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Billy - Wanna try us again?
Steve
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My wife wants me to make exterior shutters for our house. The trim type, affixed to the exterior walls on both sides of window openings. We have some now, and I could make some that look like others in the area. But, she, and I too, want something unique. Any suggestions or sources of information? If so please respond either on the forum or by e-mail. Thanks, BILLY BUSSEY
*Sorry about that Steve. I hit the wrong key. Now I don't know how to get my mistake off. Can you take care of that for me? Thanks, Billy B.
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I think the idea of coming up with something "unique" could lead to potential problems. I'd advise you to stay within the format of your house style. I don't think making shutters is something that most people should do, you're better off buying them.
*Billy, I have nothing special to offer in the way of unique disigns, but I would suggest the following proportions:1. The size of the shutters should be such that when, if closed, they would cover the window (if your window is 36" wide, the shutters should be about 18" each). Some "home center" shutters are too narrow too match the window sizes.2. The height of the shutter should be from above the window sill to the top of the window sash opening. Again, the idea is to imagine the shutters being closed and completely covering the window.3. If there is a break between panels of the shutters (between louver sections or panel sections) , that break should occur at the same elevation as the meeting rails of the window sashes (this is critical if you have "cottage style" windows)4. Here in Tidewater (or should I say floodwater) VA, we use shutters (which some call "blinds") only with double-hung windows. Never with casements, sliders or pictures. Nothing looks worse around here than a pair of 15" shutters flanking a 5-0 picture window.5. For some excellent design ideas, check your local library and try to find some books on Colonial Williamsburg. You'll find a variety of designs and examples of the sense of proportion that I have attempted to describe. This should be useful even if your home is not of colonial design.6. There are a number of architects who participate in this forum, and you should listen carefully to any advice they may offer which may contradict what I have offered here.Good luck, Steve
*I don't know why people want fake shutters anyway. To my eye, the window looks better without them.I built working shutters to replace the glass windows in my shop. They were made with mortise-and-tenon frames with shiplapped 5/4's decking screwed to them. Some of the older houses I've seen have solid frame-and-panel working shutters, but I don't like the possibility of water collecting in the the upper grooves in the rails.Most fake shutters are the louvred type. One can always tell that they're fake because the louvres slope in the wrong direction. One alternative I've seen is "suggested shutters" made by nailing some horizontal boards on each side of the window and some vertical planks on those with enough space between them to let the siding dry. They're usually painted in a bright contrasting color. Perhaps a false frame and some diagonal lath would work too.One could also dress up the exterior without using shutters. Some exterior facing with some fireplace trim and chair rail can make quite a fancy-looking window. A false pediment above that would add a classical touch.My aged neighbor grew up in houses that had only shutters in the windows. He said they were simply made by nailing three crosspieces to the upright planks. When the mosquitos got too pesky in the summer nights, they would find the upwind corner of the house and start a smoldering fire there of leaves or dried cow-chips. The house would fill with smoke and drive the bugs away.
*Joseph, you're so correct about the louver "slope", but don't expect clients to accept anything other than "backwards" installations for decorative shutters. A visit to Key West, Florida will offer the chance to see some functional shutters which are architecturally correct and actually serve a purpose ... not just for tropical storms, but to close for nighttime privacy.Regards, Steve
*Bill, Steve offers some valuable pointers in his post (2.1).I hate false shutters. They are nothing more then unneccessary ornamentation. Usually improperly sized and installed. If you're going to install them, try your best to make them the proper size, and functional if you can. I understand you have some already up that are fake and may have to blend with them.I wasted a few rolls of film in a few years back while walking down the streets in Philly. Took pics of shutters and exterior trim details. There were varied designs, most looked terrific. There were applications that had three-panel shutters on 2V over 2V windows, which broke the rule of lining up shutter rails with window sash rails. They looked great. Louvers are most typical, personally I don't care for them. I do like frame and panel (raised or whatever you choose) panel shutters. I've done two, three, up to five panels in a shutter. Colonial is big here (CT), so raised panels are most common. Not all panels have to be the same size. Proportions can vary, but once again, the shutter style should meld with that of your house. While the window size dictates the overall size of each shutter, you can often alter the individual panel sizes to relate to the size of the individual panes that make up the window.Many houses with "fake" shutters should not have them primarily because they are not functional, but also because the house design does not lend itself to shutters.Do some full scale mock-ups on kraft paper to get an idea of design and scale. Do your best to not just put another piece non-functioning trash on your walls for public display.My opinions. To tell you just how invaluable they are, I still can't decide what to put up on my house! I keep using the "when the garage goes on, then I'll do it" excuse. There are myriad design ideas out there, search well to find the one that suits you best.I have a web listing for one place on the web, http://www.snuggharbor.com. Nothing too fancy, but they have a few pics showing various raised panel designs. May give you an idea of two.Good luck...
*Agree with above. I don't like the vinyl nail-on stuff (good point about the backwards louvers -- without hinges I hadn't even stopped to think about it!), though if you have vinyl siding why not? But I do think often the window "needs something" to frame it. We have a window that does and I haven't made up my mind in a year.I made some shutters for a neighbor -- we discussed doing it here -- out of two 1x6's tacked/glued with two 1x4's cross-members, exact same style as the extremely decayed 60 y.o. originals. I rounded over the vertical edges for looks (screwed the router down to put in a listel too, and so the 1/2" roundover bit would reach the centerline) and sloped the horizontals 5° to shed water. Caulked, stripped all hinges (real cast iron shutter hinges), painted, spent long time alinging shutters to windows. In truth, the shutters could NOT cover the windows if closed, I narrowed them a bit to give better vertical lines to the cluttered front face of the Cape. If I can find my camera, I'll take a picture....Anyway, don't get TOO original, but do consider making real ones. I think it makes a difference, and it show you care. They can be pretty simple -- i.e., nailed-up boards -- as noted above their historical purpose was quite practical.
*This summer I had a job installing the fake vinyl shutters. Beyond the fake and vinyl, the really stupid part is that the job required 20 holes into the brick per window.Rich Beckman
*What I meant by "suggested shutters".
*A better picture. If I were going to put something like this on my house, I would make it as a separate unit and find a way to mount it so that it's a few inches away from the wall rather than nailing the boards directly to the siding.
*How about shutter hinges mounted to the jambs, just like the real thing (at this point, it IS the real thing). The ones I made I stuck galv. finish nails in the backs to keep them parallel to the brick wall.
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