From a simple sketch on a piece of scrap paper to completion, our office remodeling project has been a long job.  Both inside and out we have remodeled to turn this old police station built around 1940 - 1950 into a working office and showroom. 

Just this past week our awning style Bahama shutters and window boxes were installed and today the window box planters were filled with beautiful ivy geraniums from a nursery close to us called Miller's Greenhouses.  Millers has a wonderful selection.  Still family owned, they have been in business since 1835!  The geraniums for our flower boxes will be wintered over inside the office windows for us to enjoy.  Come next Spring all we will need to do is pop them back in the planters.

The Bahama Awnings were a smart solution in helping to keep our office a bit cooler to save energy during the hot summer months since the Southern full sun exposure bakes the building and the pavement that surrounds-  And with flowers at the windows and shrubbery by the entrance we have heat absorbing benefits but best of all they are simply beautiful.

We still have a bit more to go but the neighbors are already giving us a thumbs up!

 

 

Kestrel's Bahama Awning style shutters provide our office shade keeping it cooler inside.  The view of the window flower boxes is enjoyed from both inside and out- for more information please contact us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Many neat things happen in July...

 

With just the right amount of sun and rainfall, corn stalks are knee high by the fourth of July...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 County Fair evenings end the day...

 

 

And of course, Red White and Blue flags & fireworks for July 4th picnic celebrations for Independence Day are fun for all...

 

Have a great and safe celebration. 

-JAF

 Happy Birthday America!

 

Kestrel Shutters & Doors, Inc.   www.DIYShutters.com sales@diyshutters.com

Now in our 20th Year
May 4, 1989

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recently many customers have asked us about the hardwood pegs found in our doors and shutters.  These pegs and their mitered layout on a completed frame are a signature mark of Kestrel Shutters and Doors.   

The pegged mortise and tenon joint is a time honored cabinet makers joint with a use that extends very far back in time.  Just google "mortise and tenon ship building" and you'll see for yourself the amazing use of this joint.  Even in today's world, the pegged mortise and tenon joint is still one of the best wood fastening methods.

The peg, which acts as a cotter pin locks the connecting joint together.  Pegs are usually pinned through the pocket joint and are revealed on both sides of the frame.  However, one modern modification that we made to our mortise and tenon joints is to not have the pegs exposed on both sides.  This design change allows us to provide our doors and shutters a distinct appearance to both sides.  It also eliminates the slight possibility of the peg sliding out while doing it's job in holding the joint together.

Our standard practice for our custom sized, made to order, wood doors and shutters is to build the frames with the pegs clearly visible on the front face.  But, time to time, some customers do not want to see these pegs and for good reason such as the traditional joinery does not match their interior design.  Whatever the reason may be, it's an easy modification to have the pegs not show by inserting the pegs on the back side.

When ordering your doors if having the pegs visible is a concern please let us know and we will accomodate your design preference.

Want to learn more about mortise and tenon joinery?  Click here:  Defining the Mortise and Tenon, Old and New

Kestrel Shutters & Doors, Inc.   www.DIYShutters.com sales@diyshutters.com

Now in our 20th Year
May 4, 2009

 

If you haven't read my posts before, I sometimes add other odds and ends to share...

I took this picture just the other day of Black Angus grazing on the lush June grass.

 

We often think of Plantation shutters as the most gracious of window treatments, giving interior windows a true Southern charm. Really, there are many other applications well suited for this airy wide louver style. Over the years we have had the following questions asked and the answers show the true versatility of Plantation Shutters.

Can Plantation Shutters be used as Exterior Shutters?

Yes! Plantation Shutters are at home as exterior shutters and even interior rooms with high huimidity. Exterior Plantation Shutters must be made with wood that can withstand harsh weather and environments. This is why we hand build our exterior Plantation Shutters out of Spanish Cedar. Spanish Cedar is a durable hardwood that is highly noted for its resistance to rot, decay and insects.

Can Plantation Shutters have fixed louver blades?

While Plantation Shutters are known for their ability to control ventilation and the sunlight coming in to your home, they can be made with non-moving louver blades. The fixed louver blades still allow indirect light to filter in as well air flow.

A good example are the awning style Bahama Shutters used on this Barnes & Noble Booksellers storefront. They wanted the look of Plantation Shutters without operable louvered blades.

