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If you live in an area that is prone to storms
or hurricanes, there are several types of
security storm shutters available that will
help you protect yourself and your home.  Storm
shutters aren’t in the wooden shutters
category, although they are durable shutters
that move horizontally between the lower and
the upper track.

Interlocking blades found on the storm shutters
are made from aluminum and make up a wall of
protection in the shutter.  If you have a
large area to cover, it can half a center
opening with half of the shutter moving to the
right and the other half to the left.

Even though this shutter doesn’t fall into one
of the most decorative styles of shutters, it
does provide great protection against theft,
flying debris, forced entry, and even the
dreaded hurricane.  Storm shutters will also
give you more privacy and help to reduce noise.

A great example of a protective covering that
will do a great job in protecting from the
sun’s glare and heat is the aluminum awning.
They are affordable in price and very
functional, they fit doors, patios, porches,
and windows as well.  There are two types
available - the standard awning and the winged
awning, and both will easily close down to
convert to storm shutters.

For those who live in bad storm areas, storm
shutters are among the best ways to help
protect your family and your house.  They
don’t cost a lot of money, they are easy to
install, and they won’t make your home stand
out in a crowd.  If you want the best in
protection from Mother Nature and the peace
of minein knowing it - storm shutters are
just what you need.

Almost all wooden shutters are constructed from a
solid hardwood.  This helps to give the shutters
the necessary stability for daily usage.  Windows
can be a naturally harsh environment, with direct
sunlight, fluctuating humidity, and the rapid
change in temperature.

All types of wooden shutters can withstand all of
these types of conditions.  Wooden shutters are
constructed to withstand harsh climates from the
intense heat and sun of the tropics to the
intense cold of the North.  Keep in mind, not all
shutters are created equally, as the selection
of wood, types of joints, and overall design will
determine the quality of the ending product.

In the overall structure of a wooden shutter, the
type of wood is very important.  All wood is
chosen based on durability, weight, straightness,
length, and overall finishing qualities.  Basswood
is one of the best examples, as it builds an
exceptional shutter.  Basswood also ranks high
in just above every characteristic you could
possibly imagine.

The joints of the wood will need to be solid and
strong in order to create a long lasting wood
shutter.   Finger joints are also important, as
they connect two shorter lengths of wood.  The
finger joints show through the finish of a
painted shutter and may look poor from the
start for a stained wood shutter.

Having strong joints between stiles and rails
will prevent the two components from separating
or tearing apart.  The joints should be glued
and dowled for the strongest bond and the
best overall performance.

By purchasing wooden shutters, you’ll get
quality shutters at a great price.  Before you
buy, do your research on the company and make
sure that they know what they are doing.  If you
buy from a reputable seller, you’ll get
everything you need for excellent wooden shutters,
and instructions on how to install them yourself
if you wish.

The best wood for building interior wooden shutters
is basswood.  The tree can be found from Quebec
south to Delaware and the Atlantic coast west to
Eastern Kentucky with an average height of 65
feet.  Basswood is a renewable resource and careful
forest management ensures that the harvesting is
done responsibly by balancing the wood growth
with wood removal.

Basswood interior shutters are very straight and
they also have a fine uniform texture with a very
indistinct grain.  The wood machines well and is
easy to work, screws well, glues well, and it can
be stained to a smooth finish.

Basswood shutters do not warp, they are lightweight
yet very strong, offer uniform grain for a superb
stain finish, and they offer superior gluing and
finishing properties.

Oak shutters
Oak is a very heavy wood which makes for very
heavy window shutters.  Oak interior shutters will
add a lot of weight to window jambs, with screws
requiring pre-drilling.  They aren’t suitable
for painting and the louvers tend to warp over
time.

Maple shutters
Maple is heavy like oak and produces interior
shutters that are very heavy.  Maple also requires
that the window jambs be pre-drilled.  The wood
louvers with maple are hard to tension uniformly.

Poplar shutters
Poplar shutters mill and paint very well.  The
mineral streaks and green color help make popular
wood unsuitable for staining.  For shutters, poplar
wood is moderately heavy.  The wood is widely
available and less costly, although it also
produces a lesser quality of wood shutter.

Cedar shutters
Cedar wood mills and finishes nicely, although
the color varies greatly for staining.  Cedar
is pretty soft and can dent or scratch very
easily.

For exterior shutters, cedar works very well.  The
amazing durability and resistance to decay of
incense cedar makes it perfect for exterior use
wherever moisture is presented.  Requiring
long service with very little maintenance,
it’s also hated by bugs!

Alder shutters
Alder is an excellent choice for interior shutters,
as the tree is very small.  Tall window shutters
using alder wood will require finger joints.

Pine shutters
Pine is a soft wood, with many different species
and grades available.

Always remember that there are also poorly
constructed wood shutters that will rank very
low on the scale of quality.  You should always
look for a smooth, well sanded surface, thick
durable paing, glued and doweled joints, and a
straight light hardwood.  Before you commit
to any shutter company, always request a sample
so that you know what to expect.