Shutters are fitted just inside a window, which is a very extreme environment with large heat ranges lots of Ultra Violet and often large humidity variations.

To cope with this environment the Vancouver range is made of Western Red Cedar. This timber is naturally stable and durable due to its resin content. Therefore, these shutters do not have to be laminated to prevent warping as cedar wood has very straight grain.

The Phoenix range is made from Phoenix timber (sometime called Parasol wood) it is a very light hardwood and has a laminated core similar to the Seattle. The timber undergoes many processes before it becomes a shutter.

The Seattle range is made from a composite of many materials and is totally maintenance free.

Cedar wood is traditionally considered to be the very best timber for shutters due to its unique properties. However, with modern laminating technologies the Phoenix and Seattle ranges can produce quite different looking shutters to the same high quality.

Shutter finishes are carefully developed to be UV resistant and long lasting. The cedar wood oiled finish will darken slightly with age

Shutters can be installed on just about any window, patio sliding door or French window. They are also frequently used as room dividers where they are typically fitted on tracks.

Where there are inward opening windows they can be flush or surface mounted outside the reveal.

We have not come across the perfectly square window yet. Frames and battens can be scribed to square off the window. If the window is a long way off true external fitting outside of the reveal is the way to go.

There is always an optimum position for locating the shutter that looks right. If they look right they are right!

There is no hard and fast rule many different options can look equally good. However, it is always good practise to copy the layout of the existing windows i.e. matching up shutter vertical stiles with window mullions. There are maximum and minimum panel width restrictions (max. 750 mm  min. 152 mm). If these present a problem consider covering a large opening with multiple panels.

If surface or flush fitting you will need to consider where the panels are going to fold back to and if there is enough room for this to happen. If rebate fitting you will not want the shutters to protrude into the room too much (reducing the individual panel size will minimise this).

Many people get preoccupied with opening the shutters and folding them away. Our experience is that once fitted customers keep the shutter in position most of the time and adjust the daylight by adjusting the louvre, often only folding the shutter to clean the window.

For large openings (over 2200mm wide) tracking is needed at the top to suspend the panels. If using tracking, panels need to be an even number to look right. Tracking cost is included in the cost per square metre calculation.

To summarise, the window usually dictates the number of panels. If the window is split into two halves then 2 or 4 panels are used. If there are three window panels then 3 or 6 shutter panels will be used .The mullions on the windows need to match the vertical stiles on the shutter

Phoenix Panel size limitation:

Seattle Panel size limitation:

Vancouver panel size limitation:

The louvre size needs to be in proportion to the size of the shutter. But also consider that the larger the louvre the more daylight comes through when the louvre is open.

However, the larger the louvre the less privacy is afforded when open.

If you have small window panels or “Georgian” style windows we would advise using larger louvres or the windows could look very busy

See our pricing page

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Yes, if you have reasonable DIY skills and a common sense approach you should have no problems.

If you are considering a DIY installation please give us a call and we can advise on measuring and installation techniques etc.

Please ensure that the walls around the window opening are complete, e.g. is plastering completed? Is the windowsill fitted? Are tiles, architrave or dado rails fitted? These are all things that could effect the measuring of the shutters. 

The “Vancouver” range is made from red cedar wood. Our cedar wood is supplied by the Western Red Cedar Association in Canada. It is either replanted cedar or taken from designated managed forest areas. Cedar is one of the most used timbers in the world as a result it is farmed in well managed forests.

The “Phoenix” wood range is made from phoenix wood sometimes called “Parasol wood”. It is grown in subtropical areas of the southern USA, China and Japan. It is a very fast growing hardwood, a tree reaches full height in about 15 years making it ideal to farm in managed plantations. (It is called Phoenix wood because it is almost impossible to burn without a secondary heat source!)

The “Seattle” range is arguably our most eco-friendly product because no trees are cut down to make them. They are constructed from a laminated veneered lumber core (typically basswood strips that are off cuts not suitable for use elsewhere). These are laminated together with epoxy making a light strong core surrounded by LDF and sealed in a polymer outer coating.

In short we believe our products are made responsibly with proper regard to the environment.

See our guarantee page for more details

Shutters are easy to clean using a feather duster, damp sponge or cloth. Some people will occasionally run a vacuum cleaner over them. The finish will not need repainting for many years. If you have a disaster and manage to seriously damage a panel or louvre we use ISO 9002 recorded manufacturing process so we can usually make a replacement from our records.

They are both functional and look stunning. With adjustable louvres they provide privacy and insulation. They are great at insulating both in terms of noise and heat/cold. You can also control ventilation and light. What ’s more they are low maintenance and last much longer than curtains or blinds.