Wooden shutters are the oldest known window covering, they have been in use ever since we started building our own houses, and are still as popular all these centuries later. In America, shutters became a necessity during settlement, as people who were looking to settle in places that had rich soils for farming were finding that many of those areas were prone to bad storm seasons. By installing shutters on their windows, not only were they protecting themselves from these storms, but they were setting a trend that would continue right up until present day.

The most popular style of shutter is still the exterior wooden shutter, just like the settlers had back in the days, but it is becoming a growing trend to put shutters on the inside of windows. On of the big benefits of having your shutter on the interior is that it is much easier to open and close. When you get some bad weather, you really don’t want to have to go out in it and get soaking wet closing all your shutters. Some people prefer the look of curtains in their homes, and if this is the only thing keeping you from getting shutters, then you should know that an option is to put a set of curtains over the top of the shutters. Having double panels over the top of wooden shutters can really accentuate the look and make your window a focal point of your room.

If wood is the material you would like to use on your windows, then you need to be aware that there is some regular maintenance involved with these shutters. If would is not cared for on a regular basis, it won’t be long before it starts to crack and fade. Even worse, if you are in a moist area, for example you get heavy dews in the morning; your wood is liable to warp. When interior wooden shutters warp, they can get jammed inside your window frame, making them impossible to open. In severe cases it can also knock the frame itself out of alignment, which can be a real expensive problem.

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If you’re looking for more of an excuse to fork out the money and get some wooden shutters, another thing to keep in mind is that they will add a great deal to the value of your home, much more than they originally cost you. Any real estate agent will tell you that the addition of wooden shutters to a home that is up for sale will make it sell much quicker, and for a higher price than originally intended. This is because the shutters give a real feel of homeliness, comfort and warmth.

Although you can get flat panel shutters, the ones with louvers in them are a lot more popular. You can get different sized slats, and the general rule of thumb is that the larger the window is, the larger the slats should be. Small louvers on a large window look too busy and confusing, whereas large louvers on a small window just look silly. You can get louvers that don’t move, but if you can afford a little bit extra, I would recommend getting the moveable style of shutters. This gives you a lot more functionality, allowing you to swivel the slats to control the amount of light that is coming into your room.

As I’m sure you’re already aware, wooden shutters can be quite a large expense, especially if you have more than a few windows to cover in your home. If money is tight, you may want to consider installing your own. A lot of the expense comes from installation, and if you are handy with a drill and a tape measure, installing window shutters is not such a difficult task. Many shutters will come with their own instructions, so it’s just a case of following the steps.