Exploring where to order shutters if you are in Harrogate or Knaresborough
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https://www.countryhomeshutters.co.uk
Window shutters are a very popular covering for windows.
They have many advantages over curtains and blinds, more and more people are choosing them for their sleek design and useful functionality.
You may be considering having some installed in your home in the Harrogate or Knaresborough area but not sure which type to get or where to get them from.
The main differences with shutters are the material they are made from and the quality of construction.
Just like most other products we buy today, there are the 'cheap and nasty' versions and then there are the lasting quality shutters.
So it depends whether you value having your shutters work as they should for many years to come, or prefer getting the low budget variety that don't.
What can actually go wrong with shutters you may ask.
Well, there are a few things to consider:
Shutters are exposed to a lot of the suns rays, even if they aren't on the sunny side of the home. The cheaper shutters have a propensity to yellow in the sun (white or light colours) or fade (darker colours) sometimes within mere months of being installed, leaving them looking old and unsightly because the change in colour is usually uneven. The market is currently flooded with low quality plastic shutters that are prone to this.
Shutter doors consist of moveable louvres in a frame, they are kept in place with pins (apart from the solid door shutters). Good quality shutters will have special pins made of durable materials that keep the louvres balanced and able to stay open at different angles. Cheap makes often have pins that loosen and do not keep the louvres open after a while. The louvres get 'floppy' and drop down, very annoying when you want to see out or let light in. (Usually this can't be remedied and the only solution is to have them replaced, costing more than installing better quality in the first place. Better quality shutters should last you a lifetime.)
Over time, the shutter doors can warp if they aren't robust enough to handle changes in temperature and moisture. Just think of the different conditions they have to endure between summer and winter, night and day. Better quality materials such as properly seasoned wood and the thickness of the frames ensure the shutters expand and contract as little as possible so the doors and louvres open and close properly for many years. Plastic shutters can melt in very sunny windows and MDF shutters swell and distort if they are in contact with moisture.
Shutter doors in cheaper types may also sag. All doors have hinges that are screwed into the frame. Metal screws in plastic or MDF loosen when the doors are opened or kept open, causing them to sag over time. MDF has the added problem of being heavier in weight than the wood types used for shutters so they place even more pressure on the hinge screws. Once the screw holes have widened, the problem becomes harder to fix. Even a few millimetres out can make doors look uneven and not close or open properly.
Even the best quality shutters can give problems or look unsightly if they aren't installed properly. In order for doors to open and close properly the frame has to be vertically plumb and horizontally level and perfectly square. All this in buildings that usually aren't any of those things. So the fitter needs the correct tools, skill and experience to get it right. They also need to work neatly when finishing off, gaps around the edge should be filled or covered.
Installing DIY shutters are usually not as easy as they look on Youtube where they use straightforward examples, we don't recommend it unless you are very practical and proficient. Best to get a reputable company to supply and fit them for you and they should give a guarantee too.
When looking for shutters in your area you want a company that has a positive track record, recommended by word of mouth and/or has good reviews. The larger suppliers may be impersonal and you have to deal with call centres if there are any problems and surprisingly they don't always give great guarantees. Most people prefer a company that is experienced enough to supply and fit but still offers personal service where you can speak to someone in charge who can help with any problems or snags that may arise. As with any home improvement product, there are things that may crop up, this is true for all suppliers / installers. The value is in the after-sales service.
If you want shutters to last then choose solid wood. Or quality polyvinyl if they will be in a bathroom or moist environment. Polyvinyl is a type of plastic and there are vastly different qualities available. The price should give you a clue. Long-lasting PVC has uv resistant chemicals mixed in and the frames are usually thicker. Cheap plastic ones discolour with sunlight exposure and have a thinner profile. Be prepared to pay upwards of £260 per metre for decent quality (most companies have a minimum charge so a small shutter may actually cost more than this) installed by competent fitters.
We hope you have found this useful. Thank you for reading. And don't hesitate to get in touch if you would like to know any more about shutters, we would be happy to help answer any questions.
We have been based in Harrogate, North Yorkshire since 2016 and are proud to serve our local area. (Over the years we have expanded due to personal referrals and recommendations to most of Yorkshire, up North to Newcastle, West to Southport, and down South to Norfolk. Peter is still the owner, still passionate about giving exceptional service and the installations are done by a competent handpicked team)