diff --git a/include/components/types.hpp b/include/components/types.hpp
index 219612dd..1a1299ed 100644
--- a/include/components/types.hpp
+++ b/include/components/types.hpp
@@ -169,14 +169,8 @@ struct bar_settings {
   position shade_pos{1U, 1U};
 
   const xcb_rectangle_t inner_area(bool abspos = false) const {
-    xcb_rectangle_t rect{0, 0, 0, 0};
-    rect.width += size.w;
-    rect.height += size.h;
+    xcb_rectangle_t rect = this->outer_area(abspos);
 
-    if (abspos) {
-      rect.x = pos.x;
-      rect.y = pos.y;
-    }
     if (borders.find(edge::TOP) != borders.end()) {
       rect.y += borders.at(edge::TOP).size;
       rect.height -= borders.at(edge::TOP).size;
@@ -193,6 +187,19 @@ struct bar_settings {
     }
     return rect;
   }
+
+  const xcb_rectangle_t outer_area(bool abspos = false) const {
+    xcb_rectangle_t rect{0, 0, 0, 0};
+    rect.width += size.w;
+    rect.height += size.h;
+
+    if (abspos) {
+      rect.x = pos.x;
+      rect.y = pos.y;
+    }
+
+    return rect;
+  }
 };
 
 struct event_timer {
diff --git a/src/components/renderer.cpp b/src/components/renderer.cpp
index f51546fc..5f3eebc7 100644
--- a/src/components/renderer.cpp
+++ b/src/components/renderer.cpp
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ renderer::renderer(
     }
 
     m_log.trace("Activate root background manager");
-    m_background.activate(m_window, m_bar.inner_area(true));
+    m_background.activate(m_window, m_bar.outer_area(true));
   }
 
   m_comp_bg = m_conf.get<cairo_operator_t>("settings", "compositing-background", m_comp_bg);