Exterior Wood Shutters

It was a bright sunny morning and I was humming my favorite tune while looking out of the window that opened in my backyard garden. A shrill chirp interrupted my song and I began to see where the shrill sound came from. In some time, I spotted a little birdie sitting atop a tree in my garden. Probably, it wasn’t looking in through the window; it was looking at it! Yes it was. It seemed to be admiring the window design while looking at the etched window glass, the curtains that furled with the breeze and the newly installed exterior wood shutters that gave the window an elegant look. I felt proud of my choice of the window shutters. I felt flattered when a few more birds flocked to the same tree and began looking at the window; they seemed to be telling me that they liked the window design! But I soon realized, I was stretching my imagination a bit too far. Actually I was in my own world of thoughts while they were in theirs. - a page from the diary of Marie, a creative writer.

Not many of you might have earned admirers that Marie had, but I am sure you want to be appreciated for your choice of the exteriors of your house. It often so happens that we take all the efforts to beautify the interiors of our house and conveniently ignore the exteriors. We seldom think of how our house should look from outside. Well, have you thought about how your beautifully designed windows look from outside the house? And what makes them look the way they do? Yes, it’s the exterior window shutters. Window shutters serve as one of the best window coverings and give all the windows a uniform look. They also protect the windows against harsh weather conditions and guard the interiors from heat and humidity.

Exterior window shutters, especially the wooden ones are being used since a long time. Most American homes of the 1920s had authentic exterior wood shutters. The practice of installing exterior wood window shutters was also prevalent in England and Europe. What’s so special about exterior wood shutters? Firstly, they give an ‘authentic’ look to your house, they are highly durable, they offer excellent protection against extreme weather conditions, and most importantly, they are highly customizable. Generally, they are available in home improvement stores.

Exterior wood shutters outclass PVC or vinyl shutters in quality. PVC and vinyl window shutters degrade in color and structure and need replacement in less than 5-6 years. But, this is not the case with wood shutters; they require less maintenance and can last for decades. All they require is occasional repainting. Many wood color and wood protection products are available in the market. You have a wide variety of wood colors and sprays to choose from and repainting the shutters can give your house a fresh look.

Exterior Wood Shutter Designs

Panels: These exterior wood shutters trace their origin to the European style of architecture. They suit ornate houses in San Francisco and the home apartments in Pittsburgh. You can choose from raised, recessed or flat panels. Panel exterior wood shutters are mostly built from long-lasting types of wood. Their installation involves mortising, gluing and stapling them.

Louvers: Louvered exterior wood shutters have slats laid across shutter frames, with small gaps between the slats. They provide good ventilation and also offer protection against winds and snow. They are constructed in long-lasting varieties of wood, mostly mahogany or cedar. They come in both operable and fixed styles, with or without tilt rods. In this exterior wood shutter pattern, you have ample choice in louver widths and panel configurations. Louvered wood shutters give a stunning look to large houses having many windows.

Board and Batten: These exterior window shutters are made of thick wooden slabs, mostly using cedar or mahogany. You can choose between open or closed board and batten wood shutters with the width and spacing that suits your needs. When closed, these wood shutters give shade and protect the home interiors from heat and humidity. Their structure resembles that of shutters used in the Northeastern colonial period. If equipped with hurricane paneling, these window shutters can act as hurricane shutters. Traditionally used on barns, board and batten wood shutters are a good option for just any kind of house.

Bahama: They are also referred to as Bermuda shutters and help screen sunlight and protect the house from storms and heavy rains. Bahama shutters are suspended from the home using exterior hinges, such that they swing up and away from the structure, and open and close with the help of a support arm. Generally, one Bahama shutter is sufficient to cover an entire window. As these wooden window shutters project outward, they balance the look of tall slender buildings. These exterior wood shutters are popular among those residing in regions prone to storms and hurricanes.

Exterior wood shutters can be customized to complement your home decor. Cedar is one of the most popular choices of wood for exterior window shutters. However, you can choose one of the different types of wood depending on your taste and needs. You can accentuate wood window shutters by painting or staining them. You can create an altogether different exterior wood shutter design by putting your woodworking skills to work.

The windows of your house are your ‘windows’ to the outside world! They welcome natural light and the freshening breeze. They are your interface to communicate with the external world. So, go ahead and do them a favor by giving them their much-needed protection in the form of exterior window shutters.