Real wood or composite shutters?

What should you consider when choosing shutters for your windows? Real wood vs. Composite is perhaps the biggest decision to make as you go through the process. Here we’ll walk you through some considerations when choosing your shutters including: price, strength and durability, as well as design flexibility. This overview will hopefully get you closer to the shutters of your dreams!.

Advantages of Real Wood – Real wood shutters tend to be more expensive but may be your best option in terms of design. Real wood can be used for larger shutter panels. Wider panels (more than approximately 30 inches) may not be available in composite shutters due to the weight. Additionally, wood can also be stained in a variety of colors. Composite shutters tend to be limited to shades of white, gray and beige. To simplify your decision between real wood and composite shutters think about which color your shutters will feature. If you would want a wood stain then choose a real wood shutter. Staining real wood allows the natural characteristics of the wood, like knots and burls, to show. However, if you like the look of paint finish and simply want traditional white shutters then composite shutters will work just fine.

Advantages of composite – Composite plantation shutters provide a middle ground between real wood and vinyl. They're made of a solid medium density fiberboard (MDF) core with a polypropylene coating to provide durability and better heat resistance than cheap vinyl/PVC shutters. Composite shutters are a little more budget friendly - they often run 10 to 20 percent less than wood. Composite shutters are more resistant to scratches and chips. In areas of the house where the windows are going to be subjected to moisture or steam, such as bathrooms or kitchens, real wood can warp, crack or flake. In this case, composite wood would make the most sense.

Which is better for energy savings? It’s a tie between wood and composite!  Both types of shutters offer energy-saving benefits. Keeping your home more energy-efficient with plantations shutters on your windows saves money on your heating and cooling bills.


​For more information about plantation shutters to see how they will improve the look of your home and enhance your decor, contact LC Window Treatments. We are a full service company and experts in designing and installing window coverings including both real wood and composite shutters.  Give us a call today for a free in home consultation!