Exploring the pros and cons of getting plastic shutters for your windows (be prepared to be shocked!)
Once upon a time, all window shutters were made of wood. Both exterior and interior shutters. We are going to focus on interior shutters, also known as plantation shutters.
Solid wood is the gold standard for internal shutters as it looks good, lasts a long time and can even be repainted in years to come. It is also eco friendly. Reputable manufacturers use wood from managed estates to ensure wild forests are not decimated and future stock is available. Wood is readily recycled and re-used at lower carbon costs.
Then shutters started being made from MDF (medium density fibre board) which is a mixture of plant fibres, lots of glue and formaldehyde (which is used to spread the glue throughout the mush that is later compressed and dried into board). MDF is a stable product that can be carved like wood and doesn't have knots or uneven grain. It is also cheaper than the wood types suitable for shutters. So far, so good. But, apart from the negative environmental impact and danger to human health, MDF has a few limitations. It is heavier than the wood types used for shutters. This means that if the shutter is above a certain size, the weight of the doors can cause sagging over time. Fixing isn't that easy because the problem is usually the hinge screws working loose and the screw holes increasing in size. MDF is also very susceptible to water. Moisture causes the fibres to swell and once this happens the shutter door and or louvres look unsightly and can't move as easily. Rather catastrophic for a product that is often installed on windows that suffer from condensation. (One thing you should be aware of are the toxic fumes outgassed for years due to the formaldehyde. It is not readily detectable but accumulates in human tissue over time. Babies and young children are most susceptible. We do not recommend MDF shutters in bedrooms, especially when there may be other sources of this toxic gas such as MDF based furniture, doors, flooring etc in the home. Newbuild homes especially as outgassing is worse from new MDF.)
So the plastic shutter was born. It seemed like the answer to all the problems of the other materials. At first they were made from quality UPVC type material similar to window frames. Strong, sturdy and with a certain amount of UV protection built-in. UV rays from the sun are the main destroyer of PVC, causing cracking, warping, discolouring and eventually granular breakdown. As plastic materials develop and people want ever cheaper products; the modern, readily available, super cheap plastic version is flooding the market.
Causing confusion. How could one company be charging £1000 for a shutter when there are others online advertising them from £89.00 and delivery within a very short time span!?
Well, the answer lies in the material it is made from. Because shutters look pretty similar to the uninformed eye it is very difficult to tell the difference from glossy, enhanced photos online.
A properly made bathroom shutter from quality PVC (polyvinyl) usually has a physically wider frame and more substantial louvres. The louvres actually stay in the open position without slipping down. The material has some UV protection that keeps the colour for considerably longer and reduces the substrate deterioration. They simply work and aren't a cheap gimmick that will tragically end up in landfill or worse in a few short years.
As you can see in the photos above, these shutters are badly warped. Here is the story behind them: usually we only recommend and install polyvinyl shutters in bathrooms or the odd window where there is excessive moisture. We do not use MDF shutters anymore but these should not be used in these situations anyway. On this occasion plastic shutters were ordered from a UK manufacturer on special request from the homeowner as they were available sooner. We had our misgivings but our aim is to please so we went ahead. Within months the shutters looked like this. A few extremely hot days was all it took! New replacement shutters in solid wood had to be ordered at extra cost. Needless to say, this was our first and definitely our last installation using these plastic shutters. In future they will be either our usual solid wood or specially manufactured quality polyvinyl if moisture is an issue.
So there you have it. Whilst plastic shutters are not affected much by moisture, the cheap versions are highly susceptible to warping in the sun and heat. We haven't even mentioned the quality of the hinges yet - unless they are stainless steel (or some other rust resistant metal) - they will rust in moist conditions. Cheap shutters have mild steel hinges that will eventually rust.
The biggest price of all though is the huge cost to the environment. Plastic is made from petrochemicals and is processed using extreme heat and power. This is then shipped around the world on huge fuel-hungry transporters. The cheap plastic shutters do not endure and get thrown out within months in some cases (wooden ones should last you a lifetime). Releasing toxic 'forever chemicals' and micro plastics into our environment which will be difficult or impossible to retrieve. Even the plastic shutters made in the UK are usually cut and assembled from imported pre-formed lengths of varying quality plastics.
We are at a tipping point in how our human activity is impacting our only home - the planet. What we buy now is crucial for our children and grandchildren. What we choose to use and consume should be based on knowledge and information rather than just how cheap or how quick we can get things. More cheap plastic items that don't last and are not feasible to repair have a huge cost in the long run.
Thank you for reading and we hope you have found this useful.
If you have any questions please don't hesitate to get in touch. As you can tell, we are passionate about what we do and giving great service.