Five Exterior Shutter Styles You Should Know: Design Inspiration
Published: January 21, 2021
When it comes to choosing new exterior shutters for your home it is important to know the main styles to choose from and how each of their aesthetic and practical qualities can benefit your home. Each shutter type has unique designs and features that can benefit you and your style in different ways.
Louvered Shutters
Exterior wooden louvered shutters were first created to allow ventilation within your home all while providing home owners privacy from the outside world. With the invention of window screens louvered shutters lost some of their luster but not all as screens do allow you to have your windows open and block any unwanted pests from entering they do not provide really any privacy nor protection from direct sunlight. Louvered shutters when closed will allow the air to flow through the louvers all while providing relief from direct sunlight and those passing by.
Raised Panel Shutters
The raised panel shutter is more of a classic colonial shutter, however these shutters do fit go well with modern homes and home designs as well. You may see black raised panel shutters on the exterior of mid-century light colored homes where they act as a contrasting focal point to the lighter exterior.
Flat Panel Shutters
Exterior flat panel shutters bear clean timeless lines with a flat panel or panels inset between the rails and stiles. These shaker panel shutters while simple looking are becoming stylish in modern designs and do not look to be falling out of favor anytime soon.
Board & Batten Shutters
Are you looking for more of a farmhouse look for your home's exterior? Board and Batten shutters are a perfect addition here; with their simplistic look and design these shutters are something that a farmer would've added to the farmhouse during construction using materials leftover from the building of the house.
Bahama / Bermuda Shutters
Sporting louvers similar to a traditional louvered shutter, Bahama shutters are a wider version that hinges at the top of the window rather than on the sides. You typically only see Bahama shutters in coastal areas where humidity and tropical storm threats are more imminent. Bahama / Bermuda shutters are a great option in these areas as they provide quick window protection against incoming hurricanes, while their everyday use is more geared to keeping your home cool and allowing ventilation.
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Choosing the Right Wood Shutters for Your Home
Selecting exterior wood shutters involves balancing aesthetics, durability, and climate suitability. Homeowners in coastal regions often gravitate toward Spanish Cedar or Cypress for their natural resistance to moisture, decay, and insect damage. In northern climates, Western Red Cedar and White Oak provide excellent dimensional stability through freeze-thaw cycles.
Proper installation is just as important as material selection. Functional shutters should be mounted with stainless-steel or galvanized hardware to prevent corrosion staining on the wood or siding. Each shutter panel should be sized to cover exactly half the window opening when closed, creating a tight, weather-resistant seal. Estate Millwork builds every shutter to your exact window measurements, ensuring a precise fit without field modifications.
Maintenance requirements vary by species and finish. Unfinished cedar will weather to a silver-gray patina over several years, which many homeowners find attractive. If you prefer a painted finish, a high-quality exterior primer followed by two coats of acrylic latex paint will protect the wood for eight to ten years before recoating. Stained shutters should be refreshed every three to five years depending on sun exposure. Regardless of finish, periodic inspection of shutter hardware and tightening of mounting screws will keep your shutters operating smoothly for decades.
Ready to design your own custom wood shutters? Estate Millwork offers a wide range of styles and wood species, all crafted in our Pennsylvania workshop using traditional mortise-and-tenon joinery.
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