Superior Quality – Wood vs PVC

You don’t have to compromise quality to afford premium plantation shutters.

Indoor plantation shutters are a popular window furnishing product in Australia and New Zealand. However, some find the price beyond reach. DIYShutters has changed all that, without compromising on the quality.

Best material to use for plantation shutters

[su_accordion][su_spoiler title=”Superior material” open=”no” style=”default” icon=”plus” anchor=””]Only the best in wood type is used – see Comparison Table. Note that poplar/pawlonia is a laminated hardwood extensively used in the industry world wide. Unlike raw un-laminated wood, it is stiffer, stable and therefore less likely to warp.[/su_spoiler]

[su_spoiler title=”Shutter materials comparison” open=”no” style=”default” icon=”plus” anchor=””]

Warning – PVC is not a good choice for shutters because the surface is low quality. PVC shutters are not treated with premium urethane 2-pack supplied by DIYShutters. Typically there is no coating. PVC breaks down rapidly with UV light, loses it’s lustre and can even yellow quite quickly. No online supplier offers a warranty against the surface appearance. Warranty is only the mechanical aspect of the shutters. Do not be misled.

Material Name
Overall score  of 7
Comment
Wood Class
Density
Resistance
to Warp/Bow
Cost
Strength/
Resistance to Splitting
Decay/ Resistance
to
Moisture ingress
Fading
& Resistance to UV (indoor)
Insulation strength
Likely Warranty
Links
Poplar/Pawlonia 7
Perfect for painted wood plantation shutters. The preferred timber world wide. It also makes an excellent kit form timber as it comes primed/ undercoated
 Hard
wood
 Light
Specific Gravity
:0.42
 High
 Mid
 High
 Good
 Good
10 years*
 High
 3-5 years
1. shutterlyfabulous.com
2. Instruments, Snowboards & Mona Lisa!
Basswood 6.5
Best wood for lower cost ‘natural’ wood look (when you want to see the wood grain) shutters (stained or lacquered). No advantage over poplar as a painted shutter. Slightly more likely to split than poplar
 Hard Wood
 Light
SG:0.41
 
 High
 Mid+
 Med to High
 Good
 Good
10 years*
 High
 3-5 years
 1. Wikipedia
 Western Red Cedar
5
The ultimate in natural wood look but this high quality material is expensive and unnecessary  for painted shutters since you cannot see the attractive grain.
 Soft Wood
 V Light
SG:0.36
 V High
 High
 High
 Excellent
 Good
10 years *painted
5 years – *lacquered
 V High
 4 years
 WRC & all others
 Composite
Mikronwood
5
Superb product for durability, does not need painting & can be used outdoors. Doesn’t look so much like plastic as PVC does. It’s price reflects it’s quality. Invented in the USA
 High quality plastics
extruded with wood powder
 Light to Med
 High
 High
 V High
 Excellent
 Excellent
 High
 5 years
 2.Mikron USA
 Aluminium
4.5
Included here for interest. Powder coated it has a very long life. Indoors it is used but does not have the look of a natural wood product and is a poor insulator – makes a room hotter in summer, colder in winter.
 N/A
(Metal)
 Med to Heavy
SG:2.6
 V High
 V High
 V High
 Excellent
 Excellent
10 years outdoor
 Low
 5 years
  
 Composite
Low Grade
4
It can look similar to Mikronwood but unless it comes with a long warranty or specification and not from a ‘back-yarder’ – avoid it. Can be recycled plastic.
 Low grade plastic & Wood Powder
 Medium
 Med
 Low to Mid
 Med
 Fair
 Fair
 Mid to High
 1-2
  
 PVC or All Plastic
3.5
Just doesn’t look like real wood. Wide variety of quality in market. Ask what its composition is. High grade PVC has excellent properties but is no cheaper & may be more expensive than real wood. Some extrusions are hollow!
 N/A
(Plastic)
 Medium
 Low to Med
 Low
 High
 Good
 Fair
 Mid to High
 2-3
  
