External Window Shutters - DIY?

[Susan BBPM]

I'm thinking gardening types are likely to have quite good DIY skills so thought I'd try picking some brains.

We have two sets of large patio doors at the back (N/E facing) of our house. Also a couple of rooms that we don't use in winter. It makes sense to me to have wooden external shutters that we can close over for the winter. So for ecample, close over the windows in the unused rooms completely, and partially close over the patio doors at the back. Essentially, we'd be drastically reducing the amount of windows at the back of the house.

Now of course, you can do it from inside but that tends to lead to condensation problems. Which is why I thought it'd be better from outside.

Are there ny potential problems that I'm missing.

 

[Meadowlark]

Are you looking for permanent or temporary shutters?

While living near the Gulf coast south of Houston, we had to face the real threat and sometimes actual hit of hurricanes each fall season. My approach was to shutter the house windows and leave for the ranch which is 100 miles inland.

The shutters were made of 1/4-inch plywood that I custom cut to fit each window and glass door. I used pin hinges on both sides and left the hinges in place permanently. Installing the shutters for a weather event was very easy with the pre-cut boards and hinges in place. When not in use the plywood was stored flat in the garage where it would not warp. We used that system for about three decades. I never painted the plywood, but it would have been easy to do that matching the house color.

I spent one full Saturday and part of Sunday cutting the boards, installing the hinges and trying each out. It was well worth the investment especially to watch neighbors scrambling to secure protection in time for an impending storm. That investment offered protection for almost 3 decades. When I moved away from the Houston coastal area, the plywood served several useful purposes at the ranch.


p.s. weathered without window/door damage (but roof damage) Allen, Rita, Ike, and Harvey plus numerous tropical storms.

 

[Ruderunner]

What would be accomplished by shuttering the windows? Are you looking for an insulating effect? Keeping the rooms darker? Storm protection?

 

[DirtMechanic]

The key is the hinges so that fitment is correct. And a hook system to secure them in the open or closed position. I think it is a great idea. The R value of windows is horrible. R2 for basic IG and maybe R4 for LowE. Virtually anything you do will improve that number, which is simply the percentage of heat able to come through the system divided into 1.

Interestingly, the more solid a material the less effective it can be as a thin insulation. Hollow can be your friend, and I am thinking about plastic foams like pvc when I say it that way.

The lower weight and higher insulation value type materials might be a bit modern for a construction theme, but these are two desirable characteristics you might work a little harder to find rather than settling for traditional materials.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Friend in Austria I visited as a kid had winter shutters and used to pack the space between the window and shutter with rags, sheet polystyrene might be a more efficient and attractive alternative.

 

[Ruderunner]

Well if everyone is going down the insulation path, I have different thoughts.

Top hinge permanent installation. In summer the shutter can be propped open and shade the window making less sun load on whatever cooling system is in the house. The permanent mounting keeps the alignment in place so that an effective gasket or seal can be made. The best insulation is no bueno if cold air just blows past it.

Either way, a latch of some sort would be necessary.