Wood exterior shutters are attractive and highly functional additions to any home or condo. Wood shutters have many attractive benefits for homeowners which will be outlined below:
- high durability
- Protection against a variety of extreme weather conditions while moderating interior home temperatures during seasonal heat.
- Most wood shutters are highly customizable; shutters can add charm to the exterior of a home or they can accentuate period architecture.
Cedar Shutters: Wood Holds
Cedar wood shutters hold up well in different weather conditions. Cedar is a strong, solid wood that can withstand hurricane-force winds, heavy rain, and scorching heat. Compared to common exterior building lumber such as pine, sycamore and chestnut, cedar is a stronger and more durable option. Another advantage of cedar is that it is soft enough to be carved into a variety of attractive shapes. Therefore, this type of wood is a good choice for exterior shutters.
Wood and weather shutters: a perfect combination
Most styles of exterior shutters provide homeowners with good protection from various weather conditions. For example, louvered wood blinds have multiple slats placed along the shutter frames, with small gaps between the slats. When closed, they allow the homeowner to ventilate the interior of a residence without letting in too much heat or sun. A louvered wood shutter system can provide an environmentally friendly and pleasing solution to cooling a home or condo. This style of wood shutter also offers effective protection against hurricane winds, snow and hail.
Many other types of exterior wood shutters provide excellent protection from the sun and heat. For example, board-and-batten shutters, which are made of thick slabs of wood carved to resemble barn shutters from the Southwest or Colonial shutters from the Northeast, can be closed on hot, sunny days. When closed, these thick wooden shutters shade residential interiors, giving residents respite from the heat and humidity.
Bahama (or Bermuda) shutters swing up and away from the frame. They are suspended from the house or condo with upper exterior hinges. This unique construction allows the homeowner to quickly close their Bahama shades when a thunderstorm or hurricane approaches. Bermuda exterior shutters also offer good protection against strong gusts of wind and heavy rain. They are popular additions to architectural exteriors in storm and hurricane belts.
Wooden shutters: a highly customizable timeless choice
Wood shutters can be made to suit the tastes and needs of homeowners. Because the wood used to build exterior shutters is durable yet soft, the pieces can be carved into many different shapes and sizes. For example, if a homeowner wants to carve small, homey stars or hearts into a set of batten and board shutters, a skilled shutter craftsman can do it. The homeowner may choose to paint the shutters as well, to add a touch of vibrant red or blue to the home, or may want the shutters to be weathered to make the home look sturdy. A condo owner may want to update their home with small oval-shaped wood shutter sets finished in gunmetal gray. Shutters can be machine or hand carved, then painted, to achieve the sleek, modern look the condo owner desires.
Many styles of shutters have rich historical origins. Panel shutters are descended from European royalty and elegantly accent Victorian and Gothic architecture. The ornate Queen Anne homes of San Francisco follow, as do the stately Tudor apartments of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The batten and board shutters, meanwhile, are inspired by the American frontier shutters seen in the colonial period of the Northeast and the westward expansion of the 19th century. These rougher, slab-like shutters soften concrete homes and condos, and add a cheeky charm to expansive ranch homes.
Other styles of shutters can be used to enhance the architectural lines of a home or condo. For example, large houses with many windows, including mansions, look impressive when each window is elegantly framed by sets of louvered wooden shutters. Meanwhile, the tall, slender buildings strike a nice proportional balance with the addition of Bahama shutters that jut out in greeting from the windows.
Homeowners looking to add highly functional and versatile accents to their living spaces should also consider wood shutters. Constructed of durable materials, designed to withstand the elements, and customized to suit a variety of tastes, exterior shutters are welcome additions to countless styles of architecture.