Shutter Styles
There are a wide variety of shutter styles which evolved in different climates. For instance, louvered shutters in the GTA were created in response to the hot humid climate in some areas to keep out the weather yet allow some fresh air to get inside the house. Whereas for the colder regions of the GTA, paneled shutters were made to prevent ice, snow, and winter winds from damaging window glass panes and window frames. The simplest board shutters were usually inspired by their affordability in rural places where the other two styles mentioned above are not readily available or accessible.
It is, therefore, very common to see louvered shutters in the GTA where homes have the modern architectural design or paneled shutters where houses are styled in a New England colonial heritage. On the other hand, homes that are designed with a French country theme usually have board shutters.
Shutter Materials
When it comes to materials, nothing can beat the authenticity of real or solid wood shutters in the GTA. However, just like other parts of your home’s exterior, weather elements can take a toll to the shutters, too and real wood tends to suffer the most. In this case, they need high maintenance to stay longer. A decent alternative to wooden shutters is the ones made from vinyl. These shutters won’t require any repainting but you have to be careful not to choose poor quality if you want them to last much longer.
Now, if you want to enjoy the best of both worlds of the authenticity of real wood and durability of vinyl, composite shutters are also available. They are usually made using a combination of engineered wood, PVC and fiberglass materials.