Everything America Gets Wrong About Exterior Shutters

A shutter started out purely for functionality, not decorative use. They were originally there to add ventilation to the home and to be able to block out the sun.

Maybe during a summer day, you could get the light in, but it also helped shade your furniture, so it wouldn’t fade as a result of direct sunlight. With that being said, here are some of the mistakes I see with the use of exterior shutters these days.

How to measure for exterior shutters

One of the biggest mistakes we make in terms of shutters for exterior homes in America is that a shutter should be the same size and the same height as your window. If it's shorter than your window, it's wrong, and that’s why it’s so important to learn how to measure for exterior shutters before you install them.

Shutters were meant to be closed in and encased on a window, so if they’re shorter than the window, they’ve been measured improperly.

How to install exterior shutters

Another mistake that people make when they're attaching shutters to the exterior of a home is that they nail the shutter to the siding. If it is nailed to the siding with no hinge, it's also inauthentically hung, and that drives me crazy.

This is a beautiful shutter. It has hinges, and it's encased in the window, just as it should be. Now come check out the details. We've got a framed opening.

Notice that the shutter is the same height as the window behind it. It's encased in there so that the shutter closes in on the window properly. This is a properly mounted exterior shutter.

How to paint exterior shutters

For those of you who are trying to get a shutter that lasts longer, you don't have to go with vinyl. This is a wood from Africa. It's a dense, almost mahogany-style wood that's been painted.

And researching how to paint exterior shutters the right way is key to making them look this good. I’ll give you a hint; it’s best to remove them and spray them with oil-based paint or latex paint if you do go with vinyl shutters.

Half split

Now, I want to show you a really cool feature that shows the functionality of this particular shutter. Not only is it beautiful, but it's also functional. There is a half split here, so if you prop it open, different holes allow you to ventilate the home without letting the sun in.

This is such a beautiful feature. It's a few extra dollars to get this since they hand-make these, but it's totally worth it. If you're going to do shutters, do them right.

Mounting hardware

You also can get the mounting hardware so when it's open against the house, it doesn't flap with the wind. In other words, you'd have a mounting block on the side of the home, and that's how you keep it open.

So I just wanted to point this out to you guys because this is a properly done shutter. It's functional and decorative, and it's not fake. It's totally authentic to the architecture.