What is a Plantation Shutters?

Plantation shutters first got their name from the old plantations in the South. The louvers used in the South were “wider” than traditional shutters and the shutters were put on the outside of the house. These were movable louvered shutters used both for decoration and protection from the elements when closed over the windows.

During the population boom in California in the 1950’s, homes were built with large glass windows because thermal efficiency was not an issue. Homeowners wanted a “view” through their windows. Shutter manufacturers introduced wide louvered shutters to be installed inside the house as a window covering. These were in contrast to “traditional” shutters and the wide louvers were called “California Shutters” or “Plantation Shutters”. These Plantation Shutters allowed people to open the louvers for the “View” or close the louvers at night for privacy. It soon became obvious that a plantation shutter, when the louvers were closed, kept the heat from the sun out during the day and the use of plantation shutters grew throughout the Sun Belt to Arizona, Texas and Florida where the population was growing wild. The name “Plantation Shutter” stuck and today it generally means a wide louvered shutter used as an interior window covering.

What is a Traditional Shutters?

traditional shutters

A traditional shutter is the old style, 1  1/4 inch louvered shutter in a 3/4 thick frame. It was widely used in the North Eastern region of the country where windows were small. Sometimes there were “café height” shutters in kitchen windows. Other times they were full height. Windows in the Northeast were typically small in area because glass was not very insulating. The Traditional Shutters looked and operated well on small windows.

How much windows shutters cost?

In general, plantation shutters should cost you approximately $20-$40 per square foot, depending on material and brand name.Labor costs depend on factors such as the contractor’s workload, remoteness of the location, environment, and the contractor’s overhead.

Wood is the most common material, but also more expensive. Composite and even vinyl shutters can be more affordable (they’re also more resistant to humidity and, in some cases, lighter). … Wood shutters will run you $200 to $350 per window, while composite shutters cost $80 to $200.

Roll Down Hurricane Shutters Cost. The cost of materials for roll down shutters can range from $345 up to $526. Basic shutters can cost anywhere between $345 and$408. These are the lowest-quality roll down shutter materials that may not provide the same amount of privacy and insulation as other high-quality shutters.