Your Various Options in Outdoor Shutters

Basswood is the wood of choice for the majority of wood house shutters.  Not only is it hard-wearing and able to withstand temperatures from the freezing cold to the tropical heat, but it is also cost effective and attractive both inside and outside any house.  Even though there are many different hardwoods used for shutters, basswood is the top choice when it comes to wooden shutters. Another alternative is vinyl house shutters.

Interior shutters are usually very straight and have a glossy texture. Unlike different kinds of wood that have coarse graining, basswood has a less visible grain, making it the best option for outside and inside shutters, especially for those who prefer a smooth, near-opaque look but do not want to paint the wood opaque. 

Basswood is lightweight enough to move and hang easily, yet tough enough to endure the elements. If you choose to install interior window shutters, they are most likely made of basswood.  There are some other woods used in shutters, and they are described below: 

Oak

Oak is a most traditional wood and is very heavy.  Oak also shows an obvious grain. Because oak is so solid, it is not the ideal option for interior wooden shutters because it can expect too much from the window jambs.  Many people also do not care for the grainy look of oak, yet oak does not paint very well.  Oak remains a widespread choice when it comes to shutters, but is not always the best choice. 

Maple

Maple is similar to oak in that it is a golden colored, heavy wood that makes great furnishings but can be very labor intensive when it is used for shutters.  Because maple is very difficult to work with, the jambs have to be drilled separately from the shutters, a task which can be difficult.  Maple interior shutters are heavy, like oak, and can wear down the window jambs. Another good choice is vinyl house shutters.

Cedar

Cedar is a good strong hardwood that takes stain nicely.  Cedar wood is not very heavy which results in it being an agreeable material when used for interior wooden shutters. As opposed to oak or maple, cedar shutters will not put stress on the window jamb.  However, cedar tends to scratch and bruise easier than heavier woods and could have need of replacement. 

Poplar

Because poplar contains so many minerals and has  an olive undertone, it looks better when painted rather than stained.  For many people, the attraction of wooden shutters is the look of real wood. Most people don’t care for poplar because they do not want to have to paint the wood.  Painting normally requires touching up much more regularly than staining. For this reason, poplar, although cheaper than the other woods, is not very popular when people are shopping for vinyl house shutters.