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Posts Tagged ‘exterior shutters’

Bahama Style Exterior Shutters by Kirtz Shutters create Privacy

Monday, June 20th, 2011

This homeowner found her deck was no longer a private retreat for her family due to new construction in her neighborhood.  Looking for a tasteful, long term solution she browsed the web until she found information about our Bahama Style Exterior Shutter.    A conversation began via email and since she was so close to our shop, we handled the project turn key.

  • Shutters are built from Cypress, which is a long lasting choice for exterior products
  • The color is custom to match to the deck stain, which was Sherwin Williams Deckscapes, Hawthorne
  • Hardware is fully functional
  • Louver size is 3″- which is a nice scale for this size panels (apx 35 x 72″), but provides limited visibility when opened.  Not a concern for this homeowner since the whole point of the shutters was to block the new less than desirable view
This homeowners deck needs some privacy!
View into deck before shutters
Bahama Shutters Installed
These bahama shutters help the deck feel intimate and private


Kirtz Shutters can help with your interior or exterior shutter projects!  Give us a call at 800-416-6455.

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Kirtz Shutters at the Wichita Home and Garden Show

Wednesday, January 26th, 2011

Kirtz Shutters will be exhibiting at the Wichita Home and Garden Show, which runs from February 10th-13th, 2011 at the Century Two Convention Center.    We will have a new display which incorporates a room setting.  This design will help homeowners get an idea of how custom plantation shutters can impact their home.  Also included in the display is a variety of popular woods and finishes, including distressed shutters made of reclaimed woods and special finishes on shutters such as paint and glazing.  

New for 2011 is our line of custom exterior shutters.  Perfect for outdoor rooms that need privacy and sun protection, these shutters made of cypress reflect some of our most custom work.

Stop by the Kirtz booth and visit with Heather Langhofer, local Wichita representative, and Chris Tietz, owner of Kirtz Shutters.  During your visit you can set of your appointment for our complimentary in home consultation.

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Bahama Exterior Shutters by Kirtz

Friday, November 6th, 2009

Although Kirtz Shutters are primarily interior, at a special request for a previous customer, we recently built Bahama style exterior wood shutters.

There are a wide variety of Bahama style shutters available today.   Solid construction methods and quality raw materials are important to get the longest life out of your shutters.

The Materials

To start with we used cypress wood.  Cypress is a great choice for exterior projects.  Cypress generates cypressine, which is its own preservative oil.  This makes it naturally resistant to insects, decay and other damaging elements.  All components were made of solid pieces, including the stiles.

The Construction

In a traditional shutter, louvers are held into place with pins.  These pins allow the louvers to pivot open and closed.  A Bahama style shutter has fixed louvers, and no tilt bar.   To hold the louvers in place we cut a tenon in the stile to receive the louver.  Then the louver is then slid into the stile 1/4″ deep on each side.  Next, the stile and rail are doweled and secured with exterior glue.  A screw is inserted in between the two dowels for extra stength and the hole is filled.

To finish, the shutters were coated with a marine grade exterior quality sealer so that they are further protected.

The Installation

Installed with traditional Bahama style hinges and adjustable arms, these exterior shutter provide both beauty and protection.

Bahama shutters provide more visibilty when open, by Kirtz Shutters

Bahama shutters provide more visibilty when open, by Kirtz Shutters

Bahama hardware allow these custom shutters to tilt out

Bahama hardware allow these custom shutters to tilt out

bahama shutter block western sun, offer privacy on this deck

bahama shutter block western sun, offer privacy on this deck

Close up of fixed louvers for bahama shutters

Close up of fixed louvers for bahama shutters

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Posted in Plantation Shutter Construction, exterior shutters | 1 Comment »

Exterior Shutters, plantation shutter style by Kirtz

Friday, June 5th, 2009

Exterior Shutters are a small segment of what we do, but occasionally someone will want a plantation style exterior shutter and turn to Kirtz for help with their project.

There seems to be some confusion about what makes a plantation shutter exterior or interior grade, so here is a brief explanation of what to look for in an exterior shutter.

Wood Species- exterior shutters that stand the test of time are made of western red cedar, cypress (pecky or clear), or mahogany.  These woods naturally repel water and insects, making them the longest lasting most durable choice. not to mention the beauty of handcrafted mahogany shutters!

Fasteners and Glue- Make sure your manufacturer is using exterior grade glue and stainless steel staples (found on moveable louvers).  Otherwise, the joints of the shutter will fail and the fasteners will quickly rust.  This is especially true if your home is near ocean air, as salt can be very corrosive.

Finish:  A marine quality finish is recommended.  A good finish will protect your purchase, so don’t skimp in this area.  Shutters used for exterior projects made by Kirtz can be ordered with a marine finish, or raw and you can source the finish work yourself.

Even with a great finish, maintenance will be required.  Your shutters should have a new protective coat added to them every few years.  It varies depending on your climate and their exposure to the elements how often this needs to be done.  It is a good idea to look them over ever year for signs of damage.

Below are some picture of exterior shutters we built for a home in Florida.

These louvers are fixed at an unusual angle to allow visability looking out of the home, but obstructing the view of those looking inside

These louvers are fixed at an unusual angle to allow visability looking out of the home, but obstructing the view of those looking inside

This gorgeous indoor/outdoor space is complemented by these shutters used as doors

This gorgeous indoor/outdoor space is complemented by these shutters used as doors

fixed louvered shutters by Kirtz, bahama style

fixed louvered shutters by Kirtz, bahama style

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