Wooden shutters make a great addition to any home, but are particularly well suited to older homes, cabin homes, and country decor. Shutters can be placed on the inside or outside of a window – outside for a themed decor, inside if you are simply decorating one room in cabin decor.
The best wood for interior wooden shutters is considered by many to be basswood. Basswood interior shutters are very straight and have a fine uniform texture with a very indistinct grain. This wood machines well and is easy to work. Furthermore it can be sanded and stained to a smooth finish.
Basswood shutters do not warp. They are lightweight and very strong.
The basswood tree can be found from Quebec to Delaware and the Atlantic coast to Eastern Kentucky. This tree has an average height of 65 feet. Basswood is also considered a ‘green’ wood since it is a renewable resource that is carefully forested to ensure the harvest is done responsibly.
If basswood is out of your price range during your cabin décor remodel, consider shutters made of oak. Oak is a very heavy wood which makes for very heavy window shutters. Oak interior shutters will add a lot of weight to window jambs so be certain that your cabin window frames can support them. These shutters aren’t suitable for painting and the louvers tend to warp over the years.
Maple shutters are also heavy (like oak). Maple also requires that window jambs be pre-drilled and louvers of maple are hard to tension uniformly making these shutters less than optimum for average home decor usage.
Poplar shutters are more reasonably priced as they mill and paint very well, and the wood is only moderately heavy. The mineral streaks and green color make popular wood unsuitable for staining but they paint well. Poplar is widely available and less costly, although it also produces a lesser quality of wood shutter.
If shopping for true cabin decor, cedar shutters are right up your alley! This lightweight wood lasts a lifetime or more, finishes nicely and ages beautifully. Leave the cedar untouched and you’ll soon have the rustic cabin look you seek – naturally. Cedar, since it is a soft wood, can dent or scratch very easily but these dents and scratches add to its rustic appeal.
For exterior shutters, cedar works very well. The amazing durability and resistance to decay of incense cedar makes it perfect for exterior use wherever moisture is presented.
Two final options for decorative wood shutters are alder and pine. These are less expensive woods but both species vary in quality and the finished product varies greatly in quality. However, if you’re simply purchasing shutters for interior décor, as in a cabin décor themed bathroom, inexpensive wood products may be all that you require. Signs of good quality may include: smooth, well sanded surfaces and joints that are both glued and doweled.
Tags: cabin decor, cabin shutter, cabin window, wood shutters