SHUTTER TYPES
One of the most popular Plantation Shutters in California is the Vinyl Shutter. There are several different types of Vinyl Shutters, the most popular being the Vinylbilt Poly Resin 3 Shutter(Known as the HD Palm Beach or the Eclipse Shutter). The Vinyl Shutter is an extruded product, not unlike it's Composite counterpart. Vinylbilt Shutters are engineered for energy efficiency and strength. All louvers over 27" wide are inserted with aluminum to make them stronger. The Vinylbilt Shutter was originally know in our area as the 'Bytheways' Shutter up until around 2007, it has more recently been known as the Hunter Douglas Palm Beach Shutter or the Eclipse Shutter and carries a 25 year pro rated warranty.
The Vinylbilt styled Shutter is actually a very high quality, engineered/structured product that is easy to maintain and quite energy efficient.
The Hunter Douglas Palm Beach Vinyl Shutter and the Eclipse Plantation Shutter are virtually the same product. The engineered/structured product can be inserted with aluminum, depending on the width of the louvers to make it stronger.
Hunter Douglas Palm Beach 3.5" Shutter with Hidden geared tilt.
(HIGHLY RECOMMENDED)
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Vinylbilt Eclipse 3.5" Shutter with custom sill, Gear tilt.
(RECOMMENDED)
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There are other types of Vinyl Shutters that are vinyl clad, meaning they are inserted with wood for strength. These Shutters are usually pretty heavy, so they have pretty extreme tolerances for size, meaning the panels cannot be very wide causing even medium sized windows to have multiple panels.
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Then there are what many manufacturers or dealers would call 'plastic' Shutters. While they are not actually made of plastic, they are completely hollow, with no structural integrity, sometimes engineered and manufactured with sub-standard parts. While they are many times labeled with lifetime warranties for marketing purposes, these Shutters are not really meant to last. They normally only make it a couple years before being so damaged by the suns UV rays that they literally break apart or turn yellow or black. While these Shutters are less of an investment than the engineered/structured type vinyl Shutters, or the other types of Shutters we will discuss, the savings is not normally enough many times to justify the loss that may be incurred only a few years down the road when replacement may need to be dealt with.
While they might look good at first, the quality is not the same as the Vinyl-bilt products described above.
Composite Shutters are very diverse. Anything between a Vinyl Shutter and a Wood Shutter is considered to be a Composite Shutter. Because of this diversity we will only briefly focus on the basics of the two types, you will get the idea after seeing the data. There are mainly two(2) categories of Composite Shutters;
- Engineered/Wrapped
- Extruded
Here is a short video that I think you will enjoy regarding Norman Shutters engineering process.
Norman Woodlore 3.5" w/invisitilt and Outside mount Deco frame.
Hunter Douglas NewStyle Hybrid 3.5" Shutter w/Traditional tilt and L frame
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'Extruded Composite'
An extruded product is anything that starts out as a chemically created pellet. The pellets are then poured into a hopper and heated to a molten state. The molten liquid is then forced through a die system and super cooled to create any shape imaginable. (see illustration)
There are many different extruded Composite Shutter products. The key to a quality Composite Shutter is the actual chemical blend that constitutes the pellets. The heating and cooling processes also have to be perfect for the product to successfully stand up to the Suns UV rays.
Open Bypass Sliding Door Application 
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Graber 3.5" Composite on French Doors
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Some Composite Shutters can be somewhat lightweight and some can be heavy. Sunland Composite Shutters, also known as 'Polycore' are actually inserted with aluminum to improve strength, similar to some Vinyl Shutters. All extruded Composite Shutters are somewhat impervious to moisture.
Polycore 3.5" with side split tilt.
Sunland 3.5" Polycore w/Arched top panels
Unlike Vinyl Shutters or Composite Shutters, Wood Shutters for the most part do not need to prove their value. They are made out of wood which gives them natural rigidity properties the man made materials have to engineer & build in. Wood Shutters by far and away can be the nicest Shutters available, their beauty knows no bounds. While we at NVS sell many different brands of Wood Shutters, the most popular being the Norman Brightwood Wood Shutter, we do have for our more discriminating buyers, our Kirtz Solid Exotics collection. As the pictures below demonstrate, the solid exotic Wood Shutters from Kirtz are quite impressive.
The Kirtz Shutter base product is made of solid Maple. It can be painted or stained and it is quite stunning. The other Exotic woods we commonly use are Mahogany, Walnut, Cherry, Knotty Alder, Oak, Knotty Pine, Wormy Chestnut & Ash. These exotic Wood Shutters can be custom made to fit any opening. They are truly a work of art to be considered fine furnishings, and with Kirtz, it's not just a marketing slogan. Check out the panels in the picture slider below to see just how beautiful Kirtz Exotic Wood Shutters can be.
In our Norman Normandy products, the advanced construction technology and optional extras like specialty inlays and hidden hinges are great features. 'Click' on the below picture for a preview of the Norman Normandy Plantation Shutter in action.
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The Weatherwell Elite Aluminum Shutter line stands alone in the marketplace. With the Bahama style option available, any outdoor kitchen can become a cozy hide away or be completely open for all to enjoy! They are completely weather proof and can be locked for security purposes. Add style, beauty & functionality to your outdoor living spaces with Weatherwell Elite!
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BiFold 180 folding Sliding Door Application
To move on from there as previously stated above, we come to our most popular Wood Shutter product, Norman Shutters. For years Normans top Shutter was called Sussex. that product has now been upgraded & renamed. The Norman Teak product is now called Normandy. Teak has long been know as a marine quality hardwood and has stood the test of time. Norman also manufactures the Brightwood Wood Shutter out of a much more tightly grained Phoenix wood. Phoenix wood is another sustainability choice Norman has made. The trees grow to maturity in only 7 years. A very interesting fact about the Norman Wood Shutter is that even though it is made completely of wood, it is engineered to be very stable even in more moist conditions. A very beautiful and popular choice.
While not quite as aggressive against the elements as the Weatherwell Elite above, Norman Teak can easily stand up to the elements out doors if well enough protected .
