Different Faux Wood Plantation Shutters In Boston

While there are many faux wood plantation shutters available in Boston, they don’t have the same quality.  While some faux wood window treatments will last a lifetime without splitting, warping, or fading, other faux wood treatments will begin to break down in just a few year’s time.

It might be hard to tell the different faux wood plantation shutters apart.  But after you learn about the different kinds of faux wood, it will be easier to figure out which interior shutter will stand the test of time.

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

Vinyl Shutters:

Some plantation shutters that use vinyl would like you to think that they use faux wood.  But don’t fall for it, vinyl is not faux wood. Vinyl’s plastic look and shiny coating can be difficult to integrate into a your decor, unlike other faux wood or real wood-based shutters.  They may be one of the most inexpensive plantation shutter products available, but you get what you pay for.

Vinyl is also easily affected by heat. It’s not abnormal to see vinyl window treatments melt or yellow due to extensive exposure to the sun. Because of their practice of warping or splitting and their poor insular qualities, vinyl shutters do not grant much energy-efficiency to your windows -- especially if the shutter uses hollow shutters.

• Benefits:

  Cheapest of the non-wood shutters.

• Drawbacks:

  Appears plastic; flimsy construction; hollow louvers; little energy efficiency; can quickly warp, chip or fade.

Synthetic Wrapped Product:

An improvement from vinyl shutters are synthetic plantation shutters.  These window treatments are constructed from pressed wood, wood chip materials, or glued MDF, and then covered with a synthetic, vinyl, or plastic coating. The plantation shutters feel more substantial and can appear much more like a real wood plantation shutter than their hollow louvered alternatives.

But, synthetic wrapped shutters have many drawbacks. The pressed material under the covering can be extremely permeable, leaving the window treatment vulnerable to humidity and moisture. It’s commonplace to see a warped or splintered louver or learn that the vinyl wrapping has chipped or peeled away.  Also, wrapped shutters aren’t custom-fitted for non-standard shaped windows like arches or circles.

• Benefits:

  Heavier than vinyl shutters; may resemble real wood.

• Drawbacks:

  Not suitable for high humidity or high moisture climates. Will absorb 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 synthetic materials give you more durability than all of the alternative faux wood plantation shutters.  As the synthetic fibers infuse themselves throughout the product, they create more substantial, solid louvers that are more protected from warping.  You will also discover that they are more durable and will function much more like real wood shutters. Solid extruded faux wood shutters are also able to be custom-made to fit any window shape and size -- even ovals.

But a solid extruded shutter is only as well-made as its faux wood formula.  Some formulas create a brittle shutter, which can be cracked or chipped by nails or screws during installation. If the faux wood composite doesn’t include a UV inhibitor, then your window treatments will fade and yellow when exposed to sunlight. Some companies need to paint their products, which also leads to chipping and yellowing over time.

• Benefits:

  More durable treatment that is most comparable to a basswood plantation shutter. 

• Drawbacks:

  Quality depends on the mixture of the faux wood composite.

Polywood® Shutters Are The Best Composite Faux Wood Shutters

Polywood plantation shutters are comprised from an very durable extruded faux wood mixture that will never crack, warp, or yellow.  Its patented formula makes it seem like real wood, but with a material that resists moisture. We mix in a UV inhibitor into the faux wood composite so that the plantation shutter will always stay looking nice for life.  They are even easy to clean -- only use a duster for routine work, and a damp rag for deeper cleaning.

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

• Benefits:

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

• Drawbacks:

  Higher cost than ineffective vinyl plantation shutters -- but worth it!

Contact Sunburst Shutters Boston Today To Get Long-Lasting, Charming Polywood Shutters

When seeing the pros and cons of the numerous faux wood plantation shutters, you can plainly see that Polywood is the best. Our Sunburst Shutters Boston reps will show you the benefits of our Polywood plantation shutters, and how they can help any window in your house. To get a free in-home consultation, call 781-352-2205 or complete the form below today!