Unique Wooden Shutters From FSC Wood - Options From The Shutter Store

Shutter Store shutters are not like shutters you may find from other companies on the web. These shutters are completely unique here in the US and represent something very different from any other shutters you can buy in the US. First of all, our shutters are made using only premium grade, FSC certified hardwoods. That means that your shutters will last a lifetime and look like the quality product they should. No plastic shutters, no fauxwood shutters, no MDF shutters – just genuine, high quality wooden shutters.

Your wood shutters can be ordered made from either Yellow Poplar or Elm woods. The first thing to state upfront, is that there is no difference in the quality of the shutter, irrespective of which wood type you choose. Elm wood shutters are slightly more expensive to buy than poplar shutters but this is simply down to the cost difference in buying the wood. Elm trees take slightly longer to grow therefore the wood price we pay to make these shutters is higher than poplar shutters. There is no difference in the actual quality of the wood.

So – when deciding whether you should buy poplar or elm shutters, here are the main things to consider....

Elm shutters have a much deeper grain than poplar shutters. Elm is very similar in appearance and feel to oak. The grain is deeper within the wood, therefore when stained, the strain absorbs into the crevices within the wood and creates quite a striking difference in color. The lines within the grain are also quite tightly compacted together therefore elm, if chosen with a mid range stain such as light or golden oak can be quite imposing (dark stain shutters such as black walnut as a rule show less variation in wood grain color as the overall effect is to see a dark shutter).

The photos below show stained elm wood and the difference in grain and appearance on the shutters...

Poplar shutters have a much smoother grain than elm shutters. It’s important to point out that when we talk about the difference between a smooth and deep grain, we’re talking about the actual physical feel of the wood itself. The best way to describe this is to imagine running your fingernails over the wood. It you did this on poplar, your fingernails would run across the wood, smooth as silk. If you did this with elm your fingernails would feel little lines/grooves within the wood.

So – which is right for you? If choosing painted shutters, 99.9% of our customers order poplar shutters. They want a smooth finish and poplar is a good wood to use for your shutter. With stained shutters, it’s personal preference if you go for elm or poplar. If you want a more colonial shutter look, then elm is a good choice – rich, deep grains and sweeping detail make elm shutters a good choice for a stain. However, if you want the warmth of a stain for your shutters, but don’t want the grain detail of the wood to be too significant, poplar shutters would be your better choice.

The Shutter Store has a wonderful team of expert people who can help advise you on the best shutter option for your home. You can contact us and send a photo of your room and tell us a little about the furniture and flooring with your room and we can mail you back with some specific design tips that we think you’ll find extremely useful in helping you make the right shutter decision.