Can Plantation Shutters be used in place of trellis screening?

Yes. Louvered Shutters will screen a view and also stave off a gusty breeze. The airy appearance of Plantation Shutters will provide a perfectly cozy partition extending your living spaces outdoors.

Can Plantation Shutters be used as interior doors?

Yes. This actually adds quite a bit of functionality as it allows you to control both ventilation and sound within parts of your home. Some good examples would be doors to cover utility rooms and doors that lead from living areas into screened in porches. When Plantation Shutters are used as interior doors we increase the proportions of the stiles and rails to add stability and look proprtional.

Hopefully ths has given you some insight in to the different ways Plantation Shutters can be used. So the next time you find yourself thinking about adding exterior shutters to your home or replacing some closet or interior doors, consider Plantation Shutters.

If there is any one style of shutter that is requested more than any other it is Plantation Shutters. What is surprising is that many people come to us for Plantation Shutters without even knowing what they are. Simply put, there has been so much publicity on Plantation Shutters over the years that people recognize the style as something desirable without fully knowing the style.

What are Plantation Shutters?

Plantation Shutters, in their basic form, are louvered shutters with approximately 2" to 3" wide operable louver blades. Our Plantation Shutters feature a 2.1/2" wide operable louver blade.

Why are they called Plantation Shutters?

While some of the old plantations in the South used operable louvered shutters with wide louvers the term is much more recent. The term "Plantation Shutters" is really just a marketing idea someone came up with along the way, most likely not long after the release of "Gone with the Wind" and our introduction to Tara, Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler. Let's face it, "Plantation Shutters" sounds so much nicer than "Shutters with wide, operable louvered blades".

So get a price quote on Plantation Shutters but remember they are only one of many styles of interior shutters.  We'll be happy to price as many shutter styles as you would like.

To bring some more fun in to this world we put together this Online Easter Egg Hunt designed for kids.  Each egg they find and click opens up a new site where they can discover Easter crafts, games and coloring pages from around the World.

A common misconception is that closet door hardware, especially hardware for sliding closet doors, require a bottom track.  The belief is that the bottom track helps support the weight of the doors as well as keep the doors aligned.

The Johnson Hardware we supply with our closet doors is actually designed to support the entire weight of the doors at the top.  The rollers are all sets of 3 or 4 wheels that have been machine turned and balanced. This means that the optional bottom track is used only to help guide your sliding closet doors and bifold doors.

When should I use a bottom track?

You really only need to use the bottom guide when there is a concern that the doors might be bumped hard enough to swing back and forth.  Some good examples would be if the doors are being be used between rooms or if you have small children or large pets.

Are bottom tracks only for sliding closet doors?

No.  Larger bi-fold doors are also good candidates for a bottom guide track.  Follow the same rule as with your sliding closet doors.  If you think your bi-fold doors are going to be bumped a lot then a bottom guide track might be helpful.

Do I need to cut into my floor to install the bottom track?

No.  Since the bottom guide tracks do not support any weight they can be surface mounted to your floor.  Wood strips can be placed on either side of the track to give the look of a finished threshold.  If you have not installed your floor you can also use a bottom guide track.  In this case you would simply install your flooring on either side of the bottom guide track.  The nice thing about this method is that the track is submerged below the floor level so there is no concern about tripping.

So while a bottom track is not needed to support the weight or your doors, it can help to guide your doors.

When it comes to closet doors, one of the most popular ways to mount them is as bifold doors. Basically this means that the doors are hinged together in pairs and will open and close in pairs.

While there doesn't seem like there would be much variation in the hardware for bifold doors there are a few different factors to consider.

Where will your doors fold open?

The first thing to look at is how you want to have your doors fold open. Traditional bifold doors will fold up in pairs within the closet opening. The doors can be mounted so that they all fold to one side only or split up so that pairs of doors fold to both sides. If you do NOT want the doors to fold up inside the opening then you can choose what is known as "full access" hardware.

Johnson Hardware 1601 series is a full access hardware that folds the doors 180° open and out against the face of the wall. The advantage of this is that you do not have pairs of doors blocking part of your opening. Three of the most practical applications for this are closets that hold a washer and dryer, closets that hold a home office and closets that stow away a Murphy Bed. If you do not have the wall space for your bifold doors to swing out and open then you will need to go with more traditional hardware that keeps the doors within the opening.

