Exterior shutters can transform the look of your home. If you are in the market for new shutters, you need to select the shutter material carefully. It affects the performance, longevity, and appearance of the shutters. Let’s look at some of the most common materials and how they perform.
Vinyl Shutters
Vinyl offers a very affordable option when adding the shutter look to your home. They are lightweight, which makes them great for homes clad in vinyl siding. You can order them in a variety of colors, making it easy to match them to your home’s exterior color.
The downside to vinyl exterior window shutters is that they are hollow inside and deteriorate faster than other options. The hollow construction means they crack easily. They are also completely decorative since they can’t be hinged. Vinyl isn’t easily painted or repaired. These shutters tend to have a plastic appearance. Lighter colors stain and yellow easier.
Natural Wood Shutters
When most people talk about outdoor shutters, they are talking about those made from natural wood. It’s a classic choice. They offer beautiful grain and true beauty. Natural wood is chemical-free. It takes paint and stain very well, offering a number of finishing options. Wood shutters are solid, so they can be hinged for opening and closing.
Wood’s downside is its vulnerability to moisture. Even if painted or stained, eventually the water will get into the grain of the wood. At that point, the wood will swell and start to rot. This may allow mold to start growing. Wood is also vulnerable to termites and other wood-boring pests. In very dry conditions, wood can shrink and split.
Composite Wood Shutters
Composite shutters combine wood fibers with vinyl. They look like real wood with the grain. They are resistant to termites, mold, and rot. The composite is solid, allowing the shutter to accept hinges. You can order composite shutters in a standard color or paint them yourself. They are available in a wide assortment of styles to match your home’s exterior design.
On the downside, composite outside window shutters are rot-resistant, not rot-proof. If the wood fibers start to absorb moisture, the shutter will start to swell and rot. When the wood fibers dry out, the shutters can split, causing more damage.
Composite PVC Shutters
Composite PVC shutters have none of the problems of vinyl, wood or wood composite. They are made from stainless-steel-reinforced cellular PVC. They won’t deteriorate, rot or warp. The PVC is insect-proof. These exterior shutters for windows are solid, which makes it easy to install hinges for opening and closing. They have the look of real wood.
They are available in a variety of standard colors and can be sent plain so that you can paint the exact color you want. You can order them in a number of styles to match your home’s look.
How To Find the Right Shutter for Your Home
When you are ready to buy exterior house shutters, the process is easy.
First, measure your windows so you can order the right size shutter. We offer a number of standard sizes. You can also custom order in widths of 10″ to 22″ and heights up to 95″. You can go with a single width on each window or customize the shutters for each opening.
Next, select the style that works best for you and your home. A raised-panel style works well for traditional and transitional homes. A board-and-batten style is perfect for rustic or farmhouse homes. Louvers are a classic choice that works in most homes. For something different, go with a cutout design or a wainscot look.
Decide on the color you want. The PVC composite shutters come in 20 standard colors, ranging from black to brown to off-white to gray. You also have the option of ordering them unpainted. That way you can paint them the exact color you want.
Make the choice of whether you want to hinge the shutters or mount them to the siding. Hinges allow you to open and close them. You can close them against inclement weather or potential intruders.
PVC composite exterior shutters offer all the beauty of wood, the practicality of wood composite, the color options of vinyl and none of the downsides of any other material. If you are ready to upgrade or get brand new shutters today, then PVC composite shutters are the best of all available options.
Author Bio
Matt Buquoi works at FlowerWindowBoxes.com, a company that offers premium-quality, no-rot flower window boxes, exterior shutters, cedar gables, and outdoor planters at affordable prices.
It’s great to learn that composite shutters are resistant to termites and mold. My wife and I are wanting to renovate our living room and we were wondering what kind of window shutters we should get for the room. I’ll be sure to tell her that we should look for composite shutters since they’re resistant to termites and mold.