Quality Plantation Shutters: How To Tell The Good From The Bad, Part 3 of 3

Plantation shutters can be purchased at almost every price imaginable. If you are not a professional in the blinds industry, how do you distinguish between high and low quality products? There are a number of factors you can use to compare plantation shutters before committing. In this article, we will explain how to differentiate the good from the bad.

Only wood plantation shutters will be discussed, as shutters made of MDF, composite, and polymeric materials are sufficiently different from wood plantation shutters in design and construction to make fair comparisons impossible.

The guarantee is the best proof of quality

The truest measure of a company’s confidence in the products it offers is the strength of its warranty. Most plantation shutter manufacturers offer coverage of at least 10 years; many go to 25 years. Some even offer lifetime warranties (lifetime is generally defined as the original purchaser owning the home the blinds were purchased for). Because plantation shutters are typically built to last for decades, and people today move more frequently than in the past, a couple of companies have started offering warranties that are transferable to the next owner.

There are three things to look for in a warranty. The first is the term: the longer, the better. Second, see what’s covered, as some companies exclude finish and other components. Finally, a warranty isn’t much use if the company behind it isn’t available when you need it. Make sure the company is well established so you can be sure it will continue to be around for years to come.

Louvre shape may be a factor

The shutters of traditional plantation shutters have an elliptical profile. They are about 1/2″ thick in the middle and taper at the edges. Some manufacturers make grilles with a flat profile because they are much easier to work with. A flat profile is faster to paint, sand, and stain than a flat profile. flat profile elliptical, for example.

Flat blinds themselves are not a quality defect, especially when they are just as solid as their elliptical counterparts. However, many flat louvered plantation shutters are made of thin, insubstantial louvers, some being only 1/4″ thick. This is thinner than even the tip of the louvers on a quality plantation shutter.

Thinner blinds are more likely to warp. Stick with the traditional elliptical blinds, or if you prefer flat blinds, make sure they are thick enough to last.

All blinds need periodic adjustment

Tension control is the balance between how easy the blinds are to move and how well they stay in position once adjusted. After many years of use, the grilles on a plantation shutter may have become loose; the solution is to tighten the tension, if you can. Traditionally, manufacturers provide a screw on one or more of the blinds to adjust the tension. You tighten the screw to increase the tension; loosen to decrease tension.

Some manufacturers install self-tensioning nylon pins. Once installed, these pins cannot be adjusted. Although marketed as never requiring maintenance, blinds with these pins actually need to have their tension adjusted just as often as blinds without them.

Manufacturers that omit tension screws do so for a reason: to reduce their costs. Make sure the blinds you buy are designed to provide decades of service by giving you a way to adjust the blinds as needed.

Beware of plastic clips on the Tilt-Rod

A rocker rod is the vertical piece of wood that runs down the middle of each louver panel that is attached to each louver. Use a tilt rod to adjust the angle of the blinds.

Traditionally, rocker rods are attached to shutters using metal clips. Over time, or in a home with a lot of use (such as one with small children), staples may come out. Metal staples are easily repaired or replaced by pushing the staple back into its hole. To help secure it in place, you can first put a bead of glue in the hole and wipe off the excess. If you lose the staple, replacements are available at almost any hardware store, and most manufacturers will ship replacements for free.

However, some manufacturers have chosen to use plastic staples instead of metal ones. Plastic clips are not only more complicated and fragile than their metal counterparts, but it’s nearly impossible to find the parts themselves or someone to repair the shade if they’re damaged.

Buy a quality blind… but don’t buy more than you need

There are literally thousands of blinds on the market today. Most of them display a mix of high-quality and lower-quality features. Buying quality is important; but buying more blinds than you need is a waste of money. We hope that you are now armed with the information to wisely shop for the quality blinds you need and want for your home and lifestyle.