Are You Considering Interior Shutters?
- Scott Remai
- Feb 24
- 5 min read
Updated: 7 days ago
The Ultimate Guide to Interior Shutters
Interior shutters, also known as interior plantation shutters and plantation shutters, are a type of window treatment characterized by tilting louvers. Unlike blinds, shutters are hinged as panels, allowing them to swing open or bi-fold. Shutters are a timeless addition that can enhance any decor. They use real wood or composite materials in their production. The louvers are offered in 2 1/2, 3, 3 1/2, and 4 1/2-inch sizes, allowing for symmetrical balance between small and larger windows and the view you expect.
Wood Interior Shutters
Wood shutters use a variety of wood species in their manufacturing. They can be painted or stained, and the wood species greatly influences the finished look when stained. Basswood and Paulownia are the two most common woods used for staining due to their smooth grain and excellent stainability. Poplar is the best wood species for painted interior shutters. Although there is a nice selection of stock colors, some manufacturers, like Norman, offer custom color matching for painted finishes on wood shutters.
Composite Interior Shutters
Composite shutters are made from various materials. The best-quality composite shutters are made from high-quality MDF or a high-grade polymer. MDF is the most popular choice due to its robust strength, but it is heavier. MDF shutter panels are typically about 20% heavier than wood shutters, so there are limitations to the width of their panels. Composite shutters of high-grade polymer are much lighter, allowing for wider panels. Composite shutters come in a limited selection of paint finishes, such as whites, grays, and beiges.
Four Unique Benefits of Custom Interior Shutters:
Shutters can be fitted into any shaped window opening. Interior shutters are an excellent option for any window. With the help of an expert, they can be fitted perfectly in the angles of a bay window or the curve of a bow window. Shutters are excellent at covering your uniquely shaped windows. Shaped interior shutters cover arches, angled tops, and Palladian windows. Shutters can also cover circular and oval-shaped windows. Interior shutters should fit perfectly, and an experienced expert can help you achieve the perfect fit every time.
2. Shutters can cover any door Another unique option is Interior door shutters Patio doors can be covered with interior plantation shutters that bi-fold ( in which the panels stack back) or by-pass (in which the shutter panels slide left to right) French doors can be covered with plantation shutters with a very aesthetically pleasing cutout so the shutter does not interfere with the door handle and lock mechanism.
3 Shutters are a child-safe product. - There are no dangerous cords or beaded chains!
4. Interior shutters can be configured to fit your needs. The panels can be full-length to cover an entire window or cafe-style, covering only the lower portion of the window. They can also be double-hung (in which a separate top set of panels and a lower set of panels swing open independently). You can adjust the number of panels and their orientation. For instance, a 48-inch window can have between 2 and 4 panels, which allows for a customized look that works with your existing window trim and interior space.
When Purchasing Shutters, Here Are Some Things to Consider:
Are they Eco-Friendly? A good-quality shutter will be free from off-gassing and come from a sustainable source.
What is The Warranty? A good warranty covers the shutters against twisting, peeling, and cracking, as well as the finish, for at least five years.
What is the best installation method? An inside-mount application is typically the best option if you have plenty of depth and no obstacles, such as locks or cranks. Shutters inside window casing can be mounted on a hanging strip (hidden behind the shutter panel), mounted by the hinges, or with a decorative frame. An outside-mount application is best for limited-depth or irregularly shaped windows. Several frame options are available for interior shutters mounted on the outside of a wall or an existing window frame. A shutter expert can help determine the best installation method for your shutters.
How do you want the louvers to tilt? Years ago, the only way to tilt the louvers was with a tilt bar in the center of the panel. Then Norman Window Fashions developed their patented Invisibletilt, which allows you to move a series of louvers without a tilt bar for a cleaner look and a clearer view.
Norman Window Fashions is an industry leader that produces the best interior shutters. All their products are VOC-safe and CARB-compliant. The panels have recessed magnets, which look much cleaner and have tighter closures. Norman also offers an invisible tilt for those who want a cleaner, crisp look and a better view.
Norman Shutter Product Lines
Normandy Wood Interior Shutters—Norman offers Normandy wood shutters as its top-of-the-line wood plantation shutters, made with 100% premium hardwood from luxuriously grained and durable Paulownia. The wood undergoes a unique wood-prescription conditioning process that takes several months. The wood is stored in warehouses with varying humidity levels to acclimate the shutters to their final installation location, ensuring the product will not warp, twist, or crack once installed. There are several painted and stained finishes available, and custom paint color matching is also offered.
Brightwood Shutters have real wood panels with composite frames, a more budget-friendly option. Brightwood is offered in paint finishes only.
Woodlore Composite Shutters, the world's best-selling shutter, comes in 9 neutral paint finishes. Woodlore Shutters have a high-grade polypropylene coating that prevents moisture absorption and makes them easy to clean. This unique coating has a patented UV inhibitor that protects the finish against fading and discoloration, and it comes with a Lifetime Guarantee.
Woodlore Plus Composite Shutters manufactures the louvers using high-grade ABS, which is often used in high-end endurance applications for appliances, car parts, and helmets. The Frames use 100 % select hardwoods during manufacturing. They are much lighter than Woodlore, which allows the panels to be made wider. Woodlore Plus is offered in 27 painted finishes.
As you can see, there are many decisions to make. When it comes to interior shutters, an experienced professional can help you find the best product, configuration, and installation method for your project. It helps to have a company with in-house experts who can design, measure, and install your plantation shutters.
Choose Elegant Touch Interiors for Your Interior Plantation Shutter Project!
Our experts use their 30 years of experience to help design, measure, and install your custom interior shutters. Though we are a Pittsburgh-based company in Plum, Pennsylvania, we install shutters in other cities across the United States. We have experience installing plantation shutters on every type of window imaginable. Our insight ensures an excellent and clean installation. We aim to provide our clients with the highest quality shutters at ElegantTouch Interiors Inc.
Contact Elegant Touch Interiors so we can get started on your project!
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