Kestrel Shutters & Doors – Blog

Posts Tagged ‘Exterior Shutters’

Once the shutters, doors, and other various millwork we make are shipped  to a customer we often wonder what the job will look like once completed.  That’s why the pictures sent in from customers are really nice to see.

Before and after remodeling pictures are especially fun!

In this before picture shown below the exterior window shutters seem to be just barely hanging on!  The homeowner came to us to recreate these old arched shutters.

What a difference good posture with new exterior shutters makes!

Here is a close up of the half-round arched shutters on the gable.

The main floor has the narrow yet very tall windows you see in many Victorian homes.  These exterior shutters have a quarter-round arched top.

If you would like to see some other pictures of past projects take a look at our photo gallery!

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 proportional.

Hopefully this 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.

A naturally beautiful and renewable choice – Wood shutters and doors by

Kestrel Shutters & Doors, Inc. www.DIYShutters.com 1-800-494-4321 / sales@diyshutters.com

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.

A naturally beautiful and renewable choice – Wood shutters and doors by

Kestrel Shutters & Doors, Inc. www.DIYShutters.com 1-800-494-4321 / sales@diyshutters.com

In a small village named Snowdenville, where two roads intersect under an old maple tree, there are several older homes situated on each of the corners.  All of the homes are different with their own personality and charm.  One common bond that they do share is that they all display the same style board and batten shutters, each with the same simplistic conifer tree cut-out.  When December arrives, what could be more appropriate than a Christmas tree (or two) at every window?

Look at the happy Jack o’ Lantern in the window…

While we did not make the shutters for this adorable and very old log cabin, we did make all new shutters just like these for the home that sits caddy corner to this one. The modern day look alikes were made with an exterior-grade material called Extira®.  This material was a perfect and cost-effective way to recreate these decorative exterior shutters.  I will snap a picture of the project for an upcoming post once the scaffolding is down and the project is complete.

For a price quote in this design just contact our office.  We have several cut outs to choose from and you can also send us your own design that you may have such as a cat or dog, a house number, and even your initials.  The pattern can be cut through the shutter or carved into the shutter’s surface as a relief.  Panel cut outs are a fun way to personalize your home.

A naturally beautiful and renewable choice – Wood shutters and doors by

Kestrel Shutters & Doors, Inc. www.DIYShutters.com 1-800-494-4321 / sales@diyshutters.com

If you want your exterior shutters to be able to open and close properly over your windows, you need to make sure that you choose the correct exterior shutter hardware. This can be a bit confusing as every window and window frame is different. Even if you have the same style of trim on all of your windows don’t be surprised if some of the measurements are slightly different.

Throughout the Fall I will be writing articles on how to choose the correct exterior shutter hardware to make your shutters functional…or simply look functional.

This article will cover the types of hinges that are available.   At the bottom of this article is a Summary which has some Quick Reference tables that you can use.  If you are already familiar with exterior shutter hardware, feel free to skip directly down to the Summary.  You will also find some pictures showing different types of installations.

Types of Exterior Shutter Hinges

1. Straight Strap	2. L Strap	3. Plate	4. Mortised

5. Inside Mount – Window frame shown in Green	6. Overlap Mount – Shutters overlay opening so no frame is exposed

The first thing that you need to decide is where the shutters will sit when closed over your window. Exterior shutters can be mounted to fit within your window frame and/or jamb (see diagram 5 above – inside mount) or to completely cover your window frame (see diagram 6 above – overlap mount). Most often shutters are mounted as an inside mount. This is because with an inside mount installation, exterior shutters are seated and secured within the frame when the shutters are closed.  More resistance to high winds is achieved because the wind cannot “lift” the shutter off like a kite in the wind.  Also, inside mount installations will help prevent break-ins as the shutters cannot be lifted off the hinges when closed properly. The reason you would use an overlap mount is if you were using Bahama shutter hardware or if there was not enough depth for the shutters to sit within the window frame and/or jamb.

Inside Mount for Exterior Shutters (see diagram 5)

If you are using an inside mount take a look at where your shutters will sit within the window opening when closed. You need to know what the material is that will be around your closed shutters. (This is shown in green in diagram 5 above) If this is framed in wood that is deep enough to hold your shutters then you can use either surface mounted hinges or edge mounted hinges. If the opening is a material other than wood, such as brick, vinyl or stone, then you will need to use a surface mounted hinge.

Overlap Mount for Exterior Shutters (see diagram 6)

If your shutters will be overlapping your window opening, so that there is no window frame visible, the most practical option is to use a surface mounted hinge. These can be any strap or plate hinge mounted to the sides or Bahama shutter hinges mounted at the top.

Hinge Mounting Method

If you are using surface mounted exterior shutter hinges you need to decide where you can mount the hinge pintle. This will determine whether you need to use a plate pintle with screws or a lag bolt pintle. If you are able to mount the hinge pintle directly onto the flat surface of your wood trim or wood frame (shown in green in diagram 5) you will be able to use a plate pintle. If you need to mount the hinge pintle onto some other material like brick or stone you will need to use a lag bolt pintle.

Once you know the type of exterior shutter hinge and pintle you will need to determine the offset. This will be covered in next blog post.

Summary  / Quick Reference

To help choose the type of hinges you will need to mount your exterior shutters follow these 4 steps.

Step 1. Determine whether you have an inside mount (see diagram 5 above) or an overlap mount (see diagram 6 above).

Step 2. Look at the building material around your window opening and, using Table A below, find out whether you need a surface mounted hinge or an edge mounted hinge.

Step 3. Look at the building material where you will be mounting your hinges and, using Table B below, find out the type of mounting method you will need to use.

Step 4. Using Table C below look for a hinge that meets your requirements for hinge type (step 2) and for mounting method (step 3).  You can see the available hinges pictured above (pictures 1,2,3 and 4) to help decide the look you want.

Hinge Type – Table A

Use this table for quick reference for determining hinge type

Available Hinges – Table C

This next table will list different hinges and the mounts available.

Mounting Examples

The following photos show some different mounting methods used on different buildings.

Pennsylvania – Stucco face – inside mount – wood frame – surface mounted plate pintle with screws.

St. Croix USVI – Stucco face – inside mount – no frame – lag bolt pintle mounted through the stucco.

California – Concrete face – overlap mount – surface mounted Bahama shutter hardware

Belgium – Stone face – inside mount – stone window frame – lag bolt pintles

West Virginia – Stucco over brick face – inside mount – wood frame – surface mounted plate pintles with screws.

A naturally beautiful and renewable choice – Wood shutters and doors by

Kestrel Shutters & Doors, Inc. www.DIYShutters.com 1-800-494-4321 / sales@diyshutters.com