Compare Real Wood to Composite Wood Shutters Before Buying

What’s the better material for shutters… real wood or composite? The answer is that each has its merits, and your particular preferences and the specifications of your home will likely dictate what you ultimately decide. Read on to find out some pros and cons for each type of shutter. Many homeowners prefer genuine wood, not just for their shutters, but for their siding, their furniture, their garage doors and many other parts of their home. Wood is beautiful, and it’s natural. It’s that natural part that makes it less durable, however. You can take steps to prolong its life, but it still won’t last as long as a man-made material, and it’s more expensive.

Here are some factors to consider before you make your purchase:

- Looks— Some people swear there is no substitute for real wood. It’s true — composites aren’t real wood, but it’s also true that most people wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between a composite shutter and a wood shutter, even close up. But it’s not the same for unpainted woods left in their natural state. These composites still look like wood, but it’s the paint and the finish that make the two materials nearly indistinguishable, so if your surface is unpainted, the difference might be bigger.

- Cost— Real wood is a natural resource, and although it is technically renewable, it takes many years for a tree to grow big enough to harvest for lumber. Also, cutting down the tree and transforming it into shutters is a multistep, laborious process. Composite shutters, by contrast, are cranked out by the hundreds in factories all over the world, so they are naturally the more economical choice.
- Durability— Wood shutters are solid, 100 percent wood, which means that as they age, they are prone to cracking, splitting, warping and rotting. It’s no good in the bathroom or the kitchen, due to the high-moisture environments in those areas. Composite shutters are made mostly of wood particles and glue, which means they stand up to wear and tear better. But because they are also made partly of wood, composite shutters are also prone to damage in high-moisture areas. By contrast, vinyl shutters are impermeable to any type of moisture.
- Convenience— Composite shutters are heavier than wood, which can make them harder to maneuver for the elderly or homeowners who are not particularly strong. This also is an issue also if you have large windows, because the weight of composite shutters can compromise the integrity of the window frames. This is less of a problem with composite blinds, as they are fastened to the top of the window frame, but shutters are attached to the sides with hinges.

To compare real wood and composite wood shutters side by side, stop by Peach Building Products’ designer showroom in Midvale or call them to set up an in-home appointment. The experts at Peach can help you decide whether real wood or composite shutters are the better choices for your home.

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