Can you mount your bifold doors to the floor?

Some hardware for bifold doors require that you mount a bottom pivot directly on to your floor.  If you have custom flooring this may not be practical or desired. This is one of the reasons that Johnson Hardware 111FD series is so popular. This is a heavy duty track hardware that holds bifold doors up to 50 lbs each but does not require you to touch your floor. Instead the bottom pivot mounts to your jamb to support your bifold doors.

Are your closet doors oversized?

Many of the closet doors we make are oversized and need to have bifold door hardware that has heavier limits. The Johnson Hardware 100FD series will handle bifold doors up to 75 lbs each and the Johnson Hardware 200FD series will handle bifold doors up to 48" wide each and 125 lbs each. These series of bifold track hardware will have a bottom pivot that mounts to the floor to help stabilize the oversized doors.

Closets with more than 4 doors

Sometimes it makes sense to have more than 4 doors within a closet opening. Most often it is because the closet has a very wide opening or it could even be several sets of interior doors to separate two rooms. In cases like this we offer what is referred to as multifold door hardware. The Johnson Hardware 100RD series will handle doors up to 24" wide and 50 lbs each while the Johnson Hardware 200RD series will handle doors up to 36" wide and 75 lbs each. Both of these can handle up to a maximum of 12 individual interior doors, 6 folding to the left and 6 folding to the right.

Bifold Door Hardware - Summary Table

Series	max. Door Size	max. Door Weight	max. Doors Folding in One Direction	Bottom Pivot
1601	24" x 96"	30 lbs.	2	none
111FD	24" x 108"	50 lbs.	2	Jamb Mount
100FD	24" x 108"	75 lbs.	2	Floor Mount
200FD	48" x 108"	125 lbs.	2	Floor Mount
100RD	24" x 108"	50 lbs.	6	Floor Mount
200RD	36" x 108"	75 lbs.	6	Floor Mount

 

 

Copyright Kestrel Shutters & Doors. 1989-2009

 

 

Not even Kestrel Shutters can keep cupid out of your home! Happy Valentines Day.

Finding the correct offset for exterior shutter hardware certainly can be daunting. But, with a little practice you’ll be well on your way to hanging your shutters with an offset that's just right!

 

What is Hinge Offset and why is it needed?

Hinge Offset is the counterbalance needed for a shutter or door to easily swing open and close, clearing any obstacles such as a deep fitted window frame or trim mouldings. With a larger hinge offset a larger swing (also referred to as “throw”) is created making the shutter protrude, or kick out, further away from the pivot point of the hinge. Knowing which hinge offset you will need is just a matter of finding the amount of throw needed.

Hardware Basics

Hinges are comprised of two parts.

Exterior strap hinges and the “L” type straps (also called “New York style hinges”) shown here on the right consist of a strap and a pintle. In this picture the pintle is on the left and the strap is on the right. The strap mounts to the shutter's back face and the pintle mounts to the building. Most, if not all shutter and door hinges, are made to be able to separated for installation, as well as general maintenance, hence the term "Lift off Hinge or Loose Pin Hinge".

 

 

Measuring Offsets for Plate Mount Strap Type Hinges

Pintle offset is measured from the base, to the center of the pintle, or pin. When measuring pintle offset sometimes the plate will be included and sometimes not. The measurement will be close enough to measure either way. In this picture I did not incude measuring the plate portion of the pintle that the tape measure is seated on. See how the measurement is one and a half inches ( 1-1/2" ) to the center of this pintle pin shown to the right?

 

Measuring the offset on the strap is similar to measuring the pintle offset. Just measure to the center of the knuckle, the hinge joint, less the strap thickness like I did in this picture below.

Just remember that you must measure the strap perpendicular to the portion that is mounted on the shutter face and not the angle as I am in the picture above.

Typically the strap offset is matched with the pintle offset. From closest to furthest in the picture shown below are half inch (1/2"), one and a half (1-1/2") and three and a quarter (3-1/4") offsets.

Offsets for Edge Mortise Types

Edge Mortise hinges shown in the picture to the right are also known as butt hinges. Butt hinges consist of two sections or leaves. The pivot pin is located on one of the leaf knuckles. They can be an "H" style (also called a Parliament hinge) as shown or a plain squared version that is our HE1-401 style. Click the picture below for both examples.

