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Home > Making Shutters That Actually Work
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Making Shutters That Actually Work
by Tim Layton
I came across a photograph yesterday that had some beautiful shutters on a set of arch-top French doors. They made a difference on the house that was truly remarkable! I was so impressed, that I immediately wrote a blog post on the subject of custom exterior shutters!
Custom shutters is something I've been thinking about for some time. The reason is that so many houses have a huge untapped potential design improvement right out in the open! Thousands, probably even millions, of homes have fake decorative shutters. Some of them are even made of plastic for crying out loud! Why would we do that to our home?
I think the answer is simply that we often don't even think about the alternative! Let's do that for a second.
Using Real Shutters On a Normal House
There is nothing altogether different about windows on newer homes than on homes from years past. The demise of shutter use is something I wish I understood better, because they really work! A few advantages of shutters:
When they are real, they look better! - you can see the hardware, and there is a slight angle to the way they sit on the wall. It's obvious that they are there for a purpose and not just decoration. Authentic always looks better! Because they move, they don't get all nasty behind them with cocoons, spider webs, and leaves. They actually work! The biggest benefit is in the actual function of security, privacy, and protection from weather.
How much work is involved in making it a reality?
There are a few things to consider when planning to install working shutters to the house.
Is my exterior able to be attached to? - The most difficult surface to do a clean and simple job would be vinyl siding or stone. Vinyl siding is really not great to be putting holes in and stone is naturally uneven. With either of these surfaces you would need to build a frame around the windows to compliment the shutters and facilitate the installation. Are my windows far enough from each other, and from corners? Are they the right size? - for shutters to work they actually have to be half the size of the window. Many homes with fake shutters don't even come close to the right ratio (another real thorn in my side). You'll see homes with six foot wide windows with 18" shutters on either side. (if done right this can look fine, but the idea annoys me). You may not have room for operable shutters. Are my windows a shutter friendly shape? - Arch top or round top windows often create the absolute best look when shutters are installed, but the cost is much higher. Consider this before you start out. Another annoying look is an arch top window with a rectangular shutter. (but again, it can look good if done very well... meaning nicely aligned panels, other accents such as a window box, etc.)The bottom line is that shutters can be a great asset to your house and if you can make them work rather than just be decorative, you can create a real added-value feature.
About the Author
Tim Layton is the blogger behind RemodelingGuy.net where he blogs about all things related to home remodeling design and construction. The blog's header reads "Helping you build your dream without losing your mind, your money, or your marriage!"Tim gained his knowledge of remodeling over a twenty year career as a remodeling contractor before switching to full time writing and blogging. He is available for freelance writing projects in the home improvement niche.
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