Not long ago Denver homeowners’ choices for plantation shutters were limited to wood.

However, today composite plantation shutters are the most popular choice.

A stained wood plantation shutter is a perfect choice if you want to match the existing wood trim of your home.

But if you’re like most homeowners and want a white plantation shutter, then a high-quality composite shutter is a better option than a white-painted wood shutter.

Wood or composite plantation shutters?

Today there are a number of “not-wood” choices

Plantation shutters that are not solid wood go by different names such as faux wood, poly-this or that, vinyl, or solid-body resin composite. All of these are composite shutters, but — they are not all created equally.

Many of these composite shutters actually have wood cores made from pressed sawdust (MDF) or extruded wood pulp sprayed with a plastic coating.

Cross section of a Poly or Faux Composite shutter with MDF (pressed saw dust) interior

These are composite shutters because composite just means — made from more than one material, but composite shutters with wood cores have many of the same disadvantages as solid wood shutters.

To know what you are paying for sellers need to disclose what materials have been ‘composited’ together, however, sellers of composite shutters with wood cores for obvious reasons are not keen on discussing their disadvantages with you.

What is the best solution?

The best composite shutters on the market contain no wood at all and are not plastic coated, these are called resin through-body-color composite shutters.

A cross-section shows our solid resin through-body color material – no wood pulp, no MDF, no pressed sawdust, no wood anywhere to worry about expanding, getting wet, or delaminating

The color is not painted, baked or dipped on, but is in the material itself, all the way through, and is why it is described as a “through-body-color” product.

Since the color is colorfast all the way through the material, minor scratches and wear and tear can sometimes be removed by light sanding. Don’t attempt to do that with a painted shutter.

• There is no coating to come off and there is no veneer to delaminate over time.  
• Since there is no wood, or wood pulp inside they are impervious to moisture and warping.

This is why we only offer solid resin composite interior plantation shutters, and they are visually indistinguishable from our solid wood shutters.

However, you can feel the difference in weight when you hold the material as it just feels more solid and substantial than wood core versions.

Is it white-painted wood or is it composite?

The benefits of wood as a plantation shutter material:

• The natural beauty of a wood stained finish   
• The lighter weight provides for the ability to specify a little wider panels    
• Offered in more finishes – both stained colors and painted colors, as well as sometimes custom colors. ‭ ‬

Solid wood shutters can be produced with a stained color to match existing trim 

The benefits of resin through body color composite plantation shutter are:

• The material is totally impervious to water or moisture of any kind  
• The finish will not peel, crack or alligator over time  
• They look identical to wood shutters  
• Due to our large sales volume, we can sell them priced a bit less than a wood shutter  
• The shutters have the same substantial feel of wood  
• They have a better warranty than wood
• They are easier to clean, dust is not attracted to them like the electro-static nature of wood

Solid resin through-body color composite plantation shutters stay looking brand new

If you want a stained color you will have to go with wood as really no composite plantation shutters can mimic true stained wood.

However, if you are interested in white (the most popular color) then certainly a composite resin shutter could be exactly what you want.

More durability, less cost and is indistinguishable from wood without any of its disadvantages.

White-painted wood plantation shutters eventually all look like this

An added benefit to solid composite is for installation in wet areas. There is no risk of warping. Try putting a wood core composite, a solid wood, a poly something, or a faux wood shutter inside a shower — it won’t last long.