For another example of an edge mortise hinge just take a look at your home's entrance door. See how the hinge leaves are flush with the surface? This is known as hinges that are mortised in. One side of the hinge is mortised flush on the edge of the door and the other half with the pin is mortised flush into the door frame also known as a jamb. It is the same idea for a shutter.

Offsets are measured on an edge mortised butt hinge by taking the distance from the outer edge of the hinge leaf to the center of the pin. You can also just divide the full width of the hinge, both leaves open on a flat surface, and divide by two.

 

This hinge shown is referenced as a jamb leaf pintle. It's the same idea for mounting as an edge mortise hinge, mounts to the jamb. The leaf shown has an offset of 2-1/2" from the outer edge. Sometimes you'll see offset measured from the inside leaf to the center of the pin. In this picture you can see that would be about 1" from the inside leaf edge to the center of the pin. If you are going to use this type hinge or even the edge mortise types you need to make sure that the jamb is wide enough for the leaf plate to be securely screwed down.

Whether it is a strap hinge or a butt hinge the pin portion is mounted to the frame. In some cases this will be reversed for strap shutter or gate hardware if the pin is made to be on the straps knuckle. This feature is true of many hinges found on Old Philadelphia Federal Shutters. Regardless of where the pin is located the offset rules will still apply.

 

How to find your offset

Minimum hinge throw required

The distance from where the hinge will mount to the house to front face of the trim or casing that protrudes out the furthest from your home's façade is the minimum throw required. This is shown in figure 2 below. If there is no trim or casing, as in many brick and stone homes as shown here to the right and at the beginning of this article, then the minimum hinge throw required will be the distance from where the pintle mounts on the frame to the façade.

 

Using what you now know about hinge offsets take a look at this picture-

Do you see the pintle's large offset, the projection out from the window frame? Along with the matched offset on the "L" strap hinge the shutter now has adequate "throw" kicking it far enough away from the exterior wall. This is the key to knowing which offset to use- just find your throw.

 

 

[Fig. 1] Shutter closed over opening.

 

[Fig. 2] Shutter when open against the exterior façade , minimum hinge throw shown.

[Fig. 3] Shutter when open against the exterior façade with ventilation space detailed.

A ½” – 1-1/2” ventilation space is recommended between façade and shutter.

Along with the minimum throw you'll need to add enough offset to include an area for a ventilation space, a gap, behind the shutters when they are open and tied back against the wall with shutter dogs. This will help the wood ventilate so they do not retain moisture. It will also help ventilate the house wall too. There is no rule for how much ventilation space is required but it typically ranges from about a half to one and a half inches when the shutters are held open with tiebacks.

The following charts show some common offsets that we offer and their throw.

Table A - Use this chart for when the pintle offset equals the strap offset:

Hinge Offset	Hinge Throw	Minimum Hinge Throw Required
1/2"	1"	0" to 1/2"
1.1/2"	3"	0" to 2.1/2"
2.1/4"	4.1/2"	0" to 4"
3.1/4"	6.1/2"	0" to 6"

 

Table B

Some of the hinges that we sell can have split offsets. You might need a large pintle projection from the house and a smaller offset on the shutter hinge. Use this chart for when the pintle offset does not equal the strap offset

Pintle Offset	Strap Offset	Hinge Throw	Minimum Hinge Throw Required
1"	0"	1"	0" to 1/2"
1"	1"	2"	0" to 1.1/2"
1"	2"	3"	0" to 2.1/2"
2"	0"	2"	0" to 1.1/2"
2"	1"	3"	0" to 1.1/2"
2"	2"	4"	0" to 2.1/2"

Every window can be different...

Are you still not sure which shutter hinge to use?

Below are a some helpful paper cut out worksheets that you can print out. These templates can be helpful to place where your new shutter hardware will be installed to make sure that you will have adequate offset.

Your printer defaults should be fine for these worksheets to print to scale but if the measurements are incorrect just make sure that your printer is set to a a one to one (1:1) ratio in order for the cut-out templates to work.

Click & Print:

Copyright Kestrel Shutters & Doors. 1989-2009

 

 

 

 

Best Wishes to all in this New Year 2-0-0-9