Advanced manufacturing of S:CRAFT shutters.
We partner with the world’s largest and most advanced shutter manufacturer in China in order to offer you the best product on the UK market. We have worked together for more than 20 years and have built a strong partnership over that time. S:CRAFT has its own production line and the factory are able to track every shutter throughout the manufacturing process.
You can check the authenticity of your S:CRAFT shutters by looking for the S:CRAFT logo within the right hand frame.
The shutters are assembled prior to shipping to ensure that all the components fit together perfectly. Once photographed these are then disassembled and packed into custom made packaging to ensure your plantation shutters arrive in perfect condition. When shipping by airfreight we double pack the shutters to avoid damage in transit.
S:CRAFT shutters are supplied with a large choice of frames rather than attaching them to battens. Not only does this give you the choice of how you frame your window and match it with your décor/style but it also gives a much stronger and appropriate fit for ease of installation.
A high quality, proprietary paint system has been developed specifically for S:CRAFT window shutters. Cheaper shutters use cheaper paints and stains and utilise less coats. The factory uses 6 coats of either paint or stain and to ensure that the shutters we supply are less susceptible to fading and yellowing the final layer is UV protected.
The best quality marine grade stainless steel staples are used to attach the tilt rods to our shutters. In addition, the tips of the staples are coated in a bonding agent to make sure they remain secure for years to come.
The factory engineers transverse multi-ply stiles, which are the side bars of the shutter panels. Rather than producing these as solid pieces the wood is cut into strips which are then bonded back together in opposing layers for greater strength. This has the effect of breaking the capillaries in the wood through which moisture travels. This and the strength of the bonding agent ensures that S:CRAFT panels are unlikely to warp in fluctuating indoor temperatures and will give you years of enjoyment.
Our wood is stored for 6 months to allow it to settle before being kiln dried twice in a computer controlled drying facility. The wood is specifically dried to take into account the climate of the country to which the shutters will be exported. This is very important as these plantation shutters are manufactured for installation in climates as varied as Alaska and Australia. By utilising these methods frame warping and twisting is greatly reduced.
Mortise and tenon joints are used between the rail and the stile. These are far stronger than dowel joints and will minimise movement between these elements. Movement means cracking in the paint or stain finish and this will spoil the aesthetic look of the plantation shutters. Not only do you get a more robust product built to last, you won’t see ugly drips of glue on the frames and panels. Just in case there is some movement S:CRAFT panels are engineered with an additional grooved overlap that ensures any movement is handled by this expansion joint.
When you purchase made-to-measure S:CRAFT shutters via one of our UK retailers, they are supported by a manufacturer’s warranty against structural defects, hardware, colour fastness and stainless steel hardware.
The factory does not compromise on the thickness of our louvres (or shutter slats) as we believe thinner louvres, although less costly to produce, are much more susceptible to warping.
Even our lighter products use a solid core, incorporating the rigidity of hardwood into Java while maintaining the waterproof quality.
