Are shutters blackout?
Interior plantation shutters are the best window treatment for room-darkening. While our shutters are not certified as total blackout shutters, they will block the vast majority of light, and provide optimum light blockage compared to other window treatments.
Take it from our satisfied, repeat customers, as our shutters have helped keep their homes insulated, and provided a better night’s rest by blocking harsh sunlight.
Shutters vs Curtains or Blinds
Plantation shutters are designed to allow you flexible light filtering control, you can easily adjust the amount of light that comes into the room. You can select your preferred slat size, and you can choose to rotate the slats open and closed, or completely swing the panel doors open for full light-entry.
Regardless of the slat size you choose, the slats will close flat in the upwards direction for maximum light blockage and privacy.
Blinds leave gaps around the edges, and the blades do not overlap tightly enough to completely darken a room.
Curtains draped over a window can still allow light to peek through, and depending on the material, some are even quite sheer.
Neither blind shades nor curtains are as thick as our 100% solid shutters, therefore making shutters better at insulation to reduce heating/cooling costs, and better at blacking out sunlight when closed.
Louvered vs Solid Shutters
For maximum light blockage and privacy, we offer full solid raised panel shutters. These are made of 100% solid poplar wood and offer full coverage similar to a cabinet door.
Our louvered shutters are designed where the slats overlap one another, each slat overlapping the next by ½” to prevent light from coming through in between the slats when they are closed pointing upwards. This still allows you optimum light blockage when the slats are closed, though a slight glow of light may be present between the slats and solid stiles on each side that hold the slats in place.
If you have shutters with more than one panel, the panels on the right will overlap the left to block any additional light from coming through where the panels meet. Folding panels are also rabbeted to prevent light seepage between each panel.
Whether you choose solid panel or louvered shutters, choosing a frame will also minimize any light from coming in between the shutter panels and the window casing. Our frames have a light block piece that extends behind the panels, not visible when the panels are closed, acting to block light bleeding through between the panels and frame.
Reviews of The Shutter Store - Shutters for Blackout
Especially popular for bedroom windows, including large bay windows, shutters will darken a room so that the morning sun does not wake you up with either the glare or the heat.
Our happy customers have shared their results and their satisfaction with the room-darkening effect of our shutters.
“My wife is a nurse working the graveyard shift, and our shutters have made a huge difference in allowing her to sleep through the morning sun!” – William, FL
“We ordered one set of shutters for our nursery, and were so happy with the blackout results, we decided to order more for the Master Bedroom!” – Jillian, AZ
We suggest full height shutters if you are looking for blackout shutters, as café style leaves the top of the window open, and tier on tier style will have a slight gap in between the top and bottom tiers.
Regardless of material, you are guaranteed a 100% solid shutter that is thick, durable, and will be UV protected to withstand harsh, direct sunlight.
Custom-made to your exact dimensions, down to the 1/16th of an inch, your shutters will fit like a glove eliminating gaps that may be present in off-the-shelf shutters.
This post was brought to you by Yasmeen, one of The Shutter Store USA's experienced shutter consultants. Contact our team today for advice on finding the right shutters for your windows. If you're still unsure what type of tilt rod to opt for, we're here to help every step of the way!