Different Faux Wood Plantation Shutters In Baltimore

While you can find plenty of faux wood plantation shutters available in Baltimore, they all won’t age the same.  While some faux wood window treatments will last forever without chipping, warping, or fading, other faux wood coverings will begin to break down in just a few years.

It can be hard to understand the pros and cons of the different faux wood plantation shutters Baltimore.  But once you know about the different varieties of faux wood, it will be easier to tell which interior shutter will stand the test of time.

The following list looks at the different varieties of faux wood shutters in Baltimore and rates them from the worst to the most best:

Vinyl Shutters:

Some window treatments that use vinyl disguise themselves as faux wood.  But make no mistake, vinyl is not faux wood. Vinyl’s plastic look and shiny coating can be difficult to match to a your decor, unlike quality faux wood or basswood shutters.  Vinyl may be one of the cheapest plantation shutter products available, but they also may be the flimsiest of the non-wood shutters.

Vinyl can also be easily affected by heat. It’s not unusual to see vinyl plantation shutters melt or yellow due to the sun’s rays. Because of their tendency of warping or cracking and their poor insular nature, vinyl shutters do not grant much energy-efficiency to your windows -- especially if the shutter uses hollow shutters.

• Benefits:

  Cheapest of the non-wood plantation shutters.

• Drawbacks:

  Looks like plastic; flimsy construction; hollow louvers; low energy efficiency; will warp, splinter or yellow.

Synthetic Wrapped Product:

A step up from vinyl shutters are synthetic plantation shutters.  These window treatments are made of pressed wood, wood chip components, or glued MDF, and then covered with a synthetic, vinyl, or plastic coating. The shutters feel more substantial and can appear much more like a real wood plantation shutter than their hollow louvered alternatives.

Unfortunately, synthetic wrapped shutters have some problems. The pressed wood under the covering can be extremely absorbent, leaving the treatment to be exposed to humidity and moisture. It’s commonplace to find a warped or splintered louver or find that the vinyl wrapping has split or peeled away.  Also, wrapped shutters cannot be custom-fitted for non-standard shaped windows like arches or circles.

• Benefits:

  More substantial than vinyl shutters; may resemble real wood.

• Drawbacks:

  Not preferable for high humidity or high moisture areas. Will take in moisture and humidity. Aren't moisture resistant; wrapping can chip away; warps or splits easily; no custom shapes.

Solid Extruded Faux Wood Shutters:

Plantation shutters created from solid extruded faux wood give you more durability than all of the other faux wood plantation shutters.  As the synthetic material permeate throughout the product, they form thick, solid louvers that are more resistant warping.  You will also find that they generally last longer and will act much more like basswood plantation shutters. Solid extruded faux wood shutters are also able to be custom-fitted to fit any window shape and size -- even ovals.

But a solid extruded shutter is only as well-made as its faux wood recipe.  Some mixtures create a brittle shutter, which can be cracked or chipped during installation. If the mixture doesn’t have a UV inhibitor, then the shutter will fade and yellow when exposed to sunlight. Some companies paint their products, which also brings about chipping and yellowing over time.

• Benefits:

  More substantial treatment that works like a basswood plantation shutter. 

• Drawbacks:

  Quality depends on the mixture of the faux wood composite.

And Then You Have Polywood® Plantation Shutters

Polywood plantation shutters are comprised from an very durable extruded faux wood compound that will never warp, chip, crack, or fade.  Its patented formula makes it seem like real wood, but with a composite that resists moisture. We mix in a UV inhibitor into the faux wood composite so that the entire shutter will keep looking great for life.  They are even a snap to clean -- you only need a duster for routine work, and a damp rag for deeper cleaning.

Our Polywood shutters are also constructed to be one the most energy-efficient window treatments you can buy.  In fact, Polywood shutters are constructed to be 70% more energy-efficient than hardwood shutters, and 1600% more energy-efficient than aluminum blinds. And we also throw in a lifetime warranty.  Those are benefits no other plantation shutter offers.

• Benefits:

  Lifetime warranty against cracking, fading, and warping; most energy-efficient window covering available; looks wonderful in any style.

• Drawbacks:

  More expensive than flimsier vinyl interior shutters -- but worth it!

Call Sunburst Shutters Baltimore Today To Install Long-Lasting, Beautiful Polywood Shutters

When looking at the pros and cons of the numerous faux wood plantation shutters, Polywood clearly is your best choice. Our Sunburst Shutters Baltimore reps are ready to show you the benefits of our Polywood plantation shutters, and how they will enhance any window in your house. To schedule a no cost in-home consultation, call 301-321-7998 or send in the form below today!