Exterior Shutters

An Overview of Exterior Wood Shutters

Many American homeowners choose to invest in exterior wood shutters for their homes. When properly maintained, real wood shutters can last dozens of years, or even an entire lifetime.

Materials make all the difference in exterior shutter durability

The verdict is in: wood is a better choice for your exterior wood shutters than either vinyl or composite materials.

At first glance, vinyl seems to be the most cost-effective choice. Vinyl almost always costs less than real wood. Here's the caveat: vinyl shutters are usually crafted using uniform plastic injection molding, a process by which molten plastic is hardened into definitive shapes using steel or aluminum molds. Exterior shutters crafted in this fashion are not customizable, and the materials used do not weather well. Homeowners who choose vinyl window coverings find that they need to replace them every few years. Therefore, vinyl is a poor long-term investment.

Many companies that manufacture wooden shutters claim to use 100 percent real wood. However, if the shutters are factory made, it is far likelier that the company is using veneer or composite materials. These shutters look like real wood pieces to passers-by; however, they often have uneven or hollow interiors, and feature several places along the body panels where materials are thin or gapping. Unlike real wood, synthetic composite shutters do not wear evenly, and the panel gaps are unduly stressed under the elements.

Real wood exterior shutters are the superior choice. Because they are carved from uniform slabs of top-grade wood, they weather evenly and provide good protection from the elements. Wear is minimal and shutter panels are uniform, so wood pieces provide superior energy efficiency to homeowners living in hot or humid climates.

Selecting your exterior shutters: Hand made is best

Homeowners who desire functional shutters (pieces that shield the house from heat and inclement weather) often find that mass-manufactured pieces are problematic. Assembly-line shutters might not meet in the middle, or they might gap, allowing rain, snow, or hurricane winds to strike the windows of the home.

The best wood exterior shutters are made by hand. Precision cutting, carving, and trimming enables shutter designers to create unique pieces to fit homeowner tastes and precise measurement specifications. Exact sizing is necessary: sloppy, loose, or too-small shutters can ruin the look of an otherwise well cared-for home. Handmade pieces can be fitted to windows exactly so they line up perfectly when closed. Homeowners who choose hand-crafted pieces save additional money over the long term: superior wood exterior shutters provide excellent weather protection and cooling, lowering total energy bill costs.

These woods vary in hardness and in price - do a cost-benefit analysis with your chosen shutter manufacturer to make the choice that is right for you.

Some of the more popular exterior shutter styles include:

Bahama shutters: These shutters are top-mounted, so they swing away from exterior windows rather than fastening in the middle. These exterior shutters are popular choices in tropical climates and along hurricane belts because they can be closed quickly and provide excellent window protection.

Board-and-batten shutters: These slab-like window coverings hail from the American Old West. They are highly durable in temperate and tropical climates alike. They are side-mounted, and meet in the center of the window.

Louvered shutters: These shutters consist of a stack of (sometimes adjustable) slats, housed in wooden frames. They are excellent window coverings for tropical climates because the slats can be adjusted to control air flow to the house. Typically, they are side-mounted and meet in the center of the window.

Panel shutters: This basic style consists of twin slab panels with recessed square or rectangular shapes in the panel centers. They suit a variety of homes and climates, and are usually side-mounted.

Wood exterior shutters offer homeowners superior climate protection, energy efficiency, and customization options. Over many years, these shutters are the most cost-effective choices.