# Exterior raised panel shutters.



## go dart (Dec 6, 2005)

We're finishing up a repair and the homeowner asked me to replace her plastic shutters with wood. I'll have the shop build 3 panels in a shutter approximately 6' tall. I got ready to turn the ticket in with poplar construction but is there a better option? We'll spray them all sides in the shop, they are on the north side, and there is a generous overhang.


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## pinwheel (Dec 7, 2009)

poplar just don't seem like the right choice for exterior wood. cedar, redwood or cypress are the woods that come to mind for me.


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## go dart (Dec 6, 2005)

Don't want to use Cedar as I don't imagine its really stable enough but had thought about redwood.


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## world llc (Dec 9, 2008)

i thought cedar was as stable as redwood, no?


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## GRB (Feb 23, 2009)

Poplar doesn't do too well for exterior uses. Pinwheel already laid out some good options. I'd add white oak & genuine mahogany to his list.


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## go dart (Dec 6, 2005)

Talked to our hardwood supplier. Looks like Cyprus.


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## go dart (Dec 6, 2005)

pinwheel said:


> poplar just don't seem like the right choice for exterior wood. cedar, redwood or cypress are the woods that come to mind for me.


Good call on the cypress. Thanks.


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

I used cypress for mine. they have held up very well so far. i used a oil based primer and then a exterior latex.


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

go dart said:


> Don't want to use Cedar as I don't imagine its really stable enough but had thought about redwood.


125 years before repairs needed on the ones I'm working on. I'm not sure how stable you need them...


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

GRB said:


> Poplar doesn't do too well for exterior uses. Pinwheel already laid out some good options. I'd add white oak & genuine mahogany to his list.


White oak and mahogany weren't used traditionally - too heavy. Cedar for shutters and eastern white pine for window sashes. Todays, eastern white pine needs to be treated to have decent decay resistance. The modern pick is cypress for sashes. It'll do for shutters as well if you can't get decent cedar. They just wind up heavier, not better.


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## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

i think Leo built some really nice ones from Spanish cedar?

pvc is an option


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

Tom Struble said:


> pvc is an option


I don't think PVC is going to work well. Very floppy stuff. It wouldn't matter if it's just getting screwed to the house, but if it has to swing and latch, I'd be concerned.


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## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

no not to floppy and they hold a screw better then wood

ive installed these before..pricey

http://www.timberlane.com/our-shutters/wood-or-synthetic/endurian/


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## GRB (Feb 23, 2009)

hdavis said:


> White oak and mahogany weren't used traditionally - too heavy. Cedar for shutters and eastern white pine for window sashes. Todays, eastern white pine needs to be treated to have decent decay resistance. The modern pick is cypress for sashes. It'll do for shutters as well if you can't get decent cedar. They just wind up heavier, not better.


I've seen the occasional mahogany shutter on some of the fancier castles around here, but they're rare. See quite a bit of VG fir (no doubt old growth) & it's very durable. 

We make the occasional sash & will sometimes laminate white oak to red if the customer has red oak woodwork. The WO faces the exterior, of course. Yeah, it's heavy. 

I try to avoid pine for exterior applications.


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## jhark123 (Aug 26, 2008)

If you can get some clear VG western red cedar from our olympic peninsula or from B.C., that would be the ticket.


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## WarriorWithWood (Jun 30, 2007)

I've installed many PVC and made a few Spanish Cedar. Spanish Cedar is the best if you're using dark colors and PVC is a close second if they're painted with light colors (lots of movement with the heat gain on the darker colors).


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## Leo G (May 12, 2005)

Tom Struble said:


> i think Leo built some really nice ones from Spanish cedar?
> 
> pvc is an option


This is correct.


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## SuperiorHIP (Aug 15, 2010)

We usually build them out of spanish cedar.


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## go dart (Dec 6, 2005)

Leo G said:


> This is correct.


Very nice Leo. Are they 5/4?


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

Tom Struble said:


> no not to floppy and they hold a screw better then wood
> 
> ive installed these before..pricey
> 
> http://www.timberlane.com/our-shutters/wood-or-synthetic/endurian/


I thought he was going to build them, like out of the PVC sheets. I agree, aluminum or PVC commercial products work fine. I've seen an aluminum one be ripped apart by high winds.


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