Top 5 Things to Know About Buying Plantation Shutters
Plantation Shutter Materials
There are two main categories of materials that are used to make custom plantation shutters: hardwood and polywood, or faux wood. Hardwood trees for shutters include poplar, oak, cypress, and basswood, with basswood being the premium quality wood. Basswood has a very straight grain, and it’s the most sturdy and durable of all the hardwoods used in fabricating shutters. Polywood, or faux wood, is a man-made composite material that looks identical to hardwood. Polywood is generally at a lower price point than hardwood shutters, and it is treated to resist cracking, bowing, chipping, breaking, and discoloring over time in the bright sunlight. Polywood works wonderfully well in hot and humid climates and your kitchen and bathrooms, as it will hold its integrity even in these conditions.
Plantation Shutter Louver Sizes
When you order custom plantation shutters, you can decide on the louver size that you like best. Louvers are the horizontal slats on your shutters that can be adjusted to see outside. The sizes range from 2 inches to 5 inches wide, with the 3.5-inch and 4.5-inch sizes being the most popular with homeowners. Wider louvers make it easier to see outside when the louvers are open without as many horizontal lines showing. Larger louvers also look particularly stunning on large windows where the smaller louvers would look too busy.
Plantation Shutters Tilt Control
You also have options in custom plantation shutters in the tilt control bar. The standard shutters have a tilting rod on the front of the shutter panels in the center, spanning from the top to the bottom of the panel. To tilt your louvers you move the tilt control, and all of the louvers will move at the same time to open them more or close them more for filtered light adjustments. The hidden tilt control is on the rear of the shutter panels, and in order to tilt the louvers, you merely grasp any of the louvers on the front of your shutters and position them as you please. More modern homes usually prefer the clean lines of the hidden tilt without a visible tilting rod on the front of them.
Custom Panels
If your specialty window doesn’t get a large amount of heat and sunlight in it, or if it is very high on a wall in a room with a vaulted ceiling, you can choose to have custom sheer panels made for it. Sheer panels will follow the shape of your window and cover it, but you will be able to see the special architecture of the window through the sheer panel. Sheer panels are usually quite delicate with intricate lace patterns in them to dress your specialty windows in style.
Plantation Shutters Installation
Professional shutter installation is a must because there are many factors involved that require adjustments in the process. Items such as radiators or window handles need to be accounted for as well as special installations when the shutters are on a sill, or they extend past a chair rail. There are also different shutter frames to be considered for inside or outside mount models of shutters. The L-Frame fits inside of your window opening, and it can be set to be flush with your wall on each side of it. This type of frame is generally used for windows that have trim work around them. The Z-Frame is for outside mounting of shutters, and it has a decorative overlapping trim to surround the opening of your window. This frame is generally used for windows that have no existing trim.
Conclusion
It’s best to know all of your available options for plantation shutters in Utah so you can make an informed decision as to which is best for you. Window shutters in Utah are very popular because of their luxurious beauty, durability, and functionality in homes. They are also very easy to keep clean with the simple swipe of a feather duster, and they are good for families that have allergy sufferers. You can also add motorization to shutters, so that the louvers can be adjusted with a remote control for the ultimate in convenience.
