Our plantation shutters come in 2 ½”, 3”, 3 ½” and 4 ½” slat sizes. We offer this range of slat sizes so you can completely customize the look of your shutters to complement your windows.
What size slats on shutters is best?
With so many options in our polyvinyl and wooden slat shutters, how do you know which size to choose?
There are four main factors to consider when choosing a slat size:
- How deep are your windows recessed?
- How tall are your windows (or your café style shutters)?
- Is your décor style modern or traditional?
- How much light entry do you want in the room?
Let your personality shine through with your custom shutters!
Plantation shutter slat size guide
It is a good idea to look at recess depth first, to rule out any sizes that just won’t fit if there isn’t enough room for the slats to operate.
The shutter slat width determines how much depth is needed to make a full rotation open and closed without hitting your window glass or any obstructions (locks, handles, alarm sensors etc.).
Check out our
measuring guides for more detail on measuring recess depth.
Our measuring guides will let you know the depth required for each slat size to properly operate.
Keep in mind you can create extra depth with inside mount L-Frames by pulling them out past the edge of the window opening, or by using any outside mount frame.
You can use a shutter frame to extend the depth if your windows won’t accommodate your preferred slat size.
Once you know your recess depth, you can think about other design factors to help you select the best shutter slat size.
Proportion Control
Another deciding factor is how the shutter slat sizes will look in proportion to your window. A very tall window can look impressive with wider slats such as 4 ½” slats, while it might look too busy with 2 ½” slats.
On the other hand, 4 ½” slats can overpower a very small window, while 2 ½” slats will look very nice at that scale.
Keep in mind, there is a solid rail at the top and bottom of your shutters, holding everything together, and the moving slats fit in between those.
Smaller slats will look best in proportion to very short windows, like the transom shown in this example.
If you’re using tier on tier style, or splitting up the height with a mid-rail, this adds more solid material to your shutters. In these cases, smaller slats may fit better within the height constraints.
Our best-selling slat size is 3 ½” which gives you a happy medium if you’re simply torn on what size to use.
We can always provide a diagram for you to approve prior to production so you can see the exact number of slats you’ll have based on your window height and your selected slat size.
Modern v. Traditional Shutter slat sizes
Wider slats give a more modern look. With less lines, and more visibility, wide slats compliment your contemporary or modern décor.
Choose a hidden tilt rod for a more minimalist look, adding to the modern design, and making the shutters even easier to clean.
Smaller slats and narrower panels are more traditional to match your colonial or cottage style home décor. A central tilt rod to control the slats keeps the look very traditional.
2 ½” slats with a central tilt look add an element of traditional design to this bedroom.
Shutter slat sizes impact the light that's let in
When the slats are fully closed, all sizes will offer the same amount of light blockage and privacy. And of course, you can always fully open the shutter panels to let in the most sunlight and open your view up completely.
But if you’re keeping your panels closed, and your slats open, you may want to think about how much light entry you want to allow into the room.
Smaller slats will block more sunlight and offer more privacy when partially or fully open. Larger slats will allow more light into the room and more visibility.
Open and close your panels, or just the slats, depending on how much light you want entering the room.
Custom-made shutters give you control both aesthetically and functionally over how the shutters will look, and how much natural light they allow into the room. Sometimes different shutter slat sizes will work better in different rooms of the house, which is totally fine! Our shutter experts can help you measure and design your perfect shutters. Shop our shutter styles, and send your questions our way by phone, chat, or email. Contact us anytime!
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 your shutters. We're here to help!