Beauty Meets Functionality: The Ultimate Guide to Plantation Shutters
When redecorating your interior, window dressings are some elements that can make a significant difference in the look and functionality of the home. Take plantation shutters as an example – these stylish wooden window treatments with slats, also known as louvres, can be tilted to control light and airflow and can be opened or closed like doors to provide privacy within any room. If you’re looking for the best materials and styles for your home, here is everything you need to know.
Installation Matters
When narrowing down your options, shop online shutters that are custom-made and easy to assemble by yourself. Many companies offer pre-cut, easy-to-assemble kits that require minimal tools and skill. These alternatives often come with pre-installed hinges and simple mounting brackets, making them easier to install than traditional wood shutters.
Some of these manufacturers offer no-drill mounting systems where shutters attach using tension or adhesive strips, making installation much simpler. There are also custom-made online shutters that are pre-assembled to your window’s exact size, so you only need to mount them. When installing them, it’s crucial to pay close attention to detail so that the frames remain perfectly true and square, preventing pinched hinges and stress on the shutter panel that can cause warpage.
Keep in mind that the shutter is going to take 100% of the UV rays coming through your window, so it has to be tough to begin with. However, if an inexperienced installer doesn’t take the time to level the frame, the shutter will eventually bend to the new shape, causing cracks.
Material Selection
When shopping online for shutters, you will see that plantation designs are typically made of wood, vinyl or composite materials. Wood is the most traditional and elegant choice, while vinyl and composite are more affordable and durable. Basswood is the most commonly used material for solid wood inside plantation shutters. It’s lightweight, flexible, strong, and stable.
Basswood shutters can be opened and closed thousands of times without losing their functionality. This wood alternative has a warm hue and is very reactive to stains, varnishes, and paints. Pine is a softwood that twists easily and produces an all-natural, resilient, light-yellow pine look for your shutters that no other material can match. However, you may be equally, if not more, satisfied with Knotty Alder.
Pine is a low-cost, lightweight material that comes from a highly renewable resource. Medium-density fibreboard is a wonderful material for painted, not stained, inside plantation shutters since it’s stable, inexpensive and easy to work with. MDF is created by compressing wood fibres and resin (glue) under high pressure, resulting in a dense, homogenous board that resists warping and breaking.
Plywood is sometimes used for interior shutters, especially by individuals on a limited budget. Plywood is manufactured out of layers of wood veneer cemented together, making it sturdy, stable and resistant to warping and splitting. It is a more affordable alternative to real wood and can be stained or painted to complement any design. Composite plantation shutters are manufactured by combining wood and synthetic elements like PVC or MDF.
They provide the appearance of wood shutters at a reduced cost and are resistant to moisture, warping and fading. Composite shutters are simple to maintain and available in a variety of colours and finishes. Vinyl plantation shutters are an affordable solution that is long-lasting, easy to maintain and resistant to moisture and fading. They are available in a variety of colours and are ideal for high-humidity locations like bathrooms and kitchens.
Faux wood plantation shutters are made of synthetic materials that have the appearance and texture of real wood. They are resistant to moisture and humidity, making them excellent for use in restrooms and other damp environments. All in all, faux wood shutters are less expensive than real wood shutters while providing a similar effect.
Motorisation
Shutters can be motorised to tilt open at specific times of day. They can also be set to tilt closed in the heat of the day. This protects your fabrics, carpets and hardwood floors by blocking UV rays every day. The remote is incredibly simple to program and use, with a single remote that can control all of the shutters separately or simultaneously.
Upgrades
There are various modest improvements to the plantation shutter that can significantly improve the overall look and feel. Shutter pulls, shutter locks and hidden hinges are just a few examples. These are some enhancements that can be installed on the shutter.
They come in a brushed nickel finish that complements all of the whites and off-whites. These truly stand out when mounted on a stained wood shutter. The locks protect the shutter from children and prying hands, and the pulls can even protect the shutter from an unsuspecting adult who does not know how to properly open the shutter door.