Shutter quotes for security and plantation shutters

Two kinds of shutter

"Shutters" covers two quite different products, and many homes use both.

Security shutters are lockable aluminium shutters, fitted inside or outside a window or door, that act as a barrier against intruders, often replacing burglar bars. They look like plantation shutters, with louvres you can tilt for light and air, but are built from reinforced aluminium with security locks.

Plantation shutters are decorative interior shutters with wide louvres, made from basswood, other timbers, PVC or aluminium. They control light, privacy and airflow, and replace blinds or curtains with a cleaner, architectural look.

Security shutters

Compared with burglar bars, security shutters let you open the window fully without a grid of steel across the view, and close and lock when you need them to. Panels can be hinged, folding or sliding, so they work on large openings such as patio doors.

Their strength depends on the aluminium profile, the reinforcing inside the frames and louvres, the locking system and, above all, how they're fixed to the building. Ask installers how the frame is anchored into the wall, and test-lock a display model before you buy.

Plantation shutter materials

In bathrooms, kitchens and humid coastal homes, choose PVC or aluminium. Timber suits living areas and bedrooms.

Measuring and fitting

Shutters are made to measure for each opening, and windows are rarely perfectly square, so installers measure carefully and fit frames that compensate. They can be mounted inside the window recess or on a frame around it. Hinged panels need room to swing open, so window handles, sills and nearby furniture all affect the layout.

Light, air and privacy

Shutters give finer control than most window coverings. With the louvres tilted up, light bounces off the ceiling while people outside can't see in; tilted down, you see the garden while sun is kept off the floor. Opened fully, the panels fold back and leave the window clear. Many people split tall windows into an upper and lower section, so the top can let in light while the bottom stays closed for privacy.

Because air flows between the louvres, shutters also work well on windows you want open for ventilation, including at night when security shutters are locked.

Caring for shutters

Dust the louvres regularly with a soft cloth or a vacuum brush attachment. Painted timber shutters can be wiped with a barely damp cloth; PVC and aluminium handle a wipe with a mild cleaner. On security shutters near the coast, rinse the frames occasionally to remove salt, and keep the locks and hinges working smoothly as the manufacturer recommends.