Never underestimate the value of a good set of shutters. From giving you more privacy to keeping out our state’s famously high summer heat, shutters offer a wide range of benefits for Florida homeowners. But that doesn’t mean all shutter products are made equal. When choosing the right window treatments for your home, it’s important to decide what features are best for you, starting with your choice of shutter material. Wooden shutter units have a number of advantages over their plastic counterparts, starting with:Economic

Because plastic shutter units tend to be less expensive than wooden ones, many homeowners assume that it’s more fiscally responsible to buy them. However, over the long haul, wood is likely to be a better investment in the overall value of your home. Wooden shutters are generally considered more attractive than plastic ones, giving your house a sophisticated, old-world feel.

Attractiveness translates to higher home values, meaning you’ll earn more money from the building should you ever decide to rent or sell it. What’s more, if your home is attractive, you’ll be able to find a buyer or tenant more quickly, and thus won’t have to spend as much time and money searching. Thus financially speaking, a wooden shutter set is an economically responsible choice for your windows.

Durable

Compared to plastic shutters, wooden ones are less likely to become scratched, dented, or otherwise damaged over the long haul. They also have a better ratio of weight to strength, meaning they don’t tend to lose their shape over time. As a result, they will stay in premium condition for the long haul.

Flexible

Not only is wood an attractive choice for shutters, but it gives you more flexibility over what windows you can use them on. Wooden panels come in a variety of sizes, ranging all the way to 50 inches wide. By contrast, plastic shutters are rarely available at a width of more than 36 inches. This means that the longer the window, the more likely wood shutters will be your only window treatment option.

Deeper

Along with greater width, wood shutters are also available at more depth than plastic ones are. Wooden units come in a wide range of depth, the longest of which are 5.25 inches. By contrast, you’d be hard-pressed to find a plastic shutter with slats any more than 4.5 inches in depth. Not only does this give you greater flexibility, but it also makes it easier for you to stop heat from entering your building. Longer shutters keep sunlight from passing through your windows, so that it cannot get inside and warm up your house. Considering how hot it gets during Florida’s summers and how much energy it can take to air condition a building, this can save you a fortune on your electric bill.  

Diverse

In addition to providing more control over the width and depth of your shutters, wood gives you more choices for their specific appearance. While plastic units can only be painted, wooden ones can be painted or stained. This gives you more say over what you want the interior of your home to look like. It also makes it easier to match the shutters to existing designs—no small matter when moving into a new home.

All About Blinds & Shutters offers premium wooden, plastic, and other shutter products for clients all over the Greater Jacksonville area. For more information on the benefits of these and other window enhancements, contact us today.