Our wooden shutters are all made of 100% solid hardwood, never hollow or composite, for a long-lasting and durable shutter. We use either poplar or elm wood to manufacture our wooden shutters.
Wood is a great material for your shutters, as it is easy to work with, easy to sand or adjust when installing, or repair or paint due to wear and tear over the long life of your shutters. UV protected and sealed to withstand high heat and direct sunlight, no need to worry about The Shutter Store’s wooden shutters peeling, cracking or yellowing in the sun.
We have 4 different wooden shutter ranges to offer you great options in style, price point, and turnaround time. So, what is the difference between all wooden shutters, and how will you know which is best for you?
Poplar vs. Elm Wood
If you are looking to have a smooth wood surface, we recommend poplar wood. Painted poplar wood will have smooth paint finish, with no visible wood grain. Grain is visible when poplar wood is stained, and this is the easiest type of wood to paint or stain yourself if desired.
For a deeper grain and more rustic look, we recommend elm wood shutters. Even when painted, you will still be able to see and feel the wood grain and texture on your shutters. More difficult to paint or stain for DIY, we recommend choosing one of our available paints or stains from our Premium Elm Hardwood range.
Poplar Wood Ranges Compared
Classic Poplar Hardwood
Classic Poplar Hardwood is our best-selling poplar shutter. Available in 10 paint or 9 stain colors and offering the most variety of framing options, you can’t go wrong with this classic option.
Manufactured overseas in about 6-7 weeks*, this range comes in the most variety of styles: full height, café, tier-on-tier, full solid, and special shapes. This is the only wood range to come in a full solid raised panel, half-solid raised panel, and the full selection of custom special shapes.
This is also the only range offering custom color-matching, making it the most customizable of all ranges.
Designer Collection
The Designer Collection gives a modern twist to our Classic Poplar shutters. This range has a flat louver (the same thickness from edge to edge, versus the standard elliptical shape louver on most shutters). This gives a sleek, modern look with clean lines.
The Designer Collection offers a wide range of 26 paint options (13 available colors, offered in either a satin or high gloss finish).
Manufactured overseas in about 6-7 weeks*, this range comes in the following styles: full height, café, tier-on-tier, and select special shapes.
American Hardwood
American Hardwood is the American-made version of our poplar wood shutters. Using the same material as Classic Poplar Hardwood, these 2 ranges are very comparable.
The American Hardwood range has 8 paints and 9 stains to choose from and is available in either Full Height or Café Style.
The American Hardwood starts at a higher price point but is proudly made in California. This cuts the lead time down to about 4 weeks* manufacturing time. For an additional surcharge, we also offer Express American Hardwood, ready to ship in about 2-3 weeks*.
Elm Wood Shutters
The Premium Elm Hardwood is our only range made in 100% solid elm wood. This is a great option for farmhouse style homes, cabins, or anywhere you are looking to have a natural, rustic décor.
Premium Elm Hardwood has 10 paint and 9 stain colors to choose from, and a wide range of frame styles and louver sizes to choose from.
Color samples can be ordered and are highly recommended for you to see an example of the Elm wood shutters prior to ordering. Elm wood will absorb the color differently than a vinyl or poplar wood shutter, so be sure to choose a sample in this material if it is one you are considering.
Keep in mind, elm wood has the most natural variation in its grain, so it is common for each shutter to have a unique grain and texture.
Manufactured overseas in about 6-7 weeks*, this range comes in the following styles: full height, café, tier-on-tier, and select special shapes.
Needless to say, we have an abundance of options to choose from, ensuring you can achieve the style you envision for your home! Send in a picture of your current décor or an existing shutter you would like to match, and our shutter experts can gladly assist in selecting the best option.
Ready to get started? Have a quick read over our measuring guides, and then head to our Shop page to start designing your custom shutters!
*Manufacturing times can vary throughout the year especially during holiday season. Stains, special shapes, high gloss and custom color orders can incur an added 2-3 weeks of manufacturing time. See our shipping information page for the most up-to-date manufacturing times.
This post was brought to you by Yasmeen, one of The Shutter Store USA's experienced shutter consultants. Get in touch today for advice on choosing your wooden plantation shutters for your home! Our friendly team of shutter experts are a call, chat or email away! Upload a picture of your windows with your order or send it in to our support team for help designing your perfect shutters. We are here to help!