ACNet Search

Results for: Wooden Window Shutters

Wooden Shutters

The best wood for building interior wooden shuttersis basswood. The tree can be found from Quebecsouth to Delaware and the Atlantic coast west toEastern Kentucky with an average height of 65 feet. Basswood is a renewable resource and carefulforest management ensures that the harvesting isdone responsibly by balancing the wood growthwith wood removal.

Basswood interior shutters are very straight andthey also have a fine uniform texture with a veryindistinct grain. The wood machines well and is easy to work, screws well, glues well, and it canbe stained to a smooth finish.

Basswood shutters do not warp, they are lightweightyet very strong, offer uniform grain for a superbstain finish, and they offer superior gluing andfinishing properties.

Oak shuttersOak is a very heavy wood which makes for veryheavy window shutters. Oak interior shutters willadd a lot of weight to window jambs, with screwsrequiring pre-drilling. They aren't suitablefor painting and the louvers tend to warp overtime.

Maple shuttersMaple is heavy like oak and produces interiorshutters that are very heavy. Maple also requiresthat the window jambs be pre-drilled. The woodlouvers with maple are hard to tension uniformly.

Poplar shuttersPoplar shutters mill and paint very well. Themineral streaks and green color help make popularwood unsuitable for staining. For shutters, poplarwood is moderately heavy. The wood is widelyavailable and less costly, although it also produces a lesser quality of wood shutter.

Cedar shuttersCedar wood mills and finishes nicely, althoughthe color varies greatly for staining. Cedaris pretty soft and can dent or scratch veryeasily.

For exterior shutters, cedar works very well. Theamazing durability and resistance to decay of incense cedar makes it perfect for exterior usewherever moisture is presented. Requiring long service with very little maintenance, it's also hated by bugs!

Alder shuttersAlder is an excellent choice for interior shutters,as the tree is very small. Tall window shuttersusing alder wood will require finger joints.

Pine shuttersPine is a soft wood, with many different speciesand grades available.

Always remember that there are also poorly constructed wood shutters that will rank very low on the scale of quality. You should alwayslook for a smooth, well sanded surface, thickdurable paing, glued and doweled joints, and a straight light hardwood. Before you committo any shutter company, always request a sampleso that you know what to expect.

(word count 417)

PPPPP