Exterior wood shutters can not only add beauty to a house, but can also add value. Without them the outside of a house can seem naked and unfinished.

Uses

Shutters have been used in America since before the Revolutionary War and were necessary in the days when window glass was hard to come by. They controlled the amount of light and air that came into the house and shut out rain and snow. Exterior shutters break up the single block of a house's mass and are aesthetically pleasing when well installed. They can be painted in ways that are part of the color scheme of the outside of the house, or be painted in ways that have them serve as accents or pops of color, the way a brightly colored throw pillow would serve on a neutral colored sofa.

How wood shutters might be painted depends on the build of the house. A tall house can have the roof and top floor exterior shutters painted a dark color, while the exterior shutters on the lower levels can be painted the same color as the house. The shutters can be removed from smaller and irregularly shaped windows and just left on larger windows to simplify the house's overall look. Painting the front door and wood shutters on the lower floor a color like bright scarlet or orange can draw attention from a roof that's full of awkward lines and angles.

Buying

Exterior wood shutters can come with louvers, which can be fixed or movable. Wood shutters don't even have to come with louvers but can simply be flat panels. The homeowner can buy shutter panels and hardware on-line, from lumber dealers, or home furnishing stores. Some shutters can be found in antique shops, or building supply warehouses. The wood in these old shutters is usually sturdier than wood used now, but stripping them can be tricky. The homeowner might want to contact a contractor that specializes in quickly and safely stripping old shutters.

When the homeowner measures for exterior shutters, they should allow for clearance and let the dealer know that the shutters are going to be used externally.

Prepping and Painting

Rollers are generally not good for shutters, especially ones with louvers, because they can't get into small, tight spaces. Spray guns are useful, but they must be used outdoors and only on a calm day if the homeowner doesn't want to get a mist of paint over everything the vicinity.

The best way to paint shutters is to take them off the windows and lay them over blocks of wood or bricks. Then, the old peeling paint has to be stripped all the way off, to the bare wood. A hooked scraper or a regular scraper can be used for this job. Then, medium grit sandpaper should be used to smooth the edges of the sound paint around the scraped areas before these areas are spot primed. This is to bring the scraped areas level with the surrounding paint so they'll be invisible later on. Painting in the direct sunlight should be avoided because the heat might cause the paint to wrinkle or blister.

During painting, the painter should cover themselves up with old clothes and a hat, even if it's hot outside. It's best to expose as little skin as possible.

When the shutter is laid on the blocks, the adjusting rod should be resting in the gap so the louvers can be opened. The inside edge of the frame should be painted with a narrow trim brush. A slow drying oil based paint should be used. Then, the inside edge of the adjusting rod should be painted. The painter should then paint the slats, starting at the top slat and painting toward the centers from the ends. They should make sure that the front edges and ends are painted and might want to insert a stick between the slats to make sure the brush can reach the edges.

When the first side is thoroughly dry, the shutter can be turned over and the rest of it painted, including the adjusting rod and the back of the frame. A sprayer should be used with great care, as it's under pressure. Improperly handling a sprayer can be a safety hazard.

When the exterior wood shutters are completely dry, they can then be rehung by the windows.