Window Shutters

Window Shutters

Window shutters are both a beautiful and a practical addition to the interior or the exterior of your home. Those designed to be window treatments inside your home offer privacy and style and can complement any room decor while those built for the outside of your home can create a finished look and enhance your home's curb appeal. Specialized exterior shutters, such as hurricane shutters, offer important protection to a home's windows during hurricanes and hurricane-force winds.

Window shutters used as window treatments for the rooms inside your home come in many different styles. Most types are made from wood or faux wood, and they come in different colors to complement the design of your room. Common interior types include the following:

• Plantation style: One of the most common interior wood shutters, plantation shutters feature louvered slats that tilt to allow or block light.
• Shaker style: These solid-paneled wood shutters have clean, simple lines and are hinged to close completely when you want to block out the sun.
• Cafe style: Easily identifiable, these wood shutters cover the bottom half of a window and are louvered to allow in light.

Before cleaning your plantation shutters, determine whether they are made from wood or a faux wood product. If they are made with real wood, you will need to use cleaning products formulated to protect the stain and finish. Here are some common cleaning methods:

• Dusting with a feather duster or a microfiber cloth designed to trap dust particles.
• Vacuuming with a vacuum attachment to remove dust and dirt.
• Wiping with a damp cloth to remove dust, dirt, and any sticky stains.

When measuring for interior shutters, measure the length and width of the window frame in which they will be hung. Be sure to measure the depth of the window frame as well to ensure the shutters will hang flush on the wall. You may need to round measurements up or down depending on the manufacturer's measuring guidelines.

Shutters that are properly installed can help to insulate your home by reducing heat loss during the winter and by reducing incoming heat during the summer. Exterior shutters installed on the outside of your home are also a good option for insulating against heat and sunlight as well as from cold air and harsh winter conditions.

They can be painted using several different methods, including brush painting, spray painting, and air spray painting. To paint the shutters, be sure to prepare the wood surface by first thoroughly cleaning away dirt, dust, and grime and then by lightly sanding it. Apply two coats of paint, and then rehang the shutters when fully dry.