Boise's Frequently Asked Questions About Shutters

For more than 4 years, we’ve heard every question about shutters imaginable from our customers in Boise. And we’ve put together the top ten of them here. There’s a good chance that in these questions and answers you’ll find answers to questions of your own. If not, please don’t wait to contact Sunburst Shutters Boise directly. We’re here to aid you and happy to do so.

That depends on how you desire the shutters to relate to your home’s décor. Do you want a shutter that contrasts your wall paint color and has clean lines? Polywood® plantation shutters are ideal for you. Or are you looking to duplicate the wood in your home as closely as possible? Ovation® wood shutters are the ultimate fit for you.

Plantation shutters are recognized for being energy efficient. And to get maximum energy savings, our Polywood Shutter Insulation System is the only choice.

For the budget-conscious, blinds can be temporary window treatments to cover your windows. Chances are, store-bought blinds will deteriorate over time, with its strings breaking and the loops that hold the slats in place falling apart. Not to mention, they are difficult to clean. Even if you're budget-conscious, Sunburst Shutters blinds have the durability and craftsmanship lacking in off-the-rack, store-bought, or online blinds.

Shades offer a host of colors, materials, and unique patterns, turning your window into artwork. By simply pulling up the fabric of the shade, your entire window is exposed and you can see out onto your Boise neighborhood.

Draperies also are available in a wide variety of color, fabric, and patterns. They are a traditional choice for a window treatment. Adding thick panels between the drapes and the window gives you light and temperature block-out capabilities. And unlike other window treatments, you won’t have to clean draperies for five years.

If you are searching for a window treatment that lasts over 10 years, saves you money on your energy bills, and looks charming on your windows, shutters are the choice for your home. Not only are shutters durable, but they’re also magnificent and energy efficient. Actually, Polywood shutters insulate up to 70% better than a comparable wood shutter. That's energy savings you won't find with any other window treatment.

When it comes to control over privacy and light, plantation shutters are unmatched. And with their large louvers, Polywood plantation shutters give your space a clean contemporary feel whether they’re closed or open.

A poorly installed window treatment can be tough to open and can get damaged easily. We have a professional installation crew that comes to your home and installs your window treatment precisely, double checking that each one functions smoothly – and doesn’t get damaged throughout.

But before we start installing your shutters, we bring shutter samples to your home so we can custom build your window treatment together. Learn more about our free in-home consultation.

Your plantation shutter slats – or louvers – can be moved effortlessly by tilting them up or down. Usually, a tilt rod mounted on the front of the shutters allows you to adjust the louvers. If you would like to move the louvers with your hand, we recommend buying shutters with hidden tilt-rods or rear-mounted tilt rods. This gives your shutters a clean, contemporary look.

Our Polywood shutters last 50+ years – more than any other shutter in the US. That’s why these plantation shutters are a permanent fixture that adds to your home’s resale value. Learn more about the durability of our shutters.

Plantation shutters are easy to clean because they have large louvers and their tilt bars are either hidden or mounted on the rear. Gently tilt them open and dust them like furniture – or wipe smudges with a wet cloth.

Plantation shutters are custom made to fit your windows perfectly. They become a permanent fixture of your home, boosting its resale value. It’s not possible to move these shutters from one house to another.

Plantation shutters are an investment that provides you with temperature control, energy efficiency, and privacy. They are custom crafted and installed on your windows to become permanent fixtures. Not only are they magnificent and energy saving, but plantation shutters also increase the value of your residence. We’ve seen it first hand in Boise!

A half shutter lets you have privacy on the bottom and leaves the top open for light and view. It’s called a café style shutter. But is it the ideal look for a plantation shutter?

Cafe Shutters Cafe Style Shutters With Divider

In the end, it’s a style choice – whether you like the look of a half shutter or that of a plantation shutter with a divider rail.

A full length shutter with a divider rail “completes” your window, giving it a well-rounded look – and giving you the option to close the bottom louvers for privacy while leaving the top louvers open for light. At night, you are able to close the top louvers as well for privacy and security. It’s also convenient during the day when the sun is hindering you from watching TV. And don’t worry about losing any of your view. A 3.5" or 4.5" louver will almost disappear when opened flat and gives you abundant room to look through.

Simple! Call us at 208-609-9129 or fill out the form below to schedule your free in-home consultation, and we’ll take it from there. We come out to your home to measure the windows you want to add shutters to and bring samples of all of our shutter products and their available options. Once you’ve selected a shutter that matches your style, we can provide you with the most accurate shutter estimate for your project. Schedule your in-home consultation today!

Yes! There’s almost never a reason to take out or alter your old window trim when installing new plantation shutters. Natural Ovation wood shutters and premier Polywood shutters are offered in a variety of frame styles to fit seamlessly into your current window trim. If your windows are trimless, you can choose a specific frame style to install right onto the drywall around your window to fix your stunning new shutters to your window opening.

Your Sunburst Shutters installation crew will measure each of your house’s windows during your free in-home consultation to make sure that your window trim is perfectly complemented by the frame of your new shutters.

Sunburst Shutters Boise is happy to provide a range of window treatments made right here in the U.S.A. Our popular Polywood plantation shutters are 100% made in America, from the creation of our exclusive Polywood material to the building of the shutters themselves. Not only does that mean saving you money on unnecessary shipping and handling costs, it also gives you the benefit of knowing you’ve chosen an all-American product for your Boise house.

And Polywood isn’t alone in hailing from the U.S. Our naturally beautiful Reclaimed Wood shutters are constructed with lumber harvested from sources across the country, from homespun Southern barn doors to sturdy Texas ranch fences and more.

