Wooden window shutters: traditional designs in modern home design

Since ancient times, shutters have served as decoration and means of protection for windows both in the homes of nobles and peasant shacks. Since then, many centuries have passed, both the architecture and the tastes and needs of people have completely changed. But beauty and convenience provided the shutters with a solid place among the indispensable attributes of private houses even today.

The history of the use of shutters is calculated for many centuries. They were mentioned in the manuscripts of antiquity. In the East, each sought to outdo his neighbor with the flowery and pomp of ornaments on the wings. And in Russia they even attached special, sacral significance. The shutters served as a reliable protection from evil spirits and protected windows, which were considered to be a link between the tenants of the house and God.

One of the most important functions of the shutters was protection against robbery. This was very relevant, as the houses often remained empty during seasonal field work or mowing. They also protected them from the oddities of the weather - heat and cold. For the inhabitants of the Russian hut it was vital to keep warm for the long, cruel winters. Glass in those days was expensive, and the more affordable materials were too fragile and short-lived, and the shutters extended their service life.

Wood as a building material is familiar to man from ancient times. Durable, affordable and practical, it has a natural beauty and a special aura. Scientists have long proved the absolute benefit that wood has on the human body. Energy, emanating from wooden products, displaces negative energy from the surrounding space and gives a person vivacity, relieves fatigue.

It is quite clear why the majority of buyers prefer wooden shutters, despite the wide choice of more modern materials.

The highest quality wood is used to manufacture the shutters: pine, spruce, larch, oak, thuja, cypress, juniper. It is these types of wood that are least susceptible to deformation in conditions of both very dry and too humid climates.

According to their location, they are divided into:

• internal - they are installed on the windows inside the house, selecting the design of each room, while the peculiarity of their operation is that you do not need to leave the house and open the window to open or close them;

• external - are installed from the outside of the house, for their manufacture more wear-resistant and durable wood species are chosen, they will withstand the onslaught of thieves much better than internal shutters, which are more decorative than practical.

By the method of operation are distinguished:

• removable - shutters, which are installed temporarily, for example, in the absence of the owners;
• fixed - permanent shutters attached to the frame with fasteners.

By the number of valves and the way of opening the shutters are divided into:

• single doors - suitable for small windows and open in one direction, they are locked, as a rule, from the inside for a special lock;
• bivalves - a type of shutters closest to the classics, sashes open to the sides, giving symmetry to the facade;

• folding multi-fold doors - they consist of several flaps folding into an accordion, a huge advantage of this design is that the window can be closed not fully, but half, if necessary;
• sliding - consist of one or several continuous cloths which open up to the sides by movement on the roller mechanism.

In appearance are distinguished:

• blind shutters - the boards from which they are made, tightly fitted to each other, there are no gaps or other openings;

• through shutters - have a lattice structure, easily let air and light into the room, their main function is to hide what is happening inside the room.

Wooden shutters are the most common even in our time. Such popularity is due to the mass of advantages that this attribute of external design possesses.

Among the advantages of wooden shutters can surely be identified several factors.

• Practicality. Wood is a natural environmentally friendly material that copes well with maintaining a favorable indoor climate, saving the house owners from such troubles as heat, cold, drafts, too much light, dust and loud sounds. The shutters do not require daily maintenance, and in the event of a fire will not impede quick evacuation.
• Diverse design. There is a variety of forms and ways to decorate the shutters. They are rectangular, round, arched, triangular. Elegantly, various lacquers and paints, decorative carvings, art paintings, metal inserts or veneers of precious wood help to incorporate them into the design of the building.

• Versatility. Wooden shutters very harmoniously fit into the design of both log and stone houses. They are easily combined with the interior in a variety of styles from Mediterranean to country. The invaluable advantage of wooden shutters is the ease of installation on the walls of different materials, whether it is wood, brick or concrete.
• Variability of lighting. Improvement of shutters in our time allows us to give them any comfortable position, which directly affects the degree of illumination of the room and the atmosphere reigning in it. The shutters can be completely closed, which will protect the room from bright sunlight and dust from the street, creating an atmosphere of privacy. Slightly ajar sash, you can achieve a comfortable degree of illumination. Fully open shutters will provide good air circulation in the house, which is especially important in the hot summer period.
• Elitism. Wooden shutters will be a simple but very stylish solution in the design of a private house or cottage.

Despite the wide range of advantages, wooden swing blinds have several drawbacks. Especially stand out a few points:

• Not too reliable protection against hacking and theft. Wooden shutters have a lower margin of safety than metal. And, although attackers will have to sweat to open them, yet wood is much easier to break than metal.
• The need for annual care. Like all wooden objects that are regularly exposed to changeable weather conditions and insect pests,wooden shutters need regular tinting with water-repellent lacquers and antiseptic treatment. As a rule, these procedures should be carried out 1 - 2 times a year.

Wooden shutters are very easy to manufacture and do not require special skills and expensive materials. Even old boards will do; you just need to dry them and bring them to the proper form with a planer and sandpaper. The result will certainly please the master with its beauty and practicality.

To make and install wooden shutters on the windows, the master will need tools such as a saw, tape measure, drill, plane, sandpaper, construction level, screwdrivers. And also not to do without special accessories and fasteners.

For the manufacture of shutters requires a series of successive operations:

• Scale the boards with a plane and saturate them with antiseptic and water repellent. This will significantly extend the life of the finished product.
• To take measurements from the window, on which the installation is planned to be put, to adjust the boards to the required size and to process cuts using the same means as the base.
• Connect the boards with each other, trying to make it as tight as possible. This is necessary in order to exclude the occurrence of cracks through which drafts and the sun will penetrate.
• To process the assembled shutters with sandpaper and cover them with paint or varnish for a long time to maintain a presentable appearance.
• Install locks and locks. For country windows it is better to choose locks more reliably.
• Attach the awnings to the sash. There are two options for how to do this: on top - the shutters will open upwards, or on the side, to open the doors to the sides.
• Hang the shutters on the frame with screws and align them in order to close the sash tightly.
• If time and skill allows, give the shutters a special flair by dyeing with multicolored paint or carving.

You will learn more about how to make wooden shutters on the windows in the following video.