Solid Exterior Wood Shutters
From coast to coast, exterior wood shutters enhance the beauty and performance of both traditional and modern homes. Installation instantly adds depth, texture, and contrast of color to the visual landscape. With the addition of hinges and hardware, premium wood shutters can swing open or closed to help govern sunlight, regulate airflow and manage privacy.
Wood Shutter Styles
Exterior Wood Shutter Species
ShutterLand solid wood shutters are constructed from three highly respected species intended for exterior use and exposure. Red Grandis, Cedar and Mahogany all have the natural stability essential for outdoor applications. The composition of each is slightly different, but all three have proven to deliver years of reliable service. ShutterLand window shutters are thoroughly kiln-dried before assembly in order to reduce moisture content. This process decreases lumber’s natural tendency to expand and contract in perpetual changing weather conditions and greatly prolongs the life of premium outdoor wood shutters.
Red Grandis Shutters
Red Grandis is a nearly perfect high quality hardwood to manufacture exceptional exterior shutters. The straight tight grain of the Red Grandis timber is naturally durable with minimal knotting. The fibers of Red Grandis can raise a little in the finishing process giving it a slightly rougher surface than other species. The fibers are relatively uniform in color with variations from light pink to dark red, and accept paint or stain well. Red Grandis is dimensionally stable with strength comparable to Oak, yet lightweight in comparison to similar woods. This species of Eucalyptus is grown on responsibly managed FSC–certified plantations in South America, and harvested after a 20 – 30 year growth cycle.
Cedar Shutters
The most common and recognizable tree species for the construction of outdoor shutters is Cedar. This aromatic timber is resistant to both insects and decay. Cedar shutters possess an impressive condensed grain with few knots, resulting in straight handsome panels interwoven with tones of red, brown, and tan. We use 99.5% knot free Grade B and better Cedar. Time-tested Cedar shutters paint and stain nicely and will endure for years in harsh outdoor conditions when properly maintained.
Mahogany Shutters
The compact grain of Mahogany is wonderfully nuanced with a rich, warm, reddish-brown hue. The resulting shutter is strong, sturdy, and moisture resistant. Mahogany shutters boast a long life expectancy. Construction begins with 99% percent knot free Select and Better Mahogany, resulting in extremely high-quality premium wood exterior shutters.
Selecting The Best Wood Shutters
The two major considerations when making a species selection are price and longevity. We believe Red Grandis to be the best overall value. The price of Red Grandis shutters is the most economical of the three and it has a comparable life expectancy.
Solid Wood Pros
+ Can be installed with functional hinges
+ Historically accurate
+ 1.5″ thick shutters
+ Sustainable kiln-dried lumber
+ Solid / Straight / Smooth components
+ Strong and durable
+ Full range of sizes available
+ Unlimited paint colors
+ Some styles can be stained
+ Long life expectancy
+ Bahama style option
+ Free shipping for most sizes
Solid Wood Cons
– Can absorb moisture if finish compromised
– Moderately heavy
Wood Window Shutters Source
All lumber is sourced from SFI certified suppliers. The Sustainable Forestry Initiative is a North American forest designation standard that guarantees wood is sourced from responsibly managed forests. Well-managed forests have important environmental benefits, such as cleaning our air and water, in addition to ensuring that trees are replenished for future use and enjoyment.
Popular Shutter Styles
ShutterLand offers all of the most popular exterior shutters. Every style is designed and crafted for the American home. We offer thousands of sizes of each style to meet the requirements of a specific window. Most component sizes have been standardized to fill the needs of most homeowners, allowing us to streamline our manufacturing process and facility to keep exterior wood shutters affordable.
Louvered Wood Shutters
Window shutters with louvers, or slats, are easily the most popular and are installed worldwide. They adapt to a majority of architectural home styles and are functionally the most practical. The louver angle provides visual depth and added dimension to any home. Common louvered wood shutters hinge to the side of the window with the ability to swing open and closed. Panels can also be mounted in a stationary position if operation is not required. Standard 1 ½ inch louvers comply with most requirements and often blend well with existing shutters. Louvers are slotted into the side stiles with a 3⁄16 inch space between each.
Bahama Shutters
Bahama shutters are principally used in tropical regions. Coastal states like Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Louisiana, and California utilize the awning-like characteristic of this effective design. Bahama shutters prop open from the bottom so windows are shaded during hours of intense sunlight. Space between louvers provides a view to the outside world. Closed Bahama shutters can protect from weather or provide privacy. Bahama shutters are constructed with one or more signature vertical sub-stiles to create multiple vertical louver banks.
Grooved, Flat & Raised Panel Shutters
Solid panel shutters incorporate a beveled or grooved section between the stiles and rails. This style is also prominent throughout all regions of the United States. While solid panel shutters perform marginally fewer objectives than louvered shutters, they can provide superior storm protection and block a larger volume of light for sleeping. Raised panel, flat panel or shaker shutters are also much easier to sand and paint.
