See also:
|
Window Shutters
These days, most shutters are added to a
house for appearance only because exterior
window shutters can vastly improve the appearance
of a house by dressing it up. These purely
decorative shutters are permanently attached
to the exterior of the house and will not
open or close. There are also security and storm shutters, which we discuss separately, that can be
installed to protect your windows from flying
debris during storms and from break-ins..
Shutters can be ordered in a
variety of materials,
including vinyl, wood, newer
composite materials,
aluminum, and fiberglass. The
price will
depend on the material chosen
and the size
of the shutter. Shutters can
be purchased
at home improvement stores, through
catalogs,
and from online sites, which
often have detailed
instructions on how to get the
right size.
They are easy to install and
inexpensive
to ship. Consider the following
when buying
exterior shutters:
- There are a number of traditional shutter
styles, including louvered, flat panel, raised
panel, and board and batten. Selecting one
is largely a matter of personal choice. If
you live in a house that is based on a historical
style such as colonial or Victorian, you
will probably want to pick a shutter style
that is appropriate to that style. If you
live in a historic district, you should check
local ordinances to see which styles are
acceptable.
- Some manufacturers offer their shutters in
a range of colors. Ordering these can save
time and money, as the shutters will not
need to be painted. Also, factory applied
color often also lasts longer.
- The following are commonly manufactured shutters:
- Vinyl shutters are the least expensive, but
not the best quality. They
have maintenance
free, molded through color
and a simulated
wood grain texture.
- Wood shutters are the most traditional. They
are frequently made from
cedar or pine. They
can be ordered bare wood
or primed for you
to apply your own custom
color. Over the
years the paint on wood shutters
will fade
and peel, so they are not
maintenance free.
In many climates wood can
eventually rot.
- Composite shutters are more expensive, but
they will last longer, especially
in high
maintenance locations such
as salt air or
high humidity.
- Aluminum shutters are also highly weather
resistant, but they are more
expensive. Their
powder coat finish comes
in hundreds of custom
colors, and they will not
rust.
- Fiberglass shutters are the most expensive,
but they are virtually indestructible.
They
can be ordered fully operational,
so they
will close to protect windows
from storm
damage.
When measuring for shutter size,
remember
that the relationship between
height and
width is visually important.
Order shutters
in pairs. The height should be
determined
by measuring the height of the
window, not
counting the sill. If you want
the shutter
to be longer than the window,
you can add
a few inches. The width of a
single shutter
should be half the window width,
as the shutters
should look as if they would
just cover the
window if they were closed. Attached
shutters
can be up to 2 inches narrower
than this
width and still look good. Order
shutters
for double windows by measuring
the overall
width of the opening and dividing
by 4. |
|
|
