by John Cheesman
Wooden window shutters are window coverings. Wooden Shutters usually consist of a frame of vertical stiles with horizontal rails at the top, bottom and the centre. Within this sturdy framework are set a number of slats better known as louvers. These louvers may be vertical or horizontal and can be fixed or operable.
Shutters are used for various different reasons; they can provide privacy and also help control the amount of sunlight entering a room. Whether they are installed internally or externally they can help enhance the aesthetics of a building. When used externally they provide very good protection from the weather. In warmer climates they control the amount of sunlight therefore heat that enters the building, while at the same time allowing adequate ventilation through the building which can help keep room temperatures lower. In some countries and in particular countries with warmer climates, it is quite common to see shutters covering the doors as well as the windows.
The shutters were drawn and the undertaker wiped his feet—
He was aware that this sort of thing had occurred before.
—T. S. (Thomas Stearns)
Shutters that are fitted to the outside of a building are usually installed and constructed to control light, privacy and protection from the weather. The shutters are hinged to one side of the window and can swing to a closed position when necessary.
Some external shutters are non-functional and therefore do not close shut, these types of shutter are specifically used for decorative purposes and to enhance the appearance of the building.
Traditionally, functional shutters were constructed from solid woods which are resistant to the outdoor elements such as rain and wind etc. but they have also been massed produced in less suitable woods like pine because of the availability and costs. Wooden shutters should always be finished or treated to prolong their useable life. Some woods such as mahogany, cedar and teak are especially weather resistant due to the structure of their grain, and can eliminate moisture more easily than most softwoods; this helps prolong the shutters life and helps keep them from decay and rotting.
The wind attendant on the solstices
Blows on the shutters of the metropoles,
Stirring no poet in his sleep, and tolls
The trand ideas of the villages.
The malady of the quotidian. . . .
—Wallace Stevens (1879–1955)
There are many different styles of shutters available to suit most applications whether it is interior or exterior and some of these styles can include: o Traditional shutters o Colonial Shutters o Continental shutters o Plantation shutters
Continental or plantation shutters are generally more contemporary in design and their versatility allows them to be used inside almost any window, in any home.
Traditional colonial shutters are more commonly used in colonial style American homes. If you are in need of this service check out our product pages, they contain many companies that specialise in this. John Cheesman writes about Wooden Shutters. Visit the Businessmagnet product page for details and suppliers of Wooden Shutters.