Window Shutters - From Ancient Times Till Present Days

category Shutters, posted May 13, 2011

Window shutters are both useful and beautiful elements of interior and exterior decor. Window shutters have been used since ancient times. If you look at masterpieces created by famous artists from 16th to 20th century, you will see they were used in every house. Moreover they are used nowadays, but in a greater variety of styles and materials. Present-day window shutters have different configurations of panels, movable and fixed louvers. The shutters can be installed inside and outside of the window opening and they are designed for various purposes.

Till present days the window shutters were made of wood, mainly of cedar and cypress. Today manufacturers offer window shutters made of basswood, oak, maple, alder, cedar, pine and poplar. The shutters made of basswood are lightweight and do not warp unlike oak shutters. Maple and poplar shutters are rather heavy, too. Window shutters made of poplar are practically impossible to stain. Alder and cedar are the most popular among manufacturers. They are perfect both for interior and exterior shutters, because they are durable and moisture resistant.

Window shutters are also made of metal, plastic, vinyl, craftwood, etc. Some shutters look like Venetian blinds, because they have regulated louvers adjusted to the frame. They are known as Louvered shutters. A scale of colors is about four hundred depending on material used for production of shutters. Modern window shutters replaced traditional ones used before.

In the US homes not only exterior window shutters are widely used. They are in harmony with traditional curtains and fit in any interior. You can see interior shutters in kitchens, bathrooms, patios, etc. Window shutters are used as office dividers in the offices. Both exterior and interior window shutters are usable and longevous. As it was told above window shutters are divided into exterior and interior shutters. Exterior shutters are designed to control light, protect windows from rain, wind and storms.

In its turn exterior shutters are divided into multifunctional and non-functional ones. As main purpose of modern multifunctional shutters is to protect our homes from bad weather, wooden shutters enjoy a wide sale. Non-functional shutters are made of vinyl, PVC, plastic, craftwood, etc. Though, wood can also be used. Exterior vinyl shutters pale in comparison with wood shutters. However if you do not live in the area known for hurricanes and storms, they are able to protect your home against rain and block unwanted sunlight. Comparing with wood shutters they are much easier to install, maintain and clean and this is their main advantage. If you want to defend your home from hurricanes, you need window shutters designed especially for this purpose. They are known as hurricane shutters and made of wood.

As for styles of window shutters, there are also traditional and plantation shutters, accordion shutters and cafe style shutters, etc. Plantation shutters have movable louvers, but they differ from blinds. Dimensions of louvers vary from 2-1/2 to 5-1/2 inches. Panels of these shutters do not have to be narrower than 1-1/8 inch. Plantation shutters perfectly block sunlight, they can be used in any room of your home. Using these shutters as interior ones you should divide them into sections depending on number of the window sections. Accordion shutters consist of folding units opened in one direction. They are often used as interior shutters, but there is another type of accordion shutters used to protect doors and windows of homes from hurricanes.

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