The Best Custom Shutters, Blinds & Shades!
Proudly Serving the Cincinnati metro area
Interior plantation shutters

Quality Faux Wood Shutters vs Inferior Faux Wood Shutters in Cincinnati

May 06, 2019

There are many faux wood shutters available, but what’s the difference between good faux wood shutters, like our Polywood® shutters, that will hold up over decades and faux wood shutters that will wear out in just a short amount of time?

The trick is to pay attention to the faux wood shutter’s craftsmanship and specifics such as its durability, finish, and energy efficiency capabilities.

Faux Wood Plantation Shutters in Cincinnati 

Quality faux wood won’t splinter, crack, chip or warp

All new faux wood shutters look great when first put up.  However, shutters that are crafted with lower-quality materials such as cheap composites, vinyl-wrapped particleboards, or hollow louvers may bow, chip, splinter, or discolor.  You won’t want cheap faux wood shutