![]() ![]() Probably the most prevalent mistake made is improper shutter installation. Water will be shed to the back of the shutter towards the house but, no need to worry, there will be air space from the hinge offset for runoff and drying. ![]() When shutters are in an open position, the louvers will be angled pointing downwards toward the house. When historic shutters are in the closed position, the louvers should be angled pointing downward and away from the house to shed water away from the window it is covering. Failure to achieve this look will greatly sacrifice the appearance of the house. In this case a false Tilt Rod should be attached to fixed shutters to appear operable. This is an important feature that is always overlooked and greatly affects its appearance. If your house was constructed after the Civil War, there should be a tilt rod on your window shutters. The amount of space opened would not need to be as great as 50 percent as Fixed Louvered shutters (as explained above), but should NOT be totally flat either in order to look real. A “fake” plastic shutter from a home improvement store has louvers that are fixed in a tightly closed position than they normally would be if they were to actually operate. If your goal is decorative window shutters they must still appear as if they are operable. Shutters with operable louvers and a tilt rod create a shadow pattern providing the best depth, contrast, and character. Operable louvered shutters can be adjusted by a Tilt Rod to regulate air-flow and light. Operable Louvered Shutters were first used around 1830-1840. Be careful! While the shutters may be well made with quality wood the design is wrong and you will be wasting your money. Some shutter companies manufacture quality wood window shutters with louver’s that resemble plastic shutters. Unfortunately this is the type of shutter you see on all houses today, no matter what the period architecture. Purchasing a Fixed Louvered shutter with flat closed louvers (10 degrees) as sold in home improvement stores results in a flat artificial appearance due to the lack of shadows.Ī historic operable louver shutter with louvers completely closed would never display the flatness fake plastic shutters have. Shadow lines are most important on a house for they create the character that bring buildings to life. The louvers create shadow lines which provide texture and interest. There is an important aesthetic benefit with louvered window shutters. When the shutter is closed, the louvers are angled pointing downwards away from the house to shed water away from the window and block the sun’s rays from entering the room.When the shutter is open the louvers angle pointing downwards towards the house.10 degrees, perfectly horizontal would be 90 degrees.) (a completely closed louver would be a flat apx. The louvers must be fixed at an angle in an approximately 60 degree open position.The louvers are constructed in a fixed open position in order to allow a certain amount of air and light to pass through.Operable louvered shutters grew popular quickly although fixed louvered shutters remained in builders catalogs into the early 1900’s. Fixed Louvered Shutters.įixed Louvered shutters are appropriate for buildings built prior to the Civil War. Each type represents a different period in history and provides a slightly different look. ![]() On historic louvered shutters (historically called Blinds), the louvers were either Fixed Louvers or Operable Louvers. There are a number of points you need to understand about exterior window shutters in order to make your house look great. The following is what you need to look for and, once you see the difference, you will pick it out every time. The decorative shutters are installed and the mission is accomplished. Most people look at exterior window shutters as a decorative feature with no further thought. Yes, the money you spent on restoring that new front door or painting with authentic Victorian colors will be wasted if your window shutters are incorrectly hung (mounted). If the shutters are the wrong type or mounted incorrectly, they can ruin the appearance of the entire house. Think of the windows as the eyes of the house and the window shutters as the eyebrows (although to the side) to understandthe impact. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of correct exterior window shutters. The goal of this website is to enable readers to make their house architecturally correct which would then be aesthetically pleasing. Shutters are an important feature on a house. Mistakes: Exterior Shutters Today vs Historic Shutters – What is Wrong and What to do Right ![]()
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