Latest Articles by ShutterContractor http://www.articletrader.com/ Articles at ArticleTrader en-us Window Measuring for Exterior House Shutters http://www.articletrader.com/home-and-family/home-improvement/window-measuring-for-exterior-house-shutters.html http://www.articletrader.com/home-and-family/home-improvement/window-measuring-for-exterior-house-shutters.html Tue, 09 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0500 vinyl exterior shutters. The first step to replacing your vinyl shutters is with a walk or drive around your neighborhood. The first thing to look for is how the exterior shutter tops are placed in relation to the top of the window.



If the area you live in typically has lap siding (wood or vinyl) and wood or metal trim (e.g. a 1" x 4" or a 2" x 4") around the window, are the exterior window shutters flush with the top of the trim or are they aligned with the top of the actual window? If your area has a lot of stucco exteriors and no trim, look to see if the exterior vinyl shutters are mounted flush with the top of the window. In an area with a lot of brick houses, are the exterior shutters mounted even with the top of the opening or are they lined up with the top of the actual window itself? A lot of old homes (now referred to as heritage homes) have a 2" brick-mold that is fairly flush with the siding, how are the vinyl exterior shutters mounted? Take note of how the exterior shutters are typically mounted with respect to the trim and window in your neighborhood.



So now we have covered most of the representative types of window trim, the next step is looking at the bottom of the exterior shutters. Check to see whether your neighbors have their exterior shutters installed all the way to the bottom of the opening or if the exterior vinyl shutters are lined up with the window. If there is a sill at the bottom of the window, it is typically best to leave a 1/4" to 1/2" space between the bottom of the window shutter and the window sill. This gap is primarily to allow for the expansion and contraction of the vinyl material.



While most details become evident in your reconnaissance of the neighborhood, there are some finer points to note. A well fitted pair of exterior shutters that look "just right" may well be custom made for that house.



A quick aside about the value of paying for custom made shutters vs. buying the relatively inexpensive standard sized shutters. When referring to vinyl shutters, the term "custom shutters" means that the height will be a custom size and the widths are only in specific sizes (e.g. 5 3/4", 8", 9 1/4", 11", 12", 14 1/4", 16 1/2", 18", etc.). Standard sized shutters are only generally made in 2 widths (about 12" and 15") and only come in heights that are about every 3 or 4 inches from about 30" to 80". You must consider whether standard size shutters are going to work properly for you, as poorly sized shutters not only look a little shabby they can actually affect the curb appeal (and resale value) of your home. Custom made vinyl exterior shutters may cost twice as much as standard shutters but the return is often worth the investment, as exterior vinyl shutters are one of the lowest cost improvements you can make to your house. Properly fitted exterior shutters can make a big difference for a little extra money.



To determine the proper width of your vinyl exterior shutters there are many things to consider. It is generally accepted in the trade that the style of home influences the decision about the width of the shutter. For a two story home that is narrow to the street that has vertical operating windows you would want to emphasize the height of the structure. You would do this by choosing a narrower width of shutters. On the other hand, a ranch style home that runs parallel to the street would look better with wide vinyl exterior shutters to emphasize the width of the house.



You may start by dividing the width of the window by 2 – this is the maximum exterior shutter width you would want for any window. The minimum would be around 25% of the window's width. When you also consider the style of home, you will then have a starting point to work from. In general it works best to find a single width that works for all of your windows, but you also need to consider the space between the windows.



That said there are many exceptions to this rule. For example, if you have an 8 foot wide window on the front of your house with no (or very few) windows facing the same direction, you may wish to order wide exterior vinyl shutters for the wide window, and then order narrower shutters for the other windows on the house. Another thing to consider is if you have a light, down spout, or other obstruction that is too close to the window for a wide shutter to fit. This is where ordering custom shutters can come in handy so you can get a width that works within the distance from the obstruction. Custom exterior shutters can solve many problems that "only seem to be on my house".



A good way to tell how a particular width of vinyl exterior shutters will look without investing a lot of money is to find some corrugated cardboard boxes that are fairly sizable and cut them to the proper height and 50% of the width of the windows. Tape them temporarily to the side of your home on each side of your windows using duct tape, and then step back away from the house to see how it looks. Most people will probably think they look too wide at that point. Take the cardboard cutouts down, and with a utility knife, cut them down to where you think they should be and step back again for another look. You should be able to tell if you went too far almost immediately, and you may also notice that some windows still look a little wide, while others look a little narrow. Take note of this and then take the cardboard down to measure the width. Now you should have a pretty good idea about the width of exterior shutters you need to order.

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Shad Storhaug is the founder of ShutterContractor.com and is an expert in giving advice about selecting, measuring, and installing vinyl exterior shutters.




Visit ShutterContractor.com's Exterior Window Shutters Store for additional information.



Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> Preparing your Home for Sale by Installing Vinyl Exterior Shutters http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/preparing-your-home-for-sale-by-installing-vinyl-exterior-shutters.html http://www.articletrader.com/finance/real-estate/preparing-your-home-for-sale-by-installing-vinyl-exterior-shutters.html Sun, 07 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0500
As the old saying goes, "You never get a second chance to make a first impression". When dealing with selling your home, this translates into creating a better "curb appeal" to draw in potential buyers. Many things can be done to improve "curb appeal", such as a fresh coat of paint, installing new siding, doing some simple yardcare and landscaping, and adding "finishing touches" to the house. While the cost of such improvements can sometimes be prohibitive, when doing them smartly yourself you can literally improve the value of your home with little more than some elbow grease and a few hundred dollars.

