How To Size Shutters For Windows

House with Decorative Shutters

Measuring your windows properly is an important pace to ensure you are completely satisfied with our products. Delight take the time to measure your windows carefully before placing an order for outside shutters.

The first thing you need to decide is whether you are only installing your shutters for decoration (decorative shutters), or if you want them to actually part (operable shutters). All of the shutters on our website can be installed decoratively, only only sure types of shutters can support operable shutter hardware, and so pay careful attention to which shutters yous order if you lot want them to part.

Decorative Shutters

When measuring for decorative shutters, it is important to keep in mind your goals. About people install decorative shutters to add together color and a touch of personal fashion to their windows. In this case, it is best to detect a unmarried width of decorative shutters that works for all of your windows.

However, some people insist that their decorative shutters should also look like they can close over the window (even though decorative shutters volition not). While the goal here is slightly unlike, it is nonetheless perfectly acceptable.

A 3rd and more than encompassing goal is architectural uniformity. It is important to empathize that architecture is a regional scientific discipline. To truly add value to your habitation and give it adjourn appeal, it should await like information technology belongs in your neighborhood. In some parts of the state, it is common to install 12 inch wide decorative shutters on windows that are viii feet wide. In other areas, it is common to measure the glass of the window and install outside shutters that look like they will cover the glass entirely, but not the window trim. The most common way to mensurate for decorative shutters is to measure the window trim and install shutters that are the entire summit of the trim. The all-time advice we can give yous is to kickoff by taking a walk or a drive around your local area to determine just how to make your home "fit in", paying careful attention to the homes that are synthetic of like materials and pattern to your own.

If you lot happen to be the kickoff in your neighborhood to install decorative exterior shutters, as a rule of thumb it is all-time to first by measuring the entire window including the window trim both vertically and horizontally.

Shutter Width

Width of your windows	Recommended shutter width
24" or smaller	9", nine¼"
24" to 28"	12"
28" to 36"	12", 14½", or xv"
36" to xl"	14½" or 15"
forty" to 43"	14½", fifteen", or xvi½"
43" to 48"	16½"
48" to 50"	xvi½" or 18"
50" or larger	18"

In choosing the width of your exterior shutters, yous should accept into consideration the width of the window and the distance the windows are spaced apart. It is more often than not best to detect a single width that works for all of your windows. The width that usually works best is betwixt 25% and 33% of the total width of your window including the window trim. Refer to the chart at the right.

When using vinyl shutters on windows that are wider than 50 inches, we recommend using double wide vinyl shutters. However, if yous prefer not to utilise the bi-fold shutter style, yous tin use 18" wide shutters and it will still look reasonably well.

If yous prefer to brand your exterior shutters look like they will shut over the windows, find a width that is close to 50% of the size of the glass and window frame only, excluding the window trim. Since vinyl shutters don't have that much flexibility in terms of shutter width, it is best to err on the side of the outside shutters beingness narrower than 50% of the window width.

Shutter Height

In most cases, the height of decorative shutter that is about appropriate is from the top to the bottom of the window trim. If at that place is a sill at the bottom of the window and you are installing vinyl shutters, it is of import to leave a gap of at least 1/4 inch to let the vinyl material to expand and contract. This of course does not apply to other shutter materials.

Many homes are constructed with different heights of windows on the first floor than on the second flooring. Be sure to measure out every window before placing your order for exterior shutters.

Operable Shutters

To make your shutters actually office you need to be more careful when you take your window measurements. Take the time to measure accurately as this volition ensure the shutters role the way you expect.

Measure your windows as if the shutters were really airtight over them. Measuring windows for operable shutters requires that you lot mensurate both width and height at three different points because many windows are non perfectly square. Typically, you will want the shutter to embrace some function of the window trim in addition to the window frame and glass. On a brick dwelling house with recessed windows yous will typically want the functional shutter to embrace the unabridged opening in the brick, not just the window itself.

Shutter Width

Measure for the shutter width at the superlative, middle, and bottom of the window from the left side to the correct side as shown in the diagram. If the widths at each of these points are non the same, use the SMALLEST measurement of the 3.

This measurement is so divided past two to give yous your operable shutter width. For case, if your window width measurement is 27" wide at its narrowest bespeak, you lot should order 13½" wide shutters (27 ÷ ii = 13.5).

Shutter Pinnacle

Measure for the shutter height at the left side, middle, and correct side of the window opening from the acme of the window to the bottom excluding any window sill. If the heights vary at each of these points, use the SMALLEST of the 3 measurements. This measurement will be the height of the shutter you need to gild.

Think, measure twice and order once!

Click to verify ShutterContractor.com BBB accreditation and to see a BBB report. BizRate Customer Certified (GOLD) Site - Shutter Contractor.com Reviews at Bizrate