 MDF
2
This low cost product is often supplied with easily broken cheap plastic fittings on the ends of louvre’s. Only need one small moisture entry point and it will disintegrate
 Wood Chip Base
 Medium
 Fair
 V Low
 Low
Fair until paint damaged – then poor
 Fair
 Mid to High
 1-2
  
  * This Overall Score is based on overall beneficial characteristics that make the material most suitable for PAINTED INDOOR PLANTATION SHUTTERS when also considering the material cost    * Assumes a high quality acrylic paint is used  

[/su_spoiler]

[su_spoiler title=”Primed for smoothness” open=”no” style=”default” icon=”plus” anchor=””]DIY Shutters material is primed with a thick smooth undercoat. It requires far less work to achieve an excellent smooth painted finish on DIY Shutters plantation shutters than, for example, a pre-sanded raw wood. First coat of paint can go straight over the top. No sanding is required. Then go straight to second coat.[/su_spoiler]

Superior coating for plantation shutters

[su_spoiler title=”Superior Coating – no yellowing ” open=”no” style=”default” icon=”plus” anchor=””]Pre-painted plantation shutter kits are coated with a premium 2-pack urethane paint, not just any old acrylic as supplied by nearly all other online suppliers. It is more colourfast and durable, holds it’s lustre longer, and does not yellow prematurely, if at all.[/su_spoiler][/su_accordion]

Superior components for plantation shutters

[su_spoiler title=”Superior components” open=”no” style=”default” icon=”plus” anchor=””]Other material features are:

  • solid structure and stainless steel screws are used for the side control. We do not supply the zinc plated nails which are not satisfactory where there is movement.
  •  deep large dowels creating a solid support frame for the louvres, and quality hinges and track systems. Who wants rust on their expensive plantation shutters?[/su_spoiler]

[su_spoiler title=”Minimal robust mount system” open=”no” style=”default” icon=”plus” anchor=””]

Robust simple installation for plantation shutters

DIYShutters offers a simple robust type of installation system  for windows – the reveal fit pivot hinge.

[su_box title=”Disadvantages of Frames” box_color=”#f9f5c1″ title_color=”#796a83″]Disadvantages of frames. Most other plantation shutter suppliers will supply assembled Chinese made product to be mounted in a frame. This frame adds a somewhat bulky appearance to the window, especially on smaller windows. A frame covers part or all of the architrave, and forces the shutters to sit out more into the room. Furthermore, if there are three of more panels, there has to be a vertical timber strip between the panels for the hinges to attach to. This further adds bulkiness and reduces uniformity. This frame will also be the colour of the shutters and it is unlikely to be a match to the architrave paint colour. This is not an elegant way to install plantation shutters.[/su_box]

The DIY Shutters system of a neat fit within the reveal is simple, elegant and blends naturally. The pivot hinges are top and bottom only and much less obtrusive than the standard hinges that come with a frame type mount.

[/su_spoiler]

Plantation shutters made accurately for best fit and operation

[su_spoiler title=”Process accuracy” open=”no” style=”default” icon=”plus” anchor=””]Accuracy of the end product is guaranteed, since DIY Shutters uses proprietary automation, designed in Australia, to closely control the feed and cut process to produce plantation shutter kits.[/su_spoiler]

By concentrating on the most popular range of shutters in Australia, and producing them efficiently, DIY Shutters is able to offer you a price and service second to none for the supply of genuine high quality plantation shutters. 

Whether you choose a full fit service or a full DIY, you will save hundreds if not thousands of dollars. With the assurance of a genuine and experienced Australian manufacturer, employees with more than 20 years experience in the industry and backed by a growing network of service professionals, how can you lose?

We invite you to try us for plantation shutters.

Notes:

  1. At a future date DIY Shutters may offer Western Red Cedar for those wanting natural wood grain and colour, stain or lacquered finish.