The raised or grooved areas of our solid panel shutters are ⅝ inch thick sections of composite material, which results in a more reliable exterior panel shutter. If wood were used for the solid panels, it would be necessary to assemble multiple pieces to achieve the necessary expanse. Over time, the seams between sections could detach and create cracks in the finish. The shutters would be unsightly and diminish the integrity of the shutters in a relatively short period of time. Using a composite material eliminates those problems, and the composition of the material is not evident when painted.
Exterior Wood Shutter Construction
We start the manufacturing process of timeless wooden shutters with hand selected, straight, sound lengths of lumber. Imperfections and knots are trimmed off or cut away. Individual components are milled, planed, sanded and cut into required lengths. Dowel holes, slots for louvers, and raised panel channels are drilled with precision machinery that ensures identical spacing. The joint between each side stile and horizontal rail is firmly adhered with multiple 2 ½ inch dowels, a 3 ½ inch threaded screw, and industrial polyurethane exterior glue. Holes created on the outside edge of the shutter are filled with tapered wood plugs. The bond created at each intersection is the strongest in the industry.
Board and batten wood shutters are assembled using waterproof outdoor glue, 1 ⅝ inch screws, and corrugated joint fasteners. While this rustic shutter may seem simple to construct, the impressive quality of our genuine board and batten panels is remarkably difficult to recreate in a DIY weekend.
Unfinished Wood Shutters
Unfinished shutters look stunning. Honestly, it feels criminal to paint them. Every component (stiles, rails, louvers, boards, and battens) are all milled as solid lengths. We do not finger-joint sections to manufacture longer pieces. Finger-jointed areas can pull and separate in climates with distinct seasons and variable temperatures. Unfinished wood shutters may still have some minor splinters or dents, which are completely filled to create even surfaces. The front, sides, and back are fully sanded smooth in preparation to prime and paint.
Painting Exterior Wood Shutters
Prior to painting, ShutterLand applies a thorough coat of premium quality acrylic primer/sealer. Louvered, solid panel and combination styles are primed after assembly. Board and batten shutters are primed in advance of full assembly to completely cover areas that are unreachable after all parts are secure. Correct application of the initial prime coat is crucial to paint adhesion. Our industrial spray booth and equipment allow for complete and uniform coverage. After the prescribed drying period, the prime coat is sanded smooth. Homeowners who opt to order unfinished Red Grandis, Mahogany or Cedar shutters and finish themselves must not skip this step.
Paint is applied in two sessions to achieve an ultra-durable premium quality finish. The paint will protect the fibers from invasive moisture and harsh sunlight. The long term effects of either of these elements can cause wood to eventually deteriorate. DIY homeowners can either administer paint with a spray gun or with a brush. Louvered shutters are the most difficult to brush paint because of hard to reach spaces between slats. Pools of paint may gather at the louver ridges, but many passes with an unsaturated paint brush can alleviate this obstacle.
An array of nine popular widely used colors can be selected for factory paint application. Or, for a one-time matching fee of $200 a custom color can be specified. Exterior shutter paints typically match the second or third palette in a house’s color scheme or the front door.
How to Measure for Wood Shutters
Ideally, house shutters will appear to be able to close over the window opening. The Red Grandis, Mahogany or Cedar shutters should each measure half of the window width if they will flank the area on either side. Wide windows that can not adhere to this guideline should utilize panels that simulate the appearance. Full measurements require time and attention to detail. Use our basic shutter measuring instructions to begin.
Exterior Wood Shutter Installation
Outdoor shutters can be installed as stationary elements that enhance the look of a building only. This is the least costly option, requiring simple hardware like exterior grade screws or anchors to affix the shutters to the face of a building.
Alternatively, the best exterior wood shutters can be installed to be functional elements that can be moved into an open or closed position. In this case, a variety of shutter hardware options are available for consideration.
There are so many styles of hinges and shutter dogs to select from, depending on the style of the building and the budget available.
Wood Exterior Shutters for Historic Preservation
American homeowners and builders continue to loyally select exterior wood shutters after centuries of use. This is a testament to the enduring appeal and durability of the product.
Accurate restoration of period homes is essential to both homeowners and the surrounding community. The obvious and only material that can be used for historic house shutter preservation is wood. ShutterLand can assist in the decision-making process to ensure the right window shutters are selected for the application.
The resilient nature of wood exterior shutters allows them to be used in the hot, sunny Florida Keys or the cooler, humid conditions of Seattle, Washington. A variety of configurations promotes use on a number of house styles, including Victorian, Colonial, Federal, Ranch, Plantation, Georgian, Cape Cod, Farmhouse, Tudor, and French Country. Understandably, solid lumber has long been the default choice for building exterior shutters.
Buy Exterior Wood Shutters
ShutterLand has supplied quality outdoor shutters that currently reside on single family houses, apartments, hotels, and office buildings across the country. We know that it is difficult to partner with an unfamiliar company to make a large investment in your home. We strive to provide you with as much information as possible to make an educated decision.
Select one of the shutter styles above to price and order outdoor wood shutters.
