The Ultimate Guide to Buying Plantation Shutters

How to buy plantation shutters is a question that is often asked. Almost every time you turn on the television you will see them gracing homes and businesses: whether they are on an interior design programme, the news or a movie, there they are in all their stunning beauty. A quick surf through the internet will probably have you pulling the blankets over your head, as the information out there is often misleading and confusing. So long as you choose a reputable company, don’t try any DIY and ensure that your domestic shutters come with a first class warranty and before and after sales service, your home or business can look like a show piece too.

How Much Do Window Shutters Cost?

This is always the first question that people ask, after all affordability is important. There are various online calculators, but these never give you the whole picture and hidden costs, so should be regarded as unreliable. The best and easiest way to know exactly how much you need to budget for when you want to buy plantation shutters, is to contact a company with an excellent, long standing reputation such as S:CRAFT and ask them to come and give you a quote. As S:CRAFT also supplies a gorgeous range of blinds, they will be able to tell you how much shutter blinds cost too. This way you will know to the penny what you will pay and there will be no nasty surprises suddenly sprung on you at the last minute. As your plantation shutters and blinds will be made to measure and fitted by experts, you will not have to pay out for a load of expensive tools, which you may or may not need.

The Benefits of Plantation Shutters

You already know that they look incredible, but there is so much more on offer that will not only contribute towards a better quality of life, but also save you money on your utility bills. Here are just a few of the benefits that you will immediately notice when you have plantation shutters installed:

Light control: Direct sunlight into a room will fade furniture and soft furnishings, meaning the expense of replacing them regularly. It is also a nuisance when you want to watch television, read or sleep. Plantation shutters give you the ultimate in light control; simply by adjusting the louvres you can allow in as little or as much as you want.

Privacy: Lets be honest, its human nature to be nosy, but who wants someone peering into your private spaces at all times of the day and night. Curtains will remove all daylight, whereas plantation shutters, particularly the tier-on-tier style, allow you all the privacy you need, without losing natural light. You can see outside – but passersby cannot see you.

Insulation: Plantation shutters provide an extra layer between your window glass and the exterior, meaning you will be able to turn down your radiators, as more heat will be kept inside the room, saving you money.

Low maintenance: Once they are fitted, that’s it. All they need is an occasional run over with the vacuum cleaner nozzle and when necessary, a quick wipe with a damp cloth. Allergies caused by curtains will be a thing of the past, as will having to spend hours washing, drying and ironing them.

Made to measure: As your windows will be measured and your shutters made specifically for them and then fitted by an S:CRAFT expert, there will be no unsightly gaps. Beware of cheap plantation shutter online quotes as you will always get what you pay for. Yes they might be a bit cheaper, but they will look it. A perfect fit and correct installation is crucial to their long lasting beauty.

Plantation Shutters on a Tight Budget

Affordability is important to everyone and can often apply to people who wish to ‘do up’ a property to sell on. Shutters will certainly make your property stand out from anything similar for sale in the area, but sometimes the more expensive woods simply will not fit into the budget. S:CRAFT offer a very special range of plantation shutters made from MDF, at a price that will suit all pockets.

What makes S:CRAFT’s MDF shutters so special is that they have a Polypropylene coating, which not only makes them hard wearing and easy to clean, but also gives such a great finish. Indeed, it is hard to tell that they are not solid wood at first glance. The choice of five different colours means that they will fit right in with your décor too. MDF internal shutters are perfect for all rooms in your property except where there is a lot of moisture, such as bathrooms see Java Shutters which are our 100% waterproof solution for bathrooms and wet rooms.

Different Types of Shutters Available

With so many different styles to choose from, it can be difficult to know which ones are best for where. Once you have established through the S:CRAFT website, where your nearest stockist is, you will be able to arrange a visit with a fully trained shutter specialist who can help you to buy plantation shutters according to the type of windows you have and the budget that you want to work within. You can then make your own educated choices. Here are some different styles:

Solid shutters: The stunning wooden panels offer a very traditional look. Folding back on themselves ensures that they take up very little room and also makes them perfect for use as room dividers

Café style shutters: Perfect for those chic terraced cottages and trendy apartments that are perhaps on a busy road or overlooked by neighbouring properties and passersby. They offer perfect privacy without losing natural light

Full height shutters: The ‘wow’ factor in one easy move, Stunning to look at, practical to use and extremely hard wearing, they are perfect for French and patio doors and large areas of glass

Bay Window Shutters; This is the only way to make the absolute most of those gorgeous bay windows. Get all the benefits that come with shutters as they will fit perfectly to the curved or square shapes

Door Shutters: Made to measure, they will fit the frames perfectly and you can choose from louvred or solid panels and Bi-Fold and Bi-Pass track shutters, turning any doorway into an incredible feature

Special-shaped windows: Not a problem; no matter how special or even outrageous and bizarre they are, plantation shutters can be made to fit perfectly. Whether you have a round porthole, triangular gable end, or a window shape that is even more unusual!

Kitchen and Bathroom Shutters: Made from high quality ABS, they are 100% waterproof. As they are easy to keep germ free, they are also a good choice for a baby’s nursery too

Tier-on-tier shutters: These come in two sections, a lower and an upper and each can be opened and closed independent of each other, giving the ultimate in light and privacy control

Conservatory, Orangeries and Skylights: Yes – even here – shutters are not only incredibly beautiful, but also practical. Whether you have large or small areas of glass to cover, they will provide the best long-term solution

There are many window shutter reviews out there, but with S:CRAFT you can talk to people who already have them. In fact, they will tell you that their shutters still look and work as good as new ten years on. No matter whether you want Georgian window shutters, Victorian styling, country cottage characterful or ultra modern, you will be amazed at just how versatile they are. Let’s also not forget the huge amount of different colours available as standard and if that is not enough, then S:CRAFT can customise the right shade for you.

Shutters are a long-term investment in the future of your family or your business and buying right first time is essential. Don’t take chances by buying off the shelf sizes because they will prove more expensive in the long run; getting them to fit correctly can be a mammoth task. Also, don’t be tempted into trying to fit them yourself unless you have a lot of experience and time to spare. A ‘DIY’er ‘ is fantastic and every home should have one, but sometimes certain things are best left to the professionals, as getting someone in to rectify mistakes will be costly. Such a wonderful investment will help to increase the value and kerb appeal of your property but poor fitting can be unsightly, rendering the shutters inefficient. It is very important to buy plantation shutters that are made to measure and fitted by experts – this way everyone will be happy.