Shutters:
More Than Just Window Dressing |
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Functional window shutters were a mainstay of American architecture from Colonial days through the 1930s. While today's homes often feature fixed shutter panels for ornamentation, true operable shutters lend authenticity and purpose to a home. Shutters Bring Security |
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raised panel designs that completely close off the window from the outside
and form a secure barrier. Cutouts are sometimes used on panel shutters
for ornamentation and to encourage some airflow. Still, according to both
Withers and Ed Donaldson, owner of Ed Donaldson Hardware Restoration in
Carlisle, Pennsylvania, shutters are above all practical. "The whole
idea behind shutters was to protect your glass and keep people from getting
inside your house," Donaldson stresses. All of the options that were
developed in shutter hardware from Colonial times, through the Federal
period, and into the Victorian era were little marks of sophistication
that added to the product but didn't change its function. |
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Proper
Installation
e bottom, with the metal holdback in front of the shutter.
It isn't until the weight is moved that the shutter can swing free.
For operable shutters to function properly, they must be installed correctly. Shutters must sit 1/4 inch off the sill, so that they can close inside the window opening. Shutters must not protrude from the face of the house in case of extreme wind, or they risk being pulled from the face of the house. Closing and bolting shutters within the window opening allows wind to pass across the face of the house, but protects the glass from direct assault. It is also important to have the shutters installed at a slight incline so that they will swing closed once the shutter dog or holdback is released. A properly installed dog has its weighted ornament at th Shutter Hardware |
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shutters
once closed. They can affix one shutter to another, or bolt directly into
the sill. It is definitely worth studying pictures of the home, or houses
in the area, to determine the hardware style that suits. Colonial homes
had simple strap hinges and rings, while Federal-style houses used stylized
shutter dogs to express style and values. Victorian homes excelled in
exterior ornamentation and complicated patterns. Shutter knobs, hinges,
and pulls often reflected the refinement of that era. Reproduction hardware
companies and specialized craftspeople can help determine the appropriate
hardware, style, and degree of craftsmanship for most homes. |
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Styles |
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Selecting
an appropriate shutter style is as much a matter of preference as anything
else. There are louvered shutters, board-and-batten, raised panel, combinations,
cutouts, and even Bermuda-style shutters for a more tropical appeal. Browsing
through catalogues and Web sites, looking at historic photos and magazines
is a great way to develop a sense of shutter styles. If working with a
designer, contractor, or architect, clients can cut and paste different
shutter styles into an exterior home program. Some paint stores even offer
this service. |
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Authenticity |
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So, make certain to select the style and ornaments that work for you and your home. Paint colors can be matched to their historical era, and craftsmen are available throughout the country to reproduce treasured patterns and styles. Shutters are the ultimate ornament for a home's fa?ade. If they can operate to keep your home, its contents, and inhabitants comfortable and secure, then shutters make smart home sense, too. |
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Copyright Sudprasert Engineering (C)2002
10 February, 2003