7 Installation Mistakes with Exterior Shutters—and How to Avoid Them

Atlantic Premium Shutters exterior shutters

Exterior shutters are one of the easiest ways to give the home the perfect finishing touch or to freshen up a dated, ho-hum façade. But good-looking shutters don’t just depend on choosing high-quality products. Style selection and installation techniques can play a key role in how the shutters appear—and whether they look authentic.

Here are a few mistakes to avoid when choosing and installing Atlantic Premium Shutters:

Improper Sizing

Even if the shutters will remain fixed, they need to appear as if they properly open and close; the eye can tell the difference even when the shutters are open. This is why shutter size is so important. When specifying a shutter size, don’t replicate the window exactly. We recommend allowing 1/4” on all sides so the shutters will “fit” into the window opening if they were closed.

To properly size the shutters, measure the width of the window opening to where the shutters would close, then deduct 3/4”, then repeat the measurement for the height and deduct 1/2”. This will give you 1/4” on all sides, enough to ensure the shutters close easily with a little left over to accommodate any mistakes.

Improper Shapes

Similarly, square exterior shutters won’t fit into arch-top window openings, so be sure to specify shutters in the same shape as the window. In addition, for round-top shutters, make sure the tops arch away from the window when open so that they would match the shape when closed.

Mismatched Rails

Some may prefer to center the shutters’ horizontal rail within the window. This technique is fine and a matter of preference, but to be historically accurate, you’ll want to measure the shutters so that the mid-rail drops slightly below the window’s meeting rail. In the past, homeowners would raise the window for ventilation but close the shutters, so positioning the mid-rail in this way ensured they could reach the latch or slide bolt to lock the shutters closed.

Misaligned Exterior Shutters

Prior to fully securing the shutters, close them to ensure they sit at an even height. If the window is slightly askew, the shutters may appear uneven. You may need to shim the shutters into the opening before mounting the pintles on the trimboard.

Upside-Down Louvers

A surprisingly common mistake is to hang shutters upside down, particularly louvered shutters. When the shutters are open, the louvers should slope down toward the wall, so that when closed, they would slope away from the window to shed rainwater.

Choosing Improper Hardware for Exterior Shutters

When selecting hardware, take both the shutter style and the home’s cladding into consideration. For example, brick exteriors will require you to attach shutter hardware to the brickmold to ensure the shutter can close fully. How the window sits also comes into play—most windows are recessed, but in some modern styles vinyl windows will protrude past the siding.

Hardware orientation matters, as well. For example, acorn-style holdbacks are designed to sit unseen behind the shutter to lock it in place, making these holdbacks an ideal option for tall shutters to help avoid rattling. S-style or rattail holdbacks go in front and should not be fastened too tightly to avoid marring the shutter finish.

(For more on choosing the right hardware, see our previous blog post.)

If you have any doubts about hardware calculations and sizing, talk to an experienced dealer or your manufacturer’s representative for assistance.

Improper Pintle Placement

The pintle, where the shutter attaches to the house, is typically installed with the pintle pin facing upward to make it easy to set the shutters in place. However, this makes the shutters more prone to blowoff in a storm. Install one pintle pin upside down (either the bottom or the top if there are two, or the middle if there are three) to lock it in place and avoid blowoff.

For more best practices and full instructions for Atlantic Premium Shutters, download the installation guide.

Best Practices for Panelized Stone Intersections

Versetta Stone panelized stone half wall

Multi-textured facades are one of the most popular trends in home exteriors. And incorporating stone—on a half wall, on columns, or on bump outs and other architectural features—is one of the most common ways to create these varied looks.

Versetta Stone panelized stone siding makes adding these accents easy, combining the look of stone with mortar-free installation using just nails or screws. Each panel interlocks together, fastens through the nailing fin, and includes a built-in rainscreen.

Panelized Stone Installation Strategies for Cladding Transitions

Achieving a truly finished look when combining Versetta Stone with other materials to create coveted multi-textured facades is fairly simple, and the manufactured stone material is compatible with nearly all other claddings.

For stone half walls, adding Versetta Stone’s wainscot cap/sill creates the ideal finish and transition from the stone to the cladding above. The wainscot includes the same nailing fin as the siding for easy installation. Install flashing over the nailing fin and then shingle the other cladding over top to ensure water sheds off of the sill. Leave a small gap between the cladding and the stone, per each cladding’s installation instructions.

For side-to-side transitions, a simple J-channel or trim piece will ensure a finished look. As with the wainscot cap, be sure to flash at the transition point.

Plan Ahead for Multiple Cladding Materials

Aesthetically, Versetta Stone requires little planning—Ledgestone and Tight-Cut profiles are made from 20 different master molds that can be flipped, allowing for 80 square feet of wall coverage without visual repetition. With Universal Corners, corner intersections also are simplified; follow the installation instructions for a staggered left-right installation to achieve an authentic look.

One thing you do need to plan for with multi-textured facades are the weather-resistive barriers (WRBs) and flashings, as each cladding type has different requirements for housewrap and drainage. Versetta Stone, for example, has a built-in rainscreen to ensure the wall dries out, so it requires at minimum only a layer of #15 felt to maintain its warranty. TruExterior poly-ash siding requires a minimum of a drainable housewrap. So when installing the two products together, you’ll need to either wrap the entire façade in the more robust drainable housewrap or, to save money, plan the wall system accordingly so that the corresponding weather barrier is positioned under each cladding and properly transitions from material to material per guidelines from the WRB and cladding manufacturers.

To learn more about installing Versetta Stone panelized stone siding, download the Installation Guide or watch our installation series on YouTube.

How On-Site Trim Fabrication Can Save Contractors Money

Tapco Tools Brake Buddy

With the cost of materials continuing to be volatile, you may be looking for ways to save money on the jobsite. On-site trim fabrication using a Tapco Tools brake and trim coil can not only provide those savings, but can also be a way to bring in extra money.

Tapco Tools offers a range of brakes suitable for everything from small remodeling shops to commercial projects, helping you achieve a high-quality finish no matter the size of the job. A full line of accessories provides even more versatility.

For example, the Brake Buddy allows you to elevate your on-site trim fabrication with more style and originality, including producing brickmold trim and decorative ribs in just seconds. Suitable for any Tapco Tools portable brake, the Brake Buddy features a measurement guide and quick-twist handle that provide for quick adjustments and simple, efficient operation.

Tapco Tools Brake Buddy
Brake Buddy

For cutting, the Pro Cut Off for Tapco Tools Pro Series brakes provides factory-quality, single-pass cuts of heavy-duty sheet metal, eliminating the need for utility knives and shears. It features an easy-adjust mechanism for versatility and an ergonomic grip for smooth operation.

How Much Can a Brake Save in Material Costs

Crafting your own trim can save up to 36% of the cost of premade trim. Here’s a breakdown:

This spring, the cost of a 6” by 12’ aluminum cedar texture fascia trim from a big box store came to $14.98.

To craft that same fascia in a Tapco Tools brake and the Brake Buddy would cost $9.52 per piece. This includes a 24” by 50” trim coil at $119, which provides 12.5 6” fascia per roll. This results in a savings of $5.46 per piece vs. premade trim.

In addition, bending trim can take place off site and indoors, allowing contractors to work well past dark during winter months or to generate extra income.

Click here to find the right brake for your operation.