Choosing The Right Shutters
Shutters date back to Early Settler days when glass was a luxury. They were used in place of windows of both bush huts and large homesteads.
We enjoy a fair bit of sunshine each year here in Australia, which can make our homes feel hot and sticky. Shutters are a good way of keeping the heat out during the day while still allowing a flow of fresh air. Aside from the practicality of keeping the hot sun out, they can make your home more secure whilst also having aesthetic qualities. For these reasons, they are becoming more popular for window treatments in traditional and modern homes.
There are options available for DIY projects or made-to-measure investments. And with a variety of materials available the market is huge. However, be wary as with some brands you don’t get what you pay for. Unfortunately, many people try for short cuts in costs and then discover problems once they’ve been installed. Being stuck with a lesser quality product is usually never worth the initial saving.
Shutters if done right can last a life time so it makes sense to spend a little more to get it perfect.
Here are a couple of tips to help you through the process
- It’s best to get an expert in so they can measure with accuracy. Getting the exact measurements is critical to the fitting and installation of the shutters.
- Make sure the expert has credentials so do a background check.
- Check your quote for details as some brands charge extra for hinges.
- Be careful with fixed panels as this may mean you can’t open the shutter panel to clean the window.
- Make sure when you’re buying a wood shutter it’s actually wood not cardboard and polystyrene.
- Look for concealed or semi-concealed tilt rods so they don’t run down the centre of the shutter blades.
- Look into spending that bit extra for quality hardware so you get precision tracking and high-grade fittings which will make the shutters a lot more functional.
Shutters come in a variety of materials. Depending on the look and type you want to go for you can choose from:
Plantation Shutters
Plantation shutters are the smart choice for high traffic areas especially if you have young kids.
Suited for traditional and modern interior decors it’s an affordable solution to traditional window furnishings such as blinds and curtains.
Plantation shutters have the guarantee to keep looking good even with the knocks and bumps of everyday life. The design features include a timber frame fitted with impact resistant polymer blades.
If your Plantation shutters are going in laundries or bathrooms make sure they have moisture proof stability, which can be found in airfoil blades.
Plantation shutters can be custom made to your architectural requirements.
Aluminum
Aluminium shutters are a practical alternative to timber for exterior use very ideal for pergolas and shading outdoors.
Panels can be made to fit angled opening with fixed blades. Very low maintenance with extra weather resistance they’re the perfect fit for outdoors.
Look for aluminium shutters that have the advanced coating technology for enduring finish. Most suppliers provide a colour matching service that will suit your home. You can even choose a cedar look finish.
Vinyl
Vinyl shutters are low maintenance and very affordable 10-30% less than cedar shutters. Whether indoor or outdoor vinyl shutters will have a long lifespan in your home.
Moisture and termite proof they can also be easily removed for cleaning. They are also fairly easy to install.
Polymer
Polymer shutters are made of thermalite – a non-toxic smooth finish polymer.
It has the superior look and feel of painted timber. Very stable and suits a low maintenance lifestyle.
These shutters are perfect for open environments or bathrooms with their extremes of heat and moisture as they don’t warp or shrink. They also offer great insulation.
So, remember to be careful when deciding on shutters. And it’s strongly recommended to get in an expert. They will help you choose a practical, innovative and high quality shutter system that will fit perfectly in your home.