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Plantation Shutters have become one of the most popular forms of window treatments available over the last few years.You see shutters in your neighbors homes, in banks and law offices, and you may have noticed just about every commercial and TV show has shutters on the windows.

So, why are they so popular? The answer is that they are the most versatile product available to cover your windows. Shutters allow you to control the amount and direction of light coming into the room, while also providing privacy and natural light. No other single treatment can perform all of these functions. On top of  all of those benefits, shutters are a beautiful addition to any home.

Plantation Shutters are an architectural element of your home, as wood floors or crown molding are. Shutters are considered to be a permanent addition to the home, not temporary as shades, blinds or draperies. If you ask a Realtor, you will find that Plantation Shutters are the only window treatment that will actually increase the value of your home!

          Now that you know you want to purchase shutters, what type do you buy?

With the increase in popularity, many companies have begun to manufactureand market shutters made from various materials and levels of quality. Below we will analyze each of the primary categories, and discuss the inherent positives and negatives.

Materials used to manufacture shutters

Hollow Vinyl Shutters,  are a good choice for extremely moist environments, like the window in a shower. These shutters are made from a poly-satin vinylmaterial and have an  marks from the extrusion of the vinyl materials how on the face of the shutters. Some limitations will apply as to the width and height these shutters can be made in.

Painted Solid Vinyl Shutters are sometimes made with aluminum rinternal aluminum frame. These are a good budget choice, but are not as attractive as a painted surface. The tooleinforcements to add stability. Due to the painted surface, these shutters are attractive, and will appear to be made from real wood.The edges of the louvers, and the ‘mouse hole’ at the top of theshutter are usually rough; this is the tell tale sign that the shutters are made from vinyl. Another good choice from a budget stand-point;but be careful of the dimensions of these shutters. The heavy weight of the material combined with the lack of structural strength will cause these shutters to sag, and scrape the window sill.

Vinyl encased laminated or faux wood shutters are the lowest cost shutters available. But,the structural limitations similar to the vinyl shutters above, and thefact that moisture can cause the wood core to swell causing the vinylto crack on the surface are indications of the lower value of thischoice. Be careful in choosing these shutters in very moist environments especially near the ocean or other bodies of water.

Solid basswood or poplar shutters are the most common wood types available today. Both of these woods are fast growing and fairly soft; therefore economical in the manufacturing process. Neither wood is particularly attractive if a stained wood look is your preference. Both of these woods will have limitations in width of about 28-30”. Due to the lack of density of both woods, the jointsof the upright (Stile) and fixed horizontal (Rail) portions of theshutters can show some evidence of failure of the joints. Basically asmall black line will form showing a space between the stile and rail. This is inherent in the material and not considered a defect by themanufacturers.

True hardwoods are considered the best choice for Plantation Shutters.The density of hardwoods allows for the most pleasing design layout forthe shutters. Maple shutters can be made as wide as 38-40” and taller than 120”. This allows for considerably more light and an improved view through the shutter. Maple is a beautiful surface whether it is paintedor stained. Other fine wood choices for stained shutters includecherry, mahogany, fir, alder, knotty pine, walnut, and even more exotic choices such as bubinga, lacewood, teak, incense cedar, purple heartand zebra wood. Basically any wood that is used to make furniture can be used to make plantation shutters. This can allow the look of the millwork in a room to continue to the window treatment.

Design and layout of your shutters

Afterchoosing the material of the shutters you will also need to determinethe louver size, the number of panels within each window, and how theywill be mounted. Many people assume they would prefer a smaller 2 ½”louver until they see a larger louver 3 ½” or 4 ½” in their windows. Thelarger the louver and the larger the panel size allows substantiallymore light and a much greater view than smaller louvers and panels.

Whendetermining the panel size, consider the window itself. Is the window divided with mullions into individual panes? If so, try to maintain the vertical lines created by the mullions.If there are three panes or lights across the width of the window, then  choose either three 2 ½” panels for a more traditional look, or for amore updated design one large panel with 3 ½” or 4 ½” louvers. Ifprivacy is important, consider placing a fixed center rail at the midpoint in the window which will allow you to close the louvers on the lower half of the panel while leaving the upper louvers open. Normally this will provide privacy to shoulder height and natural light above.

Installation decisions

Finally, how will the shutters be installed? If there is sufficient depth in thewindow (2x6” or thicker walls), then the shutters can be mounted insidethe window using one of three mounting methods. The easiest installation method is to use adjustable mounting strips. This is the method recommended by most manufacturers and used by retailers with minimal shutter experience. These mounting strips may be easy to install, but cause a wider gap between the shutter and the jamb at the sides, and may result in sagging of the shutter due to the ‘L’ shaped hinge. The next most common method of installation is to use a frame set into the window surrounding the shutter. Thisis not as desirable in the North East because windows generally already have wood molding. The last and finest method of installation is to directly mount the shutter to the jamb the way a finish carpenter hangs a door. While this method requires greater experience and skill, the resulting appearance is by far the most pleasing.