Plantation Shutter Products & Options
Every Shutter Crafts shutter is custom-built from real components — here's what goes into yours, from material to hardware.
Shutter Anatomy
Learn Your Product Options When Ordering Custom Plantation Shutters
Custom shutters are built from real components, not picked off a shelf. Here's every decision point we'll walk through with you during your estimate.
1 - Material
At Shutter Crafts there are three options for shutter material. Basswood, Alder and Poly. The most common is Basswood, with Poly installed in wet areas such as bathrooms, and above the kitchen sink.
Basswood
A true hardwood with a natural wood grain look and feel. Custom paint and stain finishes, sandblasted and textured options available. Works well anywhere you want a warm, traditional look.
Alder
Another solid hardwood option, popular for living areas, bedrooms, and offices where a warmer, natural wood look is the goal. Takes paint and stain finishes the same as basswood.
Poly
Sometimes called vinyl. Unaffected by moisture and mildew, looks and feels like quality wood without warping, cracking, splitting, or chipping. Holds up best in bathrooms, laundry rooms, and kitchens.
2 - Mount & Frame
Inside Mount
Shutters are recessed into the window opening so the panel sits flush with the wall — a clean, built-in look. Requires enough window depth to fit the frame and panel.
Outside Mount
Shutters mount to the wall or trim surrounding the window, covering the opening entirely. The go-to choice for shallow windows, uneven openings, or when you want to hide existing trim.
Z-frame
A slim frame with a rabbeted edge that nests into the window opening, hiding most of the frame from view for the cleanest inside-mount look. Needs adequate window depth.
L-Frame
A flat frame that sits forward of the opening, wrapping the front face of the window. Works for inside mounts with limited depth or for a simple outside mount.
Deco Frame
A wider, more decorative frame profile with a finished, furniture-grade look. Typically used on outside mounts as a design statement or to cover damaged/uneven trim.
3 - Layout Style
4 - Frame Structure: Shutter Stiles and Rails
Our most common configurations, suited to standard windows and doors.
- Single PanelOne continuous panel across the full window.
Single Panel - Twin PanelTwo side-by-side panels for wider windows.
Twin Panel - Double Hung (Split Tilt-Rod)Top and bottom panels hinge and tilt independently.
Double Hung (Split Tilt-Rod) The two panels hinge individually - Hidden Tilt RodClean look with the tilt mechanism concealed inside the frame.
Hidden Tilt Rod - Café StyleShutters cover only the lower portion of the window.
Café Style - Continuous Tilt-RodA single visible rod runs the full height of the panel.
Continuous Tilt-Rod - Door with Cut-OutShaped to work around door hardware and cut-outs.
Door with Cut-Out
Shutter Crafts Can Build Any Shutter Shape
- Arch TopStraight sides with a curved top.
- Rake TopFollows an angled gable line.
- OctagonEight-sided windows.
- CircleFull round windows.
- Half CircleEyebrow and half-round windows.
- SunburstRadial louver pattern for a decorative half-round window.
5 - Louvers
6 - Tilt Mechanisms
The different tilt rod options were briefly introduced above in the section: "4 - Frame Structure: Shutter Stiles and Rails"
There are essentially three options, which can be mixed and matched, but for consistency, one tilt rod design is typically chosen or an entire install.
- continuous tilt rods which are a single rod top to bottom
- Split tilt rods
- Split at the vertical halfway point, or
- Split at the vertical 2/3 (two-thirds) point.
- Hidden tilt rods
- metal rod (fully hidden), and
- wood rod off the side on the back side
continuous tilt rods which are a single rod top to bottom
Split tilt rods
Split at the vertical halfway point, or
Split at the vertical 2/3 (two-thirds) point.
7 - Hardware & Color
This is the easy part. Most people know when whether they want white, black, stained, or other color finish. We can color match to cabinets, moulding, and or other existing finishes. Every product we use is chosen with our lifetime warranty in mind. The quality and the quality of the application of the finish is unmatched.
The other Fun part is the hardware, where you get to choose a fitting style and metal finish. Options include... Bright Brass, Antique Brass, White, Off-White, and Brushed Nickel.
Material Specifications
Panel dimensions and finish options above carry forward from our manufacturing specs and should be confirmed before publishing — send corrections if anything has changed.
View Examples of Our Shutter Products
