Custom Exterior Shutters - How to Select the Best Shutter Style

When it comes to your home's exterior architectural elements, can you think of what creates more visual impact than exterior shutters?

Functional, handmade, custom exterior shutters convey an image of quality and tradition - and in this day of mass production, custom exterior shutters and hardware convey a subdued message of luxury. So what are the key elements to consider when purchasing custom exterior shutters? Here is an explanation of the various styles of quality exterior shutters and what you should consider when selecting them.

Shutters are rich in history and four main styles of shutters have evolved based influencing factors such as geography, utility and style. Here are the four main styles of shutters:

Also called Colonial, Paneled or Traditional - raised panel shutters are the most common exterior shutters. Typically found in the Northeast and Mid Atlantic region, these shutters were traditionally used on first story windows for privacy and security while louvered shutters were installed on upper stories for ventilation, visibility and air circulation.

Predominant Geographic Region: North Eastern United States

The second most popular shutter style is the louvered shutter and complement any colonial or federal style home. Interestingly, when compared to colonial times, many present day louvered shutters are installed backwards. The reason is rain.

Traditional louvered shutters were intended to be closed. When louvered shutters were closed, it was important the louvers were angled down to shed water away from the house's wall and foundation. In today's world, we typically don't close our shutters, some it's more practical to have the louvers angled down in the open position - for the same water shedding reason. Which is comparable to installing the shutter backwards.

Predominant Geographic Region: South Eastern United States

While more rustic and simplistic in design, the simplistically elegant board and batten shutter is equally appropriate for barns as well as French Provincial Mansions.

The "boards" run vertically. The "battens" run horizontally.

Board and Batten shutters may also be fitted with a "Z-brace" as an additional architectural element, though originally it was intended for additional strength and stability.

Predominant Geographic Region: Southwestern United States

From a woodworking perspective, the bahama shutter is constructed almost identically to the louvered shutter. What sets the Bahama shutter (also known as a Bermuda shutter) is how the shutter is attached to the home.

Bahama shutters are attached with the hinge at the top of the shutter. They require different hardware from traditional exterior shutter hardware - which mount on the side of the shutter.

Top hinged Bahama shutters provide privacy, visibility (even when they are "open") as well as affording moderate protection to the window.

The Bahama Shutter was designed to provide window protection because, as their name implies, they are commonly found in tropical areas where hurricanes are more common.

Predominant Geographic Region: Florida, Coastal Regions and Caribbean

If you are considering custom exterior shutters I recommend you look for the following:

1. Wooden Shutters made of a lightweight, rot resistant species such as Western Red Cedar.
2. Clear (free of knots), straight grained, high quality wood (select or better).
3. Handmade construction with pegged mortise and tenon joints. Preferably pegged with Teak.
4. A direct supplier that specializes in exterior architectural construction (shutters, pergolas, etc.). Don't be tempted to use the local woodworker - use a company with a proven track record of building exterior shutters. Some of the leading manufacturers control costs by focusing on internet marketing and improve efficiency in large scale shutter manufacturing.
   
5. Priming and Painting services - professional grade finishing will help preserve your exterior shutter investment.