Learning how to install exterior shutters is straight forward. There are two popular but different ways to install exterior shutters, however. The first method is called "direct set" and is when you install the shutters directly to the house pinning it with 6 to 8 screws to the home. This method is popular for installing vinyl shutters. The second method is on hinges and is how to install exterior shutters when they need to be functional and open and close. This method is popular for installing wood shutters.Before we begin, it's also a good idea to point out that depending on the surface you're installing on, siding, stucco, rock or brick, there are a few differences in the details.
Ok, let's begin with direct set installation. Direct set installation of shutters is used for installing vinyl shutters and sometimes also for installing wood shutters. There are no hinges or other hardware to mount the exterior shutters. The only hardware needed are 2 - 3 inches long screws and drywall anchors for the brick and rock installation. Drywall screws should also be used for stucco if there is not a rigid plywood backing for the screws to grab onto. For vinyl shutters there will normally be six holes and six accompanying plugs which will cover the screw heads. Step one is to hold the vinyl shutter up to the window in the desired location and to trace through the holes with a pencil transferring the mark to the house itself. Next, you want to predrill each hole to receive the screws. If you are on siding, a 1/8" pilot hole should do. Simply drill into the siding with this bit at each location. If you are installing shutters on brick or rock, you will want to predrill pilot holes with a 1/4" bit and slip a plastic drywall anchor into the brick. This will give the screw something to grab onto.
Next, hold the exterior shutters back up to the window to install the shutters with 2 - 3 inch screws. It's a good idea to place a plug over the screws to conceal them. For wooden shutters, sometimes you have to make your own install holes. The holes should be made with a countersink bit with one hole in each corner and a hole along each rail near the middle. You can also make your own plugs with a plug cutting bit that matches the countersink bit. The nice thing about wood plugs is that they can be made to flush out with the shutter and are concealed much better than the standard vinyl plugs.
If instead you need to install functional shutters atop hinges then the process differs slightly. Exterior shutters are installed on two hinges which sit atop "pintles" screwed into the window frame. A shutter pintle is the male part of the hinge that connects the hinge to the house, offsets the shutter from the trim, and provides a pivot point for the hinge to rotate. Pintles come in three sizes: siding, brick, and rock. Siding generally sticks out 1 1/8" from the home. Brick sticks out 2 1/4" from the home and rock sticks out 4 1/16 inches from the home. The wrong pintle will not allow the shutters to offset the right distance and may keep the shutters from laying flush on the house.
Usually two hinges are installed on a shutter, however, for longer shutters or PVC shutters 3 - 4 hinges are sometimes used to distribute the weight or to keep the shutter more thermally rigid. Hinges should be installed so that they are roughly 4 - 6 inches from the top and bottom.
The location of the pintles will determine where the shutter sits. If installed too low or too high, the shutter will not mirror the windows and look like a custom fit. Measure the distance from the bottom of the shutter to the bottom of where the hinge sits atop the pintle. This distance will determine the placement of the pintle. It's a good idea to make a jig for this distance. You can cut a scrap piece of wood to this length to easily repeat this measurement without using a tape measure on site. Let's call this a pintle jig, or "pin jig" for short.
Place the pin jig on the window sill over the window trim and mark the top of the jig. Next, place the pintle over the trim so that the bottom of the pintle where the hinge rests is aligned with your mark. This is where the pintle needs to be screwed into the trim so that the shutter mirrors the window. Only install the bottom pintle at this time. Afterwards, lift the shutter up and place it on the pintle. Have another pintle and a drill on hand so that you're ready for the next step. After you slip the bottom hinge over the pintle, you will install the second pintle by sliding it into place in the second hinge and on the window trim. Screw the second pintle in and you now know how to install functional exterior shutters on hinges. They will be able to open and close. An S-Shaped piece of hardware called a shutter dog is used to keep the shutter closed in the wind. It can be installed in the bottom opposite corner directly to the home as well. Use lag anchors instead of dry wall anchors to hold them for brick or rock. For siding, simply predrill a 1/4" hole and tighten the shutter dog in place. The shutter dog can be rotated to allow the shutter to open and close.
After you learn how to install shutters, the next step is to learn how to install window boxes. Add some decorative no rot window flower boxes under the window to add some extra curb appeal to your home.