Interior Stainable

Buy Wood or Vinyl Window Shutters?

Although wooden shutters have been around for many years longer than that of vinyl, not all homeowners want to use the old time favorite for their home anymore.

There are so many reasons why homeowners choose wood over vinyl shutters and vice versa. A large percentage of homeowners who choose to stick with wooden shutters are due in part to the style and age of their home.

If a homeowner occupies a well kept 20th or even 19th century home, they typically won’t choose vinyl as their homes exterior shutter because they want to stay true to their home’s era.

However, anymore it can be quite hard to tell the difference between wooden and vinyl shutters due to vinyl’s authentic wood grain appearance which makes it hard to tell if it’s wood or vinyl.

As with most things in life, both wood and vinyl shutters have their advantages and disadvantages. Some advantages of vinyl shutters are that they are very durable, hold up to most any extreme weather conditions and vinyl is typically much cheaper than that of their wooden counterparts.

Disadvantages of vinyl shutters, depending on personal preference, vinyl shutters don’t appear quite as attractive as wooden shutters. Vinyl is also not a good choice if a color change in wanted ever so often since vinyl doesn’t hold paint as well as wooden shutters, nor is it stainable.

Wooden shutters too have their downfalls, such as higher price, manufacturing times and greater chances of deterioration than that of vinyl. Not everyone minds paying more for wooden shutters when quality and custom appearance are important factors. However, when dealing with wooden shutters a homeowner should be aware that wood shutters are bound to deteriorate over time.

If the wood shutters are constructed well and made of a quality wood, they should last many, many years, but only if the homeowner maintains proper care of the shutters. Wooden shutters last the longest when properly cleaned and paint every few years, which is something vinyl owners need not worry about since vinyl does not deteriorate like that of natural wood.

Wood being the old time favorite also has advantages that some find to outweigh the perks of vinyl. Wooden shutters, when made with high quality material and craftsmanship, are very durable, they can be painted or stained almost any color imaginable and create an appearance that vinyl can’t quite top.

When it comes to needing 100% custom shutters made, wood may be the only option, depending on the exact size(s) needed. Although vinyl shutters are available in many, many sizes, wooden shutters are available in any size imaginable, even down to a 1/16”.

About the Author

Multi business owner and technical writer.

Bayer Built Doors Acclimated Entry Systems – Glenbrook U