Interior Shutters (Plantation Shutters) Gallery
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Learn More About Interior Shutters (Plantation Shutters)
Before
you invest in plantation shutters, there are some things you should
know. We've put together this informative page to help you out
in that regard.
Company
The experience of your sales representative is the first important
step in getting a professional looking shutter job. Shutters are
a different animal when it comes to how and where to mount the product
to achieve the most natural look with respect to the proper functioning
of the shutter and window unit. There are countless number of options
for mounting with respect to what frame style to use and where the
attachment should be made in order to give you a professional custom
look.
The experience of the company with shutters should be a large concern
as well when investing in Plantation Shutters. Shutters continue
to be one of the hottest window coverings on the market today and
because of that, the market has experienced tremendous growth in
the number of suppliers. While many of the new suppliers are reputable
and offer good products there are some that will do and offer anything
just to get the order. You should know the answer to these questions
and be comfortable with it, before giving an order for shutters to
a company.
- How long has the company been in business and what is their principal
business?
- How long has the company been selling shutters?
- Where are the shutters manufactured?
- Are the shutters custom made or customized. ( know the difference)
- How long will it take from the day you order to receive your
order?
- If damaged in freight how is that going to be taken care of?
How long to get back?
- Can the company do repairs locally or do they have to send the
product back to manufacture?
- What are the warranties and are they in writing? ( ask to see
a copy)
- Is the company insured & bonded?
- Ask for references and call them.
- Check the company out with the Better Business Bureau
- Does your quoted price include all cost of materials, installation,
and Taxes?
Product
All shutters are not created equal! I have been asked many times
why there can be such a large difference in price between different
companies offering shutters. The answer lies in many different areas.
Materials used in the construction of shutters, construction methods
used, quality of finishing, where the shutters are manufactured and
different profit expectations of the companies you are dealing with.
Material used for the construction of interior shutters
Basswood - Clear, Select & Better- grade
is used most commonly on high end shutters. Because it is a pitch
and resin free hardwood with a tight grain pattern it provides
excellent finishing capabilities. Basswood also is a stable but
relative lighter hardwood allowing for flexibility in panel design.
Basswood – Common & # 2- grades has
most of the same qualities as above. This grade of lumber comes
from the outside of the tree and knot holes and other imperfections
in the wood yields products that can’t be finished as highly
as Clear, Select and Better.
Poplar – Select & Better- grade is
commonly used in this area because of its availability and price
(generally runs about $ 0.75 per board ft less than Basswood of
same grade). Poplar is a very dense hardwood weighting about twice
that of Basswood. Poplar is also not as stable as Basswood resulting
in some warping of shutter components in certain conditions. The
coloring of poplar makes it not a good choice for staining.
Poplar – Common & # 2- grades has the
same qualities as above and the same characteristic as Basswood
Common & # 2.
Cotton Wood – is used almost exclusively
by a shutter company out of Texas. Cotton Wood is very inexpensive
wood because of its unstable condition. To get around this the
company rips all the wood into strips and then re-glues the strips
to form the wood to mold the shutter components out of. If someone
is quoting a product made from Cotton Wood they are buying the
panels out of Texas and altering them to fit your windows before
they are finished. We have found that as finishes cure out over
the year the glue lines will become visible in the Shutter. Also
because of the way the panels are altered the width of the styles
can be different sizes in the same room.
Engineered Woods- The parts in this product are
made up of small pieces of lumber (usually the same species) finger
jointed together to form a larger piece. This is the most in-expensive
lumber that can be used to build shutter components. Good results
may be obtained using this product if the engineering facility
has updated their equipment to the new technology in finger jointing.
Primarily used for shutters that will be painted.
Composites- You will find that the most inexpensive
shutter on the market will be made up of composites. Some of the
shutters will be made completely and some will only have parts
made of the composite. Composites are heavy and non structural,
while they hold up for the short haul problems will arise as they
age.
Construction methods used
In the construction of the shutter panel after the species of wood
has been determined the next consideration is the shutter specifications.
In general, as you can see on the chart, as price per sq.ft. goes
down, so does the specifications on the shutter.
- Grade 1 & 2 shutter panels will have an overall thickness
of 1 1/16” which will shrink to thickness of 5/8” on
a grade 4 panel.
- Grade 1 & 2 shutters panels will use mortise & tendon
construction or doweled construction with glue and screws between
styles and rails while a grade 4 panel may just be glued.
- Most grade 1 & 2 shutters will be mounted in a frame while
grade 4 almost always comes mounted on hanging strips.
- Grade 1 & 2 shutters will incorporate a manual louver tensioning
system in their panels while a grade 4 panel will only use a tension
pin that may wear out over time with no recourse.
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Our Bio
« Click Here for the History of Advantage
Shutters
Owners |
Steven & Kathy Case
Chattanooga natives and residents of Franklin since 1985 |
Business |
Started in 1983 / Nashville, Tennessee
Member
of Better Business Bureau - click here |
Factory |
102 Wheeler Street
LaVergne, Tennessee 37086
615-833-3425
Fax: 615-794-4512
- Hours: 7:00am to 4:30pm weekdays
- 12,000 sq. ft. of manufacturing space
- Employs 10 to 15 full time personnel
- Full woodworking capabilities on site
|
Principal Products Manufactured |
- Custom Plantation Shutters
- Custom Exterior (western cedar and composite) Shutters
- Custom Wood Closet Systems.
|
Insurance |
- General Liablity: Crichton Brandon Jackson & Ward
/ Nashville Tennessee
- Worker Compensation: Crichton Brandon Jackson & Ward
/ Nashville Tennessee
- Automotive-Liability-Comprehensive : Crichton Brandon
Jackson & Ward / Nashville Tennessee
- Bonded: Crichton Brandon Jackson & Ward / Nashville
Tennessee
|
Our products are made from the finest materials
available by well paid craftsmen, for those who appreciate fine quality
and dependable service.
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