Interior Window Shutters

[mr]

Seems to be my night for unsolicited posts. Anyone have any experience of making interior shutters for large windows? Or has anyone seen any plans floating around? Im thinking in terms of tiered panel shutters. By tiered I mean that a window would have 4 shutters top left and right, bottom left and right. (windows are huge). Some means of insulating them might be useful as well as the fairy princess has just notified me that we theyre no good without curtains or other insulation. :?

 

[dedee]

Have you googled?

I found these plans from across the pond at rockler

Andy

 

[mr]

Thanks Andy, I found lots of pictures via google but no plans. I didnt see the Rockler plans I have to say but I'm thinking of paneled style rather than louvered. Im also wonding how effective shutters would be as a means of blackout and particularly draft exclusion. I suspect panel style would bet better for draft exclusion that louvered. Thanks
Mike

 

[dickm]

Im also wonding how effective shutters would be as a means of blackout and particularly draft exclusion. I suspect panel style would bet better for draft exclusion that louvered.

My late Mother's house (part of a georgian building) had internal panelled shutters and they were fantastic. Kept out drafts completely and provided almost 100% blackout. Probably as good or better than double glazing.
Trouble is, they really work best on tall but narrow Georgian windows - 1960s picture windows are a different story! Otherwise I would fit them in my house.

 

[mr]

Hi Dick , my feeling was that they would work well for draft exclusion, but this is matter of some debate at the moment round these parts. My windows are 2200 mm by 1200 roughly (victorian building) so from what youre saying they would appear well suited as well.

 

[Alf]

Mike,

It's not plans as such, but there might be something that'll help in this Question Box answer from the 1940 Woodworker. I'd never have even thought of it if you hadn't said "blackout".

Cheers, Alf

 

[Neil]

Hi Dick,

My house has some original Georgian shutters - I'll take some pics later in case they are any help.

One thought I have is that I'm not sure you should have tiered shutters, I'm not sure that they would work as well visually as a pair of tall, slender shutters. I'll measure the biggest ones we have - nothing like 2.2m high, but they are fairly tall.

Cheers,
Neil

 

[mr]

Hi all
Thanks for your replies. Alf thanks for that it looks like just the thing, Ill have to have a closer look later.
Neil the thing with tiered over one piece shutters is the size of the things, I suspect that because of the size if theyre not tiered then they'll be mighty heavy. The other problem is that during the day here we get really strong sun so I was thinking that we could have the lower half shut and the upper half open though obviously louvered might be a better solution to that. Having said all that I agree that tall and slender might look better.
Mike

 

[Neil]

Hi Mike,

OK, here are a few pics, sorry about the long post and the rushed photography.

I think these are the tallest ones:

Each panel is 147 x 43 cm. The hinged edge is bevelled at 45 degrees so that they can open out fully (sorry its blurred ):

Construction looks fairly simple, raised panels, through M&T at top & bottom.

Here they are from another room, with a different design. I must admit I like these ones with the shorter middle panel:

This one is dated which is fun:

Downstairs one of the rooms has shutters with an extra hinged panel, rather like those in Alf's document:

If you happen to find a good place to buy suitable hinges, please let me know - there are some really nasty modern hinges on most of these!

Hope that helps,

Neil

 

[dickm]

Hi Mike,
OK, here are a few pics,
Each panel is 147 x 43 cm. The hinged edge is bevelled at 45 degrees so that they can open out fully (sorry its blurred ):
Construction looks fairly simple, raised panels, through M&T at top & bottom.
Neil

Heck, those pics take me back! Almost exactly like those in Mother's house. Even got the same solid iron latch to hold them closed. Can't imagine you can buy those in B&Q today.
The shutters look specially good with those angled reveals, and that also means you can get wider individual panels without taking up so much wall space.

Another memory:- if the hinged version doesnt appeal, one of the farmhouses in the same area had "sliding sash" shutters that closed down into boxes below the window. For windows that are wider than they are tall, this might be another solution?