin with, this is a blackout shade, as it does block out the light. However, it’s highly flawed in that there is no system to it. It lets in sone much light above, and to the sides in the 1/4 inch needed for clearance for the mounting brackets, that it leaves the room with too much light. Luckily I am handy so managed to swing by the hardware store and purchase “track making material” that the shade can fit into, to “ seal” the sides, snd in addition our house has a particular stained wood theme that made it do I could add a decorative piece to the upper part of the window which blocks the light. For the price, I feel they should include 2 plastic track pieces which would complete it as a system to be sealed off from light penetration. I purchased sone aluminum u shaped trim pieces and painted them white. It was a little fun project, but for the price, I shouldn’t have had to be this inventive. I wish I went with a blind that came with a track. I’ll give it 3 stars because it’s a halfway finished item. Step it up you guys, you could have a really good product if you’d just complete it.