Installing plantation shutters is as simple and straightforward as can be! With no previous DIY experience, you can still follow our simple measuring and installation guides to mount your own window shutters with ease. A common question / concern is if shutters can be installed in UPCV windows, and the answer is yes! It is the same easy process as installing into wooden framed windows.
How to fit shutters to uPVC windows
Inside Mount or Outside Mount for UPVC Windows?
As with any shutter installation, you will want to reference our measuring guides to ensure that the shutter frame and slat size you select will have the room to properly operate.
You will want to check how much unobstructed recess depth you have, accounting for any window handles or locks. You can reference the chart on page 9 of our
inside mount measuring guide to see how much depth is needed for each available slat size.
You can also print the frame template for your chosen frame and place it inside your window recess to visualize where it will mount and ensure it does not block access to the handle or locks.
If depth is limited, not to worry – you can always go with an outside mount instead. Outside mount frames surround the window opening, leaving the window recess free and clear and pushing the shutters out further away from glass so you have extra depth for the slats to operate. This will also allow your windows to tilt in if they open inwards.
The same chart for depth requirements is on page 10 of the
outside mount measuring guide, but with an outside mount your total available depth will be your window depth + the depth of your chosen shutter frame.
Benefits of Outside Mount >>
What Shutter Style Should I Choose for UPVC Windows?
Any shutter style will work with your UPVC window. However, if you have a large window opening and are concerned about the weight of the shutter unit, then we would suggest ordering a wooden shutter. Our
wooden shutters are durable 100% solid hardwood but are still lighter in weight than our
polyvinyl shutters. The aluminum core inside of our solid polyvinyl shutters makes them a bit heavier.
Full Height or Café style shutters are easiest to install. While of course
café style shutters are lighter in weight since they only cover the lower portion of the window, they are also only framed around 3 sides (left, right, and bottom).
A
full height shutter with a 4-sided frame will be the easiest to install. The frame around all 4 sides provides support catching the magnets at the top and bottom of the shutter panel to keep the panels aligned and closed, as well as guaranteeing a perfect square area for the panels to hang rather than relying on the squareness / levelness of your window opening.
How Do I Install the Shutter Frame to uPVC windows?
You will follow the same
installation guides for UPVC windows as for any other shutter installation. For an inside mount, customers often worry about drilling into UPVC window frames.
If drilling into UPVC window or door frames, it is important not to drill too deeply into the frame, and not to use screws that are too long. When drilling, once you feel a bit of resistance, that is time to stop drilling. This will indicate that you’ve hit the steel reinforcement and drilling through this may compromise the structural integrity.
Given that the holes for an inside mount are parallel to the glass, not facing toward the window frame itself, you generally do not need to worry about drilling into the PVC material. You will be drilling into the sides and top and bottom of the window opening
not directly into the frame of the vinyl window. The holes for an outside mount face toward your wall / window but the shutter frame is sitting outside of the window recess, so again you are not drilling into the vinyl frame in this case either.
The most common exception to this might be mounting a shutter to a French Door. This is an outside mount, but you are mounting the shutter frame directly onto the door, with the frame surrounding the glass. There is no special hardware necessarily needed in this instance, but again the length and position of the screws is important to ensure you do not hit the glass or the steel reinforcement.
French Door and Other Special Shape Shutters >>
You may consult your window or door’s manufacturer or a local hardware store for any suggested guidance on anchors or reinforcement if you have concerns about getting a secure mount.