Want A New Plantation Shutter Color? Why You Shouldnt Try Painting Shutters

If you’re redecorating a room, you want everything to be the right color. Painting walls, ceilings, and trim is a great start and will give you a fresh color palette. But what about painting your plantation shutters? It’s tempting if their color no longer fits the look you’re going for, but put that paintbrush down! Painting your shutters may detract from the many qualities that attracted you to them in the first place.

Painting Shutters Can Ruin Their Incredible Benefits

If you have quality plantation shutters, like Polywood® shutters, you know they are built to withstand everything from extreme temperatures to light and humidity. They last longer than any other window treatment. That’s probably why you chose them to begin with!

The fact is that Polywood shutters are made from a unique high-quality polymer, so your louvers won’t warp or crack. They are also coated in a superior paint finish that adheres to the material. This unique paint is UV-coated, so it won’t ever fade, chip, or peel. If you paint these shutters, you will compromise all of these features.

Then, there are specially treated wood shutters, such as Ovation shutters. They don't match Polywood for durability, but their wood is processed and coated to withstand moisture better than other wood treatments. Again, you will lose that vital protection if you paint them.

The wrong paint can become tacky or streaky on your shutters, and few paints can match the finish on Polywood or Ovation shutters. Painting shutters also voids their warranty. It's just not worth it when they already offer such durability.

Painting Plantation Shutters May Hinder Energy Efficiency

Polywood shutters can reduce your home’s energy consumption by insulating your windows to block heat loss and maintain indoor temperature. To do this, every stile on the shutters has weatherstripping to help block exterior light and temperatures. The problem with painting shutters is that you can easily interfere with the weatherstripping. While you still may get some energy efficiency, your window treatments won’t be as efficient as they should be.

Painting Shutters Is A Hassle

While painting walls or furniture is a reasonable project, painting interior shutters isn’t so straightforward. Quality shutters aren’t meant to come off your windows easily. You’ll be hard-pressed to remove and reattach them yourself. It’s also tricky to prep and paint them in place. You have to scrape off the old finish, apply a paint stripper, and scrape some more. Wood shutters would require sanding. Then there’s no good way to paint every edge and corner to get a consistent finish. You’ll save yourself a lot of trouble by not painting your shutters.

What Can You Do Instead Of Painting Shutters?

As tempting as painting your shutters sounds, buying window treatments in the color you want or looking for ways to work with what you have are far better ideas. Consider these options:

• Cover shutters with colorful curtains or drapes if you no longer want neutral-colored window treatments. You’ll still enjoy the incredible benefits of your shutters while adding color to the room.

• Replace your shutters with new treatments. If hiding shutters doesn’t give you the look you want, you can pay your installer to remove them when they put in new window treatments. Just be aware that your window frames or walls may need some repairs.

• Change your color palette. Neutral interior shutters coordinate well with most types of decor, so it’s easy to find a color palette that includes them.

Learn More About Plantation Shutters At Sunburst

Explore all your window treatment options at Sunburst Shutters & Window Fashions! We’ll help you find the perfect solutions for covering your home’s windows. We offer complimentary in-home consultations with our window treatment pros to give you the best advice. To schedule yours, call us at 877-786-2877 or submit the contact form below.