One of the best ways to get the most bang for your buck is by installing vinyl exterior shutters. Measuring for and installing exterior shutters can usually be done in a few hours depending on how many windows face the street and will give prospective buyers the "wow" effect you are hoping for.

There are 2 basic types of exterior vinyl shutters:

1. Custom-made vinyl shutters
2. Prebuilt or stock shutters (often called standard-sized shutters)

If measured correctly, custom-made shutters will always go from the top to the bottom of the window frame within 1/4" of the actual height of the opening. Custom exterior shutters come in several widths, usually starting around 6 inches wide and are available up to around 30 inches wide. Standard sized shutters usually only come in height increments of 2 or 3 inches and are only available in 12 inch and 15 inch widths.

While custom-made shutters will certainly look the best, it can cost 150 more to buy custom shutters than stock sizes. Another thing to consider is that custom made shutters can take 2 weeks or longer to be built, while stock sizes are prebuilt and ready to ship. This can be a major factor if you are in a hurry to sell and are on a budget. Of course, custom made shutters can be made quicker and ship faster if you are willing to pay an additional shipping charge, so be sure to ask the vendor if this is an option.

A good balance between cost and good looks is to order standard sized shutters for windows that are within an inch of one of the available heights, and order custom made shutters for the windows that need a more exact fit - especially the windows on the front of the house on each side of the front door.

The color of the vinyl shutters is also an important factor, since painting can only be done if you order the paintable type of plastic. Black and white are the most popular colors and therefore they are usually shipped the soonest because they are typically stocked very well. Ordering the paintable type of plastic shutters is also a way to receive them quickly, but of course will require you to put in some more work to paint them before installing them.

If you have more time, it is possible to order a vinyl shutter color sample kit before ordering the shutters. This is a good way to get an exact match with your trim, or to get the right color of paint if you have also decided to paint the house for the sale. Color samples can be ordered for as little as $5 and most places give you the cost of the sample back when you order the shutters. This is also a good way to get some idea of what the shutters will look like because the samples are moulded from the same vinyl material as the actual shutters.

Once the shutters arrive, installing them is just a matter of drilling a few holes and either screwing them to the outside surface of your home or using shutter-loks, which can be tapped in with a few strokes of a hammer. Of course, it is important to download the instructions from the web site that you buy them from as different shutter manufacturers recommend slightly different installation and not doing the installation correctly can result in a voided warranty.

Good luck with your home makeover and sale!

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Shad Storhaug is the founder of ShutterContractor.com and is an expert in giving advice about selecting, measuring, and installing vinyl exterior shutters.




Visit ShutterContractor.com's Exterior Window Shutters Store for additional information.



Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]> Choosing Between Standard and Custom Exterior Vinyl Shutters http://www.articletrader.com/home-and-family/home-improvement/choosing-between-standard-and-custom-exterior-vinyl-shutters.html http://www.articletrader.com/home-and-family/home-improvement/choosing-between-standard-and-custom-exterior-vinyl-shutters.html Tue, 02 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0500


The physical products are compatible and can be mixed and matched on your home. You may not even notice a difference between custom exterior shutters and standard sized exterior shutters unless you are standing a few feet away from the house.



Let's put this in perspective. If you walk into the men's section at a department store you will likely see several racks of suits. There is a moderate range of choices, and there is a small range of sizes available. Most of these suits are made for a guy that is somewhere around an average height and weight, and if that guy walks into the store he may find exactly what he is looking for on the rack.



On the other hand, if the guy who is shopping for a suit is very short, very tall, very fat, or very skinny his choices are probably few to none. These people will likely need to go to a custom tailor to get a suit that fits right. That is not to say that an average sized guy wouldn't also go to a custom tailor. They will pay more for a suit, but they can have it built exactly the way they want it in the right style, color, and type of fabric and it will fit just right.



The same applies to vinyl exterior shutters. Standard-sized vinyl shutters are pre-molded in one piece and are available in a couple of widths, and the height may only be available in every 3 or 4 inches.



If you choose custom exterior vinyl shutters, there will be a wider range of styles and sizes available. Custom shutters are tailored to your home just as a custom tailored suit is made for your body. Pairs of custom vinyl shutters are made from individual pre-molded components:

  1. 4 rails (stiles) - these come in 12 feet long lengths

  2. 2 tops

  3. 0 to 2 centers

  4. 2 bottoms

  5. Either louvers (in 12 inch sheets) or panels with a panel cap


The exterior vinyl shutter rails are cut to the ordered length, the top is installed, then louvers or the fabricated raised panel is inserted into the assembly. Optionally, a center is put into place and more louvers or panels are added before putting on the bottom. The custom vinyl shutter is then ultrasonically welded into the final product. The variety of parts in different width configurations and colors give the fabricator the ability to make a wide range of styles and sizes of custom exterior shutters.

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Shad Storhaug is the founder of ShutterContractor.com and is an expert in giving advice about choosing, measuring, and installing vinyl exterior shutters.




ShutterContractor.com Exterior Shutters



Source: http://www.articletrader.com ]]>