How to Choose Quality Wood Plantation Shutters

Handcrafted custom plantation shutters are most often made from wood because no other material available today combines the natural beauty and durability of wood.

Homeowners are urged to choose wood plantation shutters because wood is not only beautiful, but is a sustainable and renewable resource. In today’s society of increased ecological awareness, homeowners are aware of the importance our forests play on our environment at large. Therefore, conscientious homeowners should only chose to use shutter manufactures that purchase from lumber foresters that responsibly harvest and replant trees. Individuals who are building a LEED certified home would want to make sure to request his or her plantation shutters be made from FSC lumber. A current supplier of shutters made from FSC lumber is Kirtz Shutters.

Not to mention synthetic materials simply cannot match the beauty and luster of natural wood plantation shutters.

With the essence of lumber in mind here are some different types of hardwood that are used to make most wood plantation shutters.

One of the most common species used to make shutters is basswood.  One concern with basswood is that it is very soft, similar to western white pine, but without the strong grain structure. The reason most shutter manufacturers use basswood is because it is extremely easy to cut, with both machine tools and by hand. It is widely available and relatively low in price compared to other hardwoods.  Basswood has a low rating for strength, so shutters made from basswood need to frequently have center supports and reinforcements. Also with basswood you might have width and height limitations placed on interior shutter panel designs.

Poplar is very similar to basswood for being a hard wood but not really having the density commonly found in most furniture grade hardwoods. Like basswood it is easy to cut and work with in the making of furniture and plantation shutters, but does not have the strengths of hardwoods such as maple and oak.

Maple has been the furniture maker and woodworkers’ choice for centuries. What makes maple a wood of preference is that its strength surpasses poplar and basswood. This wood sets the benchmark for wood in plantation shutters. Due to the strength and stability of maple, wider plantation shutter can be built from it. This gives homeowners flexibility in the design of their shutters. Choosing maple for your shutters means your fasteners will stay in place and the staples that connect the tilt rod with the louvers will not shake out as they may in softer woods. The overall maintenance will be limited when you choose a durable hardwood like maple.

Kirtz Shutters in Stillwater, Oklahoma builds shutters with only premium hardwoods such as maple, mahogany, and oak. When you buy custom plantation shutters from Kirtz, they come with a lifetime warranty. With the proper care, your shutters, made out of true natural hardwood, will not crack or deteriorate in the sun.

Buying a custom plantation shutter is a lifetime investment.  Each homeowner owes it to his/her self to research the material and construction methods that a manufacture uses to insure that the shutter that arrives will provide the look, quality and durability that will add to the beauty of the home.