WHAT ARE SHUTTER BLINDS MADE OF?

WHAT ARE SHUTTER BLINDS MADE OF? OPTION 1: MDF

MDF stands for medium-density fibreboard. A strange name for what wood chippings bonded together with a resin.

MDF shutters are the most common shutters sold in the UK. Their popularity is down to 2 things, good quality and at a reasonable price.

Almost all MDF shutters supplied and installed in the UK are made in China and shipped in (literally on the slow boat from China). The current delivery time is around 14 weeks.

MDF shutters are suitable for most rooms in your home except for bathrooms and ensuites.

This is what happens to an MDF shutter in a bathroom after 2 years. It was sold as a faux-wood shutter (waterproof).

Pros: Price and quality Cons: Limited colour choice and slow delivery

WHAT ARE SHUTTER BLINDS MADE OF? OPTION 2: VINYL

Vinyl shutters are made from Polysilk Vinyl.

Vinyl shutters have only been introduced into the UK market in the last couple of years.

Unlike all other shutters, the vinyl shutters are hollow meaning they are much lighter than all other shutters making them much easier to open and close and a great option for larger windows.

Both the components and the shutters themselves are manufactured in the UK, so delivery times are much quicker (usually 3 weeks) when compared to the Chinese imports, and of course, the carbon footprint is much smaller.

Vinyl Shutters are waterproof, so are suitable for every room in your home.

Pros: Price and Delivery Cons: Limited colour choice

WHAT ARE SHUTTER BLINDS MADE OF? OPTION 3: FAUXWOOD

Fauxwood shutters are made from PVC meaning they are 100% waterproof.

Like Vinyl shutters, Fauxwood Shutters are a great option for kitchens, bathrooms or any room where your shutters might need more robust cleaning like children’s bedrooms.

Fauxwood is the heaviest material your shutters can be made from, meaning the maximum size of each panel is smaller than the other options.

Again most of the Fauxwood shutters are imported from China, but there are a couple of UK companies who have just started producing.

Pros: Easy to clean, 100% waterproof Cons: Limited colours, heavy to operate and delivery times

WHAT ARE SHUTTER BLINDS MADE OF? OPTION 4: HARDWOOD

Hardwood shutters are the Rolls Royce of shutters when only the best will do.

Made from natural timber they are available in a huge range of stained or painted finishes. If you need an exact match to your paint that can even be done, so the colour options are endless.

As with MDF, almost all of the hardwood shutters installed in the UK are imported from China.

As you can imagine Hardwood shutters do come with a premium price tag.

Pros: Fantastic colour choice Cons: Price, long delivery times and more fragile than other materials.

A customer commented on one of our shutter teams after her shutters were installed that she had spent weeks worrying if she had made the right choices for her shutters. We designed a design system to remove that worry.

Our new shutter design system allows you to see and design your shutters at your windows so you can see exactly how they will look before you spend a penny.

IT’S OFFICIAL……..INSTALLING SHUTTERS WILL PREVENT UP TO 28% HEAT LOSS IN THE WINTER MONTHS.

An added benefit of installing window shutters in your home is the effect they will have on reducing your winter energy bills.

We had tested the effect of windows with and without shutters with an inferred heat camera, but now it has been scientifically tested in a comprehensive study carried out by the University of Salford and the British Blind and Shutter Association. Proving that your shutters will save you money during the colder months

To find out more about these tests…https://bbsa.org.uk/householders/energy-saving/

If you would like more information on the most common problems with shutters and how to avoid them https://www.barlowblinds.com/6-most-common-problems-with-window-shutters

I hope that helps explain what are shutter blinds made of. and gives you an idea of the questions you need to ask your local shutter supplier. Suitability for each room? Colour selection? and your budget.

Find out what is involved in getting shutters for your home. https://www.barlowblinds.com/getting-shutters-fitted-how-does-it-work

If you are in Leicestershire and would like a home visit from our mobile shutter showroom please give us a call at 0116 2769771 or leave your details and we will call you back https://www.barlowblinds.com/contact.