A general upward spiral of home prices over the last decade helps account for the projected increase in home renovations. Why spend hundreds of thousands on a new home when you can renovate or refinish for a fraction of that cost?
Once you work through the big projects, like bathroom and kitchen remodels, attention often turns to smaller items. For example, you might decide that it’s time for new shutters.
While vinyl shutters cost less initially, wood shutters offer a lot of benefits that can make them a better investment. Keep reading for an overview of those benefits.
1. Temperature and Light Control
Wooden shutters offer you excellent temperature control. You can close them all the way during the high heat of summer or the cold winter nights. They help insulate your home against those temperatures.
If you opt for adjustable shutters, it also gives you excellent light control. You can open the shutters a crack for a taste of natural light. You can also open them all the way and flood your space with light.
2. Refinishing
You can’t refinish plastic shutters. As a rule, they won’t hold paint well. Once your old shutters start looking beat up and old, replacement is your main option.
You can refinish wooden shutters. For example, you can sand and restain the wood a different color. A fresh coat of sealant and it’s like you put in new shutters.
If you want a simpler solution, you can also paint shutters. Just make sure you pick the proper interior or exterior-grade paint for the job.
3. Durability
Wood shutters offer more strength and basic durability than comparable plastic shutters. In fact, plastic shutters top out at around 29-inches wide. They lack the internal strength for wider spans.
That also means that wood will typically hold up against everyday abuse better over time–at least, they will if properly finished.
4. Sustainability
Unlike plastics or metal, wood is a renewable resource. That makes wood shutters an easy way for you to keep a greener home. While there is an environmental cost to process the lumber, even that is less wasteful than in the past.
For example, companies make the fuel for wood pellet stoves out of sawdust from milling. Pellet stoves burn those pellets more efficiently than a traditional wood stove, which cuts down on smoke and ash waste.
5. Customization
Plastic shutters come in a finite range of colors. If those colors work with your color scheme, that’s great. If not, you’re more or less out of luck.
Wood shutters offer you a lot more leeway for customization. You can often pick from a much wider range of stains and paint colors.
If you can’t get the precise look you want from the manufacturer, you can ask for unfinished shutters. Then, you can stain or paint them the exact color or shade you want.
Parting Thoughts on the Benefits of Wood Shutters
Wood shutters offer a lot of benefits.
They provide excellent light control and help with heat control. They’re durable. You can easily customize or refinish them.
They’re also a greener option than plastic shutters.
VanGogh Window Fashions specializes in shutters, blinds, and shades, as well as design and installation services. For more information about our products and services, contact us today.
Recent Comments