| Shopping for window shutters can become | | | | screws require pre-drilling. Oak shutters are not |
| confusing because of the huge variety of | | | | suitable for painting. Oak shutter louvers tend to |
| materials used and promoted as superior. The | | | | warp.Maple ShuttersMaple shutters are very |
| construction methods of a shutter unit, including | | | | heavy. Maple shutters add much weight to |
| the materials used, contributes greatly to the | | | | window jambs and screws require pre-drilling. |
| overall cost of shutters purchased. However, a | | | | Maple louvers are hard to tension uniformly.Poplar |
| well-constructed unit made out of high-quality | | | | ShuttersPoplar shutters mill and paints well. Mineral |
| materials will also last longer and look better than | | | | streaks and a green color make poplar unsuitable |
| something less than ideal. Following is an outline of | | | | for staining. Poplar is moderately heavy for |
| various woods and synthetic materials that are | | | | shutters. Poplar is widely available, but less costly. |
| often used in building shutters.Basswood Shutters | | | | Poplar is best used for millwork and trim that is |
| (Tilia Americana Linnaeus, or the American | | | | nailed in place. Popular produces a lesser quality |
| Linden)Basswood is absolutely the best wood for | | | | shutter.Cedar ShuttersCedar shutters mill and |
| building window shutters. The Basswood tree can | | | | finish nicely. However, color varies greatly for |
| be found from Quebec south to Delaware and | | | | staining. Cedar is soft and can dent and scratch |
| the Atlantic coast west to Eastern Kentucky with | | | | easily. Tilt bar staples do not hold well.Cedar |
| an average height of 65 feet. Basswood is a | | | | shutters work wonderfully for exterior shutters. |
| renewable resource and careful forest | | | | The outstanding durability and resistance to decay |
| management ensures tree harvesting is done | | | | of incense cedar makes it ideal for exterior use |
| responsibly, balancing growth with removal. Each | | | | where moisture is present. This wood gives long |
| year the United States grows about twice as | | | | service with little maintenance in such as mud sills, |
| much hardwood as it harvests. | | | | window sashes, sheathing under stucco or brick |
| Basswood shutters are very straight and has a | | | | veneer construction, greenhouse benches, fencing, |
| fine uniform texture with an indistinct grain. | | | | poles, trellises, and shutters. Incense cedar is also |
| Basswood machines well and is easy to work, and | | | | used extensively for exterior siding because it is |
| screws and glues well and can be sanded and | | | | dimensionally stable and holds paint well, in addition |
| stained to a smooth finish. It dries fairly rapidly | | | | to being durable. Oh, yes, and bugs hate it!Alder |
| with little distortion. Basswood has fairly high | | | | ShuttersAlder is our second choice for shutters. |
| shrinkage but good dimensional stability when | | | | Alder is a smaller tree so only shorter lengths are |
| dry.Popular uses for basswood include drafting | | | | available, thus tall shutters require finger joints.Pine |
| tables, broom handles, carvings, turnings, furniture, | | | | ShuttersPine is a softwood. Many different |
| moldings, millwork, musical instruments, | | | | species and grades of pine is available, so quality |
| woodenware, food containers, and | | | | tends to be inconsistent.Synthetics, Plastics, Vinyl, |
| surfboards.General Basswood shutter | | | | Fauxwood, and PolyMany synthetics incorporate |
| characteristics:Does not warp | | | | "wood" in their name, but most contain no wood - |
| Lightweight yet very strong | | | | usually called faux wood or poly shutters. Made |
| Uniform grain for a beautiful stain finish | | | | from stock size components with few, if any, |
| Low in resin and tannin which may bleed through | | | | custom options. Come in limited white colors, and |
| finish | | | | cannot be stained. Look, feel, and sound like |
| Renewable resource which is replenished as it is | | | | plastic. Relatively new product so limited customer |
| harvested | | | | satisfaction experience. Synthetics are less costly |
| Superior gluing and finishing propertiesOak | | | | to manufacture. Heavy and tend to sag. All |
| ShuttersOak shutters are very heavy. Oak | | | | synthetics are manufactured from nonrenewable |
| shutters add much weight to window jambs and | | | | resources. |