A shutter system is one of the things I’m considering to enhance the security and esthetics of my home’s exterior! Exterior shutters can be quite satisfying if you select the wood that matches your taste and fits your home’s style.
However, how do you think you can determine which wood is best for your exterior shutters?
Many wood types can be excellent for exterior shutters. Popular wood options include Cedar, Oak, Cypress, and Basswood. It’s important to consider your environment and your budget when looking for the best wood for your exterior shutters.
Your exterior shutters will look as elegant as the type of wood you use and the design pattern. Read on to learn more about exterior wood shutters and how best it fits in your home.
What to Consider When Choosing the Right Wood for Your Shutter Construction
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You’ll find different varieties of wood when shopping for your exterior shutters. There’s also a vast assortment of exterior shutters designed from these different wood types. Nonetheless, you’ll need to stay focused and be conscious of the attributes you need your exterior shutters to possess.
Here are a few tips that can influence your decisions.
Availability of the Wood
You’ll save yourself a lot of stress and cost by opting for what’s available in your region. This is because scarcer options will cost more and might not be available when needed for future repairs or replacements.
Durability
Your excitement would be short-lived if you selected a quick-perishing wood. Ensure you make adequate findings of the type of wood you intend to use.
Bug-resistant Wood
Woods prone to bug attacks aren’t suitable for shutter constructions. For optimal results, choose exterior shutter designs made from bug-resistant wood.
Attractive Appeal
Don’t rule out the need for beauty when choosing the shutter design suitable for your exterior decor. This is one of the many benefits that come with natural wood shutters. They produce an authentic and attractive appearance that’s sure to make your home stand out.
What Is the Best Wood for Exterior Shutters?
Different woods have unique qualities and features that make them appropriate for the job. Below are the popular wood types that can help you achieve a secure and fabulous shutter design for your home.
Basswood
This is a common and contemporary wood type used to make exterior shutters. Basswood piques many people’s interest because it’s durable, easy to find, light, and makes work easy to handle.
While it’s not the most durable compared to other wood types, its overall features make it suitable for shutter construction.
Basswood’s surface makes coating a simple process, and it’s also quick to dry. On the flip side, this type of wood requires treatment against bugs to inhibit bug infestation.
What it’ll cost you to get basswood exterior shutters depends on factors like your location and where you’re buying them.
Still, it’s one of the least expensive options because it’s readily available in several locations. The estimated price range for basswood exterior shutters is $17 to $35 per square foot. You can also get finished exterior shutters within the same price range.
Redwood
Another excellent option for exterior shutters is redwood. Its naturally refined and colorful appearance makes it highly sought after by customers. In addition, redwood is quite enduring, difficult to bend, and unyielding to adverse weather effects.
You don’t have to worry about protection against bugs with redwood because it has natural bug-resistant properties. Naturally, this increases its appeal and general demand.
An extra benefit of redwood is its ability to resist decay, a property lacking in some wood options.
Using redwood for your exterior shutters guarantees the prevention of sudden damage, validating your confidence.
However, a common challenge with this option is scarcity, as it is difficult to access and, therefore, often unavailable. The price also varies based on availability in a specific location and where you’re buying the shutters from.
For example, most companies in the U.S. sell these shutters for about $99 to $155. Meanwhile, you can get the same redwood shutters at Larson Shutter (a California-based company) for $48 to $75.
Poplar
This is another familiar wood type used for exterior shutters. Again, polar is one of the most accessible options, easy to use and coat. On the downside, polar have certain inherent materials, making them difficult to stain.
Compared to other wood alternatives, polar is heavyweight and requires extra effort to maneuver. Thankfully, this doesn’t reduce its functionality or make it inactive. On the contrary, polar wood is long-lasting and can withstand different weather elements.
Due to its wide availability, polar is among the most economical and inexpensive wood options.
There is no generally fixed price, as the cost will depend on your location and where you shop for it. You could buy unfinished polar shutters for as low as $14 per square foot.
Oak
This wood is widely recognized for its toughness and enduring lifespan. Although an excellent wood option for strong exterior shutters, Oak has certain limitations. The primary disadvantage is the dense weight of the wood.
This heavyweight makes it more challenging to install than other wood types. Another drawback is that it can warp with time even though it’s thick and strong. On the other hand, Oak is easy to stain, coat, and customize to get a more personalized effect.
If you decide to use Oak for your exterior shutters, you should be ready to spend more. Oak’s strength over most other wood options drives up its price.
These shutters are available for prices ranging from $340 to $400, depending on the design you pick.
Cedar
Another common wood type suitable for exterior shutters is Cedarwood. Cedar can inhibit warping like basswood and doesn’t pose any challenge when finishing and coating. In addition, this type of wood doesn’t require much maintenance with properties that make it resistant to decay.
Also, Cedar is less likely to shrink over time like some types of wood would. Although it isn’t difficult to find, it’s still on the more expensive side of the margin than some wood options. This is because it comes with extra benefits like texture and functionality.
Cedar is also not as common as other wood types and could be scarce in some locations. Depending on the style and pattern you select, the price could be anywhere between $200 to $250.
Cypress
This is the type of wood commonly used for exterior shutters in the southern part of the States. Part of this wood’s appeal comes from its ability to resist moisture damage, decay, and bug attack.
Another factor that makes Cypress one of the predominant wood types in the south is its high supply.
Cypress shares similar features with Cedar, and it’s even a bit stronger. Unfortunately, this is one of the least affordable exterior shutter wood options. It costs about $400 for each pair, depending on your preferred design and pattern.
Adding exterior shutters is a smart way to boost the value of your home. It leaves a remarkable impression on your home exterior and enhances its value and general artistic appeal.
With the tips and information provided in this piece, you’re set to start shopping for those elegant exterior shutters!
