There are a variety of shutters available to decorate the modern home, and the varieties include plantation shutters and hurricane shutters. Plantation shutters are slatted shutters, fixed to the inside of the window, and covering the whole window space. Traditionally these are manufactured from wood, although other materials such as vinyl or PVC are being used to create a modern effect. Mounted on hinges, these shutters can be fully open, completely closed, or latched partway. Some models have adjustable slats that can be raised to let in a certain amount of air or light, producing truly versatile shutters. More than one plantation shutter door can be joined together to cover a large expanse such as a big picture window.
A stylish wood for plantation shutters is Pine, and pine shutter doors can be bought either ready to hang, or unfinished if you would rather add your own paint or stain effect. PVC and vinyl shutter doors can be bought in a variety of colors, with white being the most popular choice. In addition to color, they can have designs embossed onto them, often to make them look like wood. This is very practical for rooms where real wooden shutters could be damaged by steam, such as a bathroom, swimming pool, or laundry area.
Initially designed for safety and privacy, modern decorators are more likely to be choosing plantation shutters for their aesthetic value when undertaking home repairs. Most rooms, including family sitting rooms, offices and libraries can be given a very special and cozy atmosphere by the addition of wooden shutters.
Below are some useful things to consider when installing your plantation shutters.
Check the angles of your windows to be sure the corners are perfect right angles. If this is not the case you will need to reshape your shutters to better fit the window frame.
If you cannot buy the right sized shutter for your window, you will need to buy larger panels and cut them down to size. If you need to remove less than three quarters of an inch you can take all of this from the left or base of the panel. If you want to remove more than this, you should take half from each side, or half from the top and half from the base.
Use good quality hinges to ensure your shutters will not become stiff and will remain straight. Make sure the hinges you choose are able to support the weight of your panels, particularly if they are made of wood. For a panel of less than thirty inches in length you can use two hinges per shutter. However, for panels of over thirty inches you will need three hinges for adequate support.
The latch is generally installed in the center of the shutter panel, on the opposite side from the hinges. However, consider where the shutters will be installed before placing the latch. For high up windows, you might want to place the latch lower down. Alternatively, if you often have small children in the room, you may want to place the latch higher up out of their reach, for security reasons.