What are Plantation Shutters?
Plantation shutters are louvered panels fixed either inside or outside windows and doors. They originated in America and the West Indies and date back to before the American Civil War. The term Ante Bellum means pre-war and is used to describe a style of plantation shutters and are the one that we supply.
What are Solid Shutters?
Solid Shutters are panels that have no louvers. They were originally installed in reveal boxes in pre Edwardian houses and were used a couple of times a year only, when the owners decamped for the season. They were not designed to be opened and shut daily like our present designs and that is why so few remain today.
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How long from order will it take to get my shutters?
Shutters are custom manufactured to fit individual openings and are ready for installation in 6 to 8 weeks from the date of the order and receipt of the deposit.
Will you price match any quote?
We believe we know the shutters market really well and always offer you a really great deal, so we hope we'll already have given you the most competitive price.
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Can I fit my shutters myself?
We always recommend that you have your shutters fitted by one of our experienced craftsman.
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Shutters can seem expensive, how do you justify the price?
These days shutters are very competitively priced and with our Warwick Range, for example, you can get a lot of shutter for your money.
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Can shutters be installed on any window?
Shutters can be installed on virtually any window, French door or patio sliding doors. They can also be used effectively as room dividers fitted on tracks. If the window/door opens inwards they can always be mounted outside of the reveal. Bi Pass tracking allows for shutter to slid past each other and is used where there are overhangs preventing the panels from swinging out.
How do I measure my windows and doors?
For a quick quote just measure the width and height of the opening in inches, centimeters or millimeters. For more detailed instructions see our guide to measuring shutters. .
What louver size should I choose?
When making your louvre choice, consider the size of the window and the desired effect. Generally larger windows command a larger louvre size.
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What colours and stains are available?
View the Shutter Colour section of this site for a full list of colours and stains that are available for each shutter range.
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What wood do you use and is it Eco friendly?
"The Stratford Range" is made from Western Red Cedar. The timber is very durable and has a most interesting grain. It is very expensive timber but does not need to be laminated to retain stability.
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How many shutter panels do I need in my window opening?
Our smallest panel width is 200mm and widest is 750mm, although with larger louver panels we do sometimes go wider but void warp warranty with your permission. Generally a window looks best with 4 panels, two opening as pairs either way. A 3 window bay, however, will usually have 2 panels on the smaller side windows and 4 in the centre. All panels will open away from the middle.
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Does wood warp, shrink, change colour or age in any way?
Cedar can warp in very rare occurrences like any wood but is less prone to do so than virtually any other timber we know of. We do give you a guarantee though against significant warping. See our terms and conditions. Similarly Cedar can shrink and does but also very little and we always advise fitting tight in the first instance. Shutters can quite easily be adjusted should this occur as it is never that much but it is probably better to leave them as they can just as easily swell again should the humidity increase.
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How should I maintain my shutters?
Shutters are easily cleaned using a feather duster, damp sponge/soft cloth or run a vacuum cleaner over them. The finish shouldn't need repainting for many years, indeed the Warwick shutters are totally maintenance free and cannot be re painted anyway.