When it comes to deciding on the best window shutters for your home, their appearance isn’t the only thing you will need to consider. High-quality plantation shutters are crafted in a way that ensures they are best-suited for their chosen environment, whether they’re destined for a bedroom or bathroom, and so can be made with varying materials.
Of course, specialist shutter experts will be able to advise you on the shutter materials you should consider to ensure a long-lasting, quality product, but we thought we would take now as the time to run through the benefits of each, providing you with an insight into the types of plantation shutters each material could provide.
MDF plantation shutters
Medium-density fibreboard (MDF) is one of the more popular material choices for plantation shutters. The cost-effective material is recognised for its economical price point and can achieve the same high-quality finish as materials such as hardwood.
What finish can MDF shutters achieve?
The finish of MDF shutters can involve a coating of polypropylene, which works to increase the longevity of the material, resisting cracks, chips, and fading. Being a composite material formed from a timber powder, wax, and resin, MDF is resistant to some of the natural drawbacks that hardwood plantation shutters might experience over time, such as warping and colour fading. This makes them extremely hardwearing with no touch-ups required.
Where are MDF shutters best suited?
MDF plantation shutters are best suited for windows up to 200cm in height. The material is easy to clean, making them ideal for locations such as kitchens, dining rooms, and playrooms, as well as living rooms and bedrooms. MDF shutters are not the best choice to create shaped shutters.
Hybrid shutters
Hybrid shutters are a combination of MDF and Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) which provide a cost-effective alternative to hardwood plantation shutters. The two materials receive a coating of paint that allows them to appear as one, resulting in a finished product that appears almost indistinguishable from traditional shutter materials.
What finish can hybrid shutters achieve?
The combination of MDF and ABS in hybrid shutters produces a lightweight shutter solution which remains hardwearing over time, no matter how often they are opened and closed.
Where are hybrid shutters best suited?
This lightweight plantation shutter material is best suited for wider windows and bays, high-traffic areas, and windows or doors that need to withstand intense temperature variations.
Hardwood
Hardwood plantation shutters are produced with the finest wooden materials, producing a strong shutter solution that is praised for its sustainability.
What finish can hardwood shutters achieve?
Hardwood shutters provide the most natural finish. Created with 100% wood, the shutters achieve a quality finish that is of the highest standard. This can be complemented further with paint coatings that aim to resist fading when placed in sunlight.
Where are hardwood shutters best suited?
Due to their hardwearing and lightweight finish, hardwood plantation shutters can be suitable for windows in all dry, moisture-free locations.
Waterproof
As an attractive and waterproof window covering solution, waterproof shutters really are exactly what they say on the tin, making them ideal for windows in almost any location.
What finish can waterproof shutters achieve?
Carefully crafted from ABS, waterproof shutters achieve a finish that appears identical to MDF. The quality of the material results in an advanced shutter solution that remains completely water-resistant, whilst being one of the most robust shutter materials that you could invest in.
Where are waterproof shutters best suited?
Waterproof shutters are ideal for installation in areas with high moisture levels, such as bathrooms and wet rooms. Their qualities also make them ideal for use in areas of high traffic such as kitchens and conservatories.
How to choose the right material for your shutters
If you are struggling to narrow the best suited material down for your plantation shutters, you should reach out for advice from a shutter specialist. With their knowledge on the varied materials, environments, and benefits on offer, they could advise you on the ideal fit for your shutter requirements. This approach guarantees a solution that is built to last.
At London Interior Shutters, we only ever provide the finest plantation shutters. For any enquiries or questions, get in touch with a member of our award-winning London Interior Shutters team. Give us a call on 0800 023 5044 or send us an email at info@inshutters.co.uk today and we will be happy to help.