What Is the Best Material for Your Plantation Shutters?

If you’re looking to update your window treatments, you will have seen that high-quality plantation shutters add a sophisticated look to both the interior and exterior of homes. They are also versatile, functional and easy to maintain, offering various practical benefits, especially when you select the best shutter material possible.

To help you get the most out of your new window dressings, in this article we will:

• Explore the benefits of plantation shutters in more detail
• Discuss the various options of plantation shutter material available and outline their pros and cons.  
• Help you choose the right shutter material for your home 
• Give you a definitive answer to the question, ‘What material is best for plantation shutters?’

 

The Benefits of Plantation Shutters

When you select high-quality plantation shutters crafted from a high-performing material, you will experience the following benefits within your home. 

1. Timeless elegance

Plantation shutters are a classic design choice synonymous with elegant, upscale homes.

The charming simplicity of plantation shutters will add a sophisticated touch to every room in your home and improve the outdoor curb appeal of your property too. They are versatile enough to complement a range of architectural styles, both modern and more traditional. 

2. Full control over privacy and light

Modern plantation shutters include a hidden tilt system. This system is useful for:

• Enjoying the view from your windows without compromising your privacy
• Obtaining full privacy or darkness when needed
• Controlling the light coming into a room to brighten or shade as necessary
• Keeping a room cooler or warmer as needed.

Controlling your shutters is straightforward, through a small adjustment to the louvres, giving you full control over the natural light coming into your home. You can achieve exactly the right ambience, privacy, and light levels to suit your needs. 

3. Better energy efficiency

Plantation shutters can improve your home’s energy efficiency by providing shade from bright sunlight and insulation. They can, therefore, reduce your heating and cooling bills. Using the best shutter material can save up to 35% on energy costs. 

4. Durability, longevity, and ease of maintenance

When you choose the best plantation shutter material, you can enjoy exceptional durability. Plantation shutters can easily outlive alternative window treatments like fabric blinds, curtains and DIY off-the-shelf blinds. These cheaper alternatives are prone to much quicker wear and tear. The best shutter material is engineered not to warp, peel or crack and is mould resistant too. 

Plantation shutters can be quickly wiped clean, meaning they are perfect for family homes and for people with allergies. 

 

Three Popular Plantation Shutter Materials Compared

Here are the pros and cons of three widely available shutter materials: wood, plastics and Insulite.

1. Wood

Wood is the traditional material for plantation shutters. The Ancient Greeks first used it for making shutters and it is still a popular choice today. 

Pros

• Wooden shutters are timeless, with a natural beauty that adds finesse to every room.
• Wooden plantation shutters are strong but still lightweight.
• You can paint wooden shutters to match your decor or stained to enhance their natural beauty.
• Wood is a sustainable material and is eco-friendly when it is locally and legally sourced.

Cons

• Wooden shutters are usually expensive.
• Plantation shutters made from wood need regular repainting or staining.
• Wood is not a suitable material for high-humidity environments since it can warp.
• Wood is not fire resistant.

2. Plastics/PVC

Plantation shutters are also often made from various plastic materials and PVC. 

Pros

• Plastic and PVC plantation shutters are a cheaper option than both wood and Insulite.
• They are moisture resistant so they perform better than wood in high-humidity conditions.
• Plastic or PVC plantation shutters are long-lasting and durable in all climates.

Cons

• Plastic shutters are usually heavy, so they may be unsuitable for large window openings.
• They cannot be painted, tinted or stained to fit your decor.
• Plastic or PVC shutters do not have the same aesthetics as other options.
• Experts consider these materials to be the least eco-friendly option for plantation shutters.

3. Insulite

Insulite is a modern and environmentally friendly polymer foam-like material. It is a popular option for plantation shutters because it closely resembles wood and offers additional benefits. Insulite is made by compressing recycled materials. 

Pros

• Insulite looks and feels just like wood, therefore offering the same beautiful finish to your rooms when used in shutters.
• Insulite is eco-friendly.
• Insulite plantation shutters are not as costly as their wooden counterparts.
• It offers durability, even in high-moisture conditions and it is both fire and mould resistant.
• Insulite does not warp, crack or peel.
• Insulite plantation shutters are easy to wipe down.

Cons

• Insulite plantation shutters are more costly than plastic options.
• These shutters are typically only available in classic white or near white.

 

The Best Plantation Shutter Material

Here at Modern Group, we manufacture and install plantation shutters in Brisbane.

We use Insulite to make our plantation shutters, and we are confident that this material performs better overall than wood and plastic and that it offers our customers the best possible value for money.

Insulite is the best shutter material because it combines:

• the beauty of wood;
• durability;
• good environmental credentials;
• easy maintenance and cleaning; 
• safety and non-toxicity.

When you choose the best material for shutters, you get to enjoy all the key benefits of plantation shutters — elegance, privacy, control over sunlight, energy efficiency and durability — without worrying about breakage and frequent repairs.  

Give us a call to discuss how we can customise and enhance your windows with our plantation shutters.