The main difference between painted and stained shutters is the way the shutter material interacts with the color. Paint sits on top of the shutter, covering the surface. Stains on the other hand permeate the shutter, becoming a part of the natural wood or faux wood material.

Both methods come with their individual benefits. There are usually a larger number of color options for paints. With stained shutters, the color won’t lie over the natural wood grain, so you’re able to see the random knots and bumps of the material without a layer of paint hiding it.

During your in-home window design consultation, we’ll bring samples of all our color options directly to your home so you can easily match and complement colors with your current design.

The complete plantation shutter process, beginning with your in-home consultation through installing the shutters, usually takes approximately four to six weeks. The reason it takes this long is because we want to build shutters that are completely customized to your windows. Doing that requires us to take precise measurements, make use of advanced software to design them, assemble your custom shutters manually, and deliver them to your home for installation. Real wood shutters typically take longer due to the added steps of staining and finishing the wood.

It does take a little time, but it’s a wait that’s well worth it.

We offer a total shop-at-home experience. So we send shutter expert to you to get window measurements, show you your options, and give you a quote. The design consultation is totally free. That’s the most effective way to start a window treatment project. If you’re only looking for a ballpark estimate, you can submit your window measurements either by phone or through our contact form.

The answer will depend on your own taste. If you want to keep the trim you already have, we can build your shutters to fit with your current trim. If you like our shutter frames better, then you can take out the existing trim—but it’s not a requirement. If you’re trying to go trimless or replace your trim, we’ll help you find the best shutter to fit what you have in mind for your space.

If you’re a seasoned handyman, you’re probably familiar with some of the process involved in installing shutters. However, taking on DIY shutters may be a tad complex for most Boise residents. We would suggest leaving the installation to professionals that are certified and insured, so you won’t risk damage to your shutters, your windows, or injuring yourself.

Far and away our most popular shutter products are our classic white Polywood® faux wood plantation shutters, and Ovation® hardwood shutters.

To get more specific, the most popular shutter configuration features includes a 3 ½” louver, non-textured finish, with an interior-mount Z-frame. If all that information is confusing, that’s ok. We’ll be happy to show you what all that means in person. Schedule your complimentary home consultation and we’ll help you figure out what will look best in your home.

Shutters with a smooth finish have a more chic look, while textured finish shutters look a little more natural. However the perks to each style of plantation shutter finish go a little bit farther, and ultimately come down to your own taste.

Benefits of a smooth finish for shutters – A smooth finish to your shutters offer a clean, sleek, modern look. If you don’t have many other wood accessories like hardwood floors or furniture, you may not want a smooth finish. A smooth finish makes dust easier to see, in comparison with a wood grain finish. We typically recommend a smooth finish for faux wood shutters like Polywood.

Benefits of shutters with a wood grain finish – A wood grain finish on your shutters gives you a more natural, somewhat historic look to your shutters. That’s great if you want to bring the look of nature inside, especially if you want to accentuate the look of your hardwood furniture. A wood grain on your shutters will also make dust harder to see, meaning you can wait a little longer between regular cleanings. A textured finish looks especially great on real wood shutters in Boise.

Usually, the larger the surface area of your window, the more shutter panels you’ll need. The optimal design is to use a single panel for windows up to 26” wide, two panels for windows up to 50” wide, and four for windows up to 98” wide.

Single wide panels are not as room-friendly as multiple separate panels. Often, wider panels can’t fit flush against the wall because of their width. Multiple small panels don’t have that problem.

For windows that you might open or shut regularly, you’re usually better suited with multiple panels, since it’s easier to open them and they have better support from the shutter frame when you do open and close them.

With Sunburst Shutters Boise, any and all measurements for shutters will be done for free by our team as part of your in-home consultation. If you happen to have windows in a hard to reach area of your house or you have windows with a unique shape, our shutter pros can get you a precise measurement so that your shutters will fit your windows seamlessly.

At your complimentary in-home consultation, your Sunburst Shutters expert can help you pick from our extensive array of Boise plantation shutters, including choices for finish, stain colors, and custom framing options.

So schedule your in-home consultation today by calling 208-609-9129 today.

Sunburst can help you find the best shutter for your rooms, no matter how narrow your frame. We will use an outside mount installation that affixes to the trim or wall outside the window pane . Your shutters will still have identical performance and energy efficiency, and will integrate seamlessly with your established decor.

If the louver is detached and hanging from the frame, you likely have a damaged louver pin. To fix this you will want to remove the pin from both the louver and the stile with some needle-nose pliers or a utility knife. Once everything is removed, stick the replacement pin base into the same hole in the shutter stile, then direct the louver onto the pin. To get replacement louver pins for free, just call us at 208-609-9129.

Actual prices of plantation shutters revolves on the selected product line and window measurements. While we can give you a basic quote over the phone, exact costs are computed after our complimentary in-person consultation. Call 208-609-9129 to make an appointment today.

Locate and remove the snapped staple out of the louver with a pair of needle-nose pliers. Then apply some adhesive (like wood glue or epoxy) to coat the legs of a replacement staple. weave the staple through the loop on the louver and direct its legs into the same staple holes on the tilt rod. For extra shutter staples, call us at 208-609-9129.

Polywood shutters are known as some of the safest window treatments in Boise. The durable, cordless design is perfect for pets and kids. The toxin-free and hypoallergenic paint, polymers, and materials will never chip or peel. And because Polywood is pest and water resistant, you’ll never have to check for mold, termites, or wood rot.