Exterior Shutter Materials
Composite Wood Shutters
Wood composite is the product of different types of wood being bound together, and represents the latest technology in maintenance-free materials. Because there is such variation between different species of trees, and even among trees of the same species, solid wood does not compare with reconstituted wood in the range of properties that can be controlled in processing. With wood composite, properties can be controlled at increasingly minute levels, creating a building material that, unlike traditional wood, is robust and impervious to water.
Fiberglass Shutters
What we commonly call “fiberglass,” is, literally, made from very fine fibers of glass. These fibers are created when narrow strands of glass are extruded into many fibers with small diameters. Our fiberglass shutters are made using pultruded fiberglass, (from “pull” + “extrusion”) which means that the glass fibers are pulled through a resin and into a heated die, where the resin undergoes polymerization for added strength. Our pultruded fiberglass can also be reinforced by high-density PVC (polyvinyl chloride, or hard plastic) to create shutters that meet storm codes.
Vinyl Shutters
Vinyl has many forms and uses. In the building industry, the vinyl we use is technically called “uPVC” (unplasticized polyvinyl chloride), and provides an ideal low-maintenance material. This form of vinyl comes in a range of colors and finishes and is used as a durable replacement for painted wood. Unlike wood, vinyl has the power to resist cracking, rotting, and insects. Besides creating a nearly impenetrable exterior shutter, vinyl has many other architectural functions; it is often used in fascia, siding, and weatherboarding.
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