Buying New Shutters For Your Home or Outdoor Living Area Is Easy When You Ask These Simple Questions
Choosing window shutters for your home is not like buying a loaf of bread. They require planning and consideration before you start shopping around. To avoid disappointment, do your research before making a decision.
Asking yourself five simple questions can get your shutters installed faster, plus you’ll be more satisfied with the end result. Here’s what you need to consider before buying new shutters for your outdoor room or windows:
What do I intend to use the shutters for?
What size shutters do I need?
Which material do I want my shutters made from?
Can I match my shutter colour with my home?
How can I tell the quality of the shutters?
We’re going to dive into each of these questions in detail to help you make a better decision about the type of shutter you’re after. Let’s begin with why you want shutters in the first place.
#1. What do you want to use the shutters for?
Why do you want shutters? Generally, people buy window shutters for light control, privacy and security reasons. One popular option is internal shutters, which go inside your house and many people use them for their windows and to increase privacy.
Alternatively, external shutters attach to the outside of your home and are often used for security, protection, light and weather control. External shutters are popularly used for outdoor areas, outdoor rooms and on other parts of the home as a privacy screen. Our Eclipse Shutters, for example, can be used on windows, doorways or outdoor spaces to enclose the space and increase privacy on your property. When you enter the store and the sales representative asks what kind of shutters you want, you can let them know your intended use for the shutters.
#2. What size shutters do you need?
Measuring before you purchase shutters will save you major headaches later on. Grab a measuring tape and write down both the height and width of the window, doorway or other areas you wish to add shutters. Jot these measurements down on a piece of paper and take a photo on your phone. Then, you’ll have it handy when the time comes to buy.
Don’t have a measuring tape?
Download EasyMeasure on iTunes or Smart Measure for Android devices.
When you head to the store, you can use your measurements to find shutters that fit the space or, depending on the manufacturer, you may be able to choose custom made shutters to fit your home.
Need help measuring your space? Our HV Aluminium team offers free measure and quotes.
#3. What’s the best shutter material?
There are three common shutter materials: wood, vinyl and aluminium.
Wood shutters are the most traditional, although they are still quite popular, they do require regular re-painting and replacing due to the constant sun exposure and rain damage.
Vinyl shutters are a double-edged sword, so you will need to research products first as the quality varies greatly. Good quality vinyl shutters will hold their shape and last longer whereas cheap alternatives will break faster.
Aluminium shutters are ideal for ventilation and lighting requirements. For example, our Eclipse Priva Screen Slats are designed to for privacy, while maintaining airflow and natural sunlight to your outdoor living area. They’re also suitable for pool screens, fencing, gates and balustrades.
#4. Identify what colours will suit your area
The trick here is to choose a variety of colours you would like as options. Often, certain shutter styles and designs will only be available in a limited range of colours. We suggest choosing four to six broad colours.
Start off by choosing your ideal colours, which can be quite specific and may be an exact match to another area of your house.
Stuck on colour choices? This colour wheel provides a simple visual for which colours work best together. So you can mix and match colours to suit your home.
Source: Pinterest
Next, choose a few neutral colours that will suit your space, like white or cream. These colours suit the majority of rooms and can be used as a backup choice.
Having different colours in mind will help make choosing shutters easier when you need to pick from a limited colour palette.
#5. Look for quality shutters
Ensure your outdoor shutters and window shutters have long-term warranty. Shutters are a long term investment for your home, so you want to know you’re getting the most value for your money. At HV Aluminium, we provide a 10-year warranty on shutters.
You should also check online reviews, such as Facebook and Google Reviews, to see what other people think of particular brands and if they’re satisfied with their purchase.
Whether you’re still considering your options or ready to buy new shutters for your home, our five considerations will ensure you make the right choice.