Window shutters are a great addition to any home in Costa Mesa, but of course, some (such as polywood shutters) are more practical than others.  Those who are shopping for new shutters should know that there any many options such as design, functionality, and most importantly, materials, to consider.  We offer plantation shutters made out of both real wood and polywood, which each have their own upsides and downsides.  While wooden shutters do offer a classic warmth and style that seems to be timeless, they aren’t always the best options, especially for residences which are so close to the ocean, such as those in Costa Mesa.  The excess moisture that your shutters are exposed to by being near the ocean will quickly warp them if they are made out of wood.  Thus, poly shutters will last much longer if installed in your Costa Mesa home.  Below are a few more reasons why you might want to consider them, provided by Gallery Shutters Inc:  

• They Are Water-Resistant

If you frequently keep a window open, then you probably feel the ocean breeze flowing through your home pretty often.  If you have poly shutters, this is nothing to worry about at all.  However, if you happen to have wooden shutters, you should be concerned, because exposure to this much moisture can cause them to swell and warp.  In turn, this affects their functionality as the louvres might become too swollen or disfigured to move properly.  Wooden shutters also obviously cannot be cleaned with soap and water, as the wood would absorb it.  The correct way to clean wooden shutters is to dry dust them and to perhaps use a little bit of furniture polish on them.  Poly shutters, on the other hand, can be cleaned with soap and water, meaning that you can potentially save a lot of time and effort cleaning them easily.  In the end, having water-resistant shutters isn’t only useful, but if you live next to the beach, it’s necessary.  

• They Provided A Layer of Insulation

Window shutters also provide some insulation and protection from the weather, so the more they deflect moisture, the better.  Poly shutters are perfect for this, not only because they are moisture-resistant, but also because of the insulating nature of the composite material they are made of.  They are essentially engineered wood which is wrapped in vinyl, which, as we will see, poses many of the benefits of poly shutters.  Movable louvres allow you to position the shutters so that they don’t allow any wind or sunlight in.  Conversely, you can also use them to let in as much wind and sunlight as you want to.  In the end, nothing beats the free climate control you get over your home when you install new poly shutters on your windows.

• They Are Durable

Poly shutters are known for being much more durable than real wooden ones, in various ways.  For instance, real wood can be easily scratched, while polywood cannot.  In fact, it is extraordinarily difficult to scratch, chip, or crack polywood.  Therefore, poly shutters are also a great option if you have kids or pets that you think might treat them roughly.  It’d be an absolute shame to pay the higher prices for real wood shutters, just to have them damaged.  Poly shutters are actually proven to have a much longer lifespan than wooden ones.  They have also been proven to hold their original color for as long as they last.    

• They Are Easy to Clean

Wooden shutters can’t be cleaned with soap and water, since they would just absorb the water, causing them to expand and warp.  That means that they need to be cleaned with extra caution.  The most popular way to clean wood shutters is to dry dust them with a feather duster, microfiber towel, etc.  Then, for deeper cleaning, you can rub some furniture polish onto them, but not too much, as it can cause them to look greasy.  Poly shutters, on the other hand, are much easier to clean.  While dry dusting is a reliable light cleaning practice, using soap and water is the best way to clean your poly shutters.  This allows you to scrub them (without scratching them, since they’re so durable) and to remove any grime that has built up.  Thy also eliminate the need to use polish.  Here is a good video about cleaning poly shutters.  

• Customize Your Poly Shutters!

Poly shutters are much more customizable than wooden shutters, as they can be painted just about any color so that they can match any room.  On the other hand, wood shutters are generally only available in a few colors, but with more options for staining.  Gallery Shutters Inc. constructs all of our poly shutters in our Inland Empire warehouse, which means that we can customize them to your liking.  Whether you have an idea for a cut out, or if you want us to provide you with what think would be optimal shutter coverage, we are sure that we can meet your expectations.  

For over 20 years, Gallery Shutters Inc. has been the leader in window shutter sales and installation in Costa Mesa and throughout the rest of Orange County.  We can customize window shutters to fit any window in any room.  We also offer the quickest installment times and most competitive rates in the area.  Visit us at GalleryShuttersInc.com or give us a call at 1 (800) 462-8777 to schedule your free in-home estimate today.