Plantation shutters are slatted wooden blinds that sit in their own frame, and are drilled directly into your windowsill. The slats, or louvers, can be tilted to open or closed, allowing you to customize how much airflow and light you allow into the room. Adding plantation window shutters to your Raleigh, NC home can give you tons of great benefits, such as:

• Closing plantation shutters can help minimize drafts, helping keep rooms warm in the winter.
• They are flexible and easily customizable to match with other curtains or blinds, as well as different kinds of windows.
• They help reduce noise pollution from the outside.
• Tilting but not shutting the slats allows for air ventilation and privacy, and security at the same time.
• As the slats minimize light pollutions, they allow for better, undisturbed sleep through the night and into the morning.
• They provide privacy without reducing light, as a simple tilting of the slats keeps passersby from seeing in but still allows in light.
• They increase a home’s property value, as they have an elegant and highbrow air.

But what happens when plantation shutters are old or out of style? Rather than replace them, trying sprucing them up with a new paint job. Painting plantation shutters isn’t very hard to do, especially if you simply follow these tips and tricks for painting plantation window shutters:

Remove shutters and hardware – Don’t forget to label your shutters as you remove them to make sure you put them back on the right window when you’re done. Do the same for any and all hardware.

• Sand – Its best to remove old paint by sanding shutters with a fine grit sandpaper. This helps create a cleaner surface for the new paint. Don’t forget to wipe away dust and grit with a clean cloth after sanding to ensure you end up with a smooth paint job.
• Temporarily hang – Rehang the shutters using eyehooks and string, making sure they can swing freely. This will make it easier for you to paint the front and the back at the same time without having to wait for one side to dry.
• Prime – Applying a water-based primer before you paint is recommended to ensure a smoother finish with fewer drips. You can spray paint on the primer, but be sure to only spray in one direction, in a continuous motion. While spraying, open the louvers one way, and then be sure to open them the other way to get all sides. Repeat this for all shutters.
• Paint – Then you paint! Be sure the primer is fully dry, and spray the shutter paint on in the same method you used for the primer.

Kiwi Designs, Fine Blinds & Shutters, offers expert Raleigh, NC window shutter services. To get more shutter tips, or to learn more about what we can do for you, please visit us at 1785 NW Maynard Rd Cary, NC 27513, or give us a call at (919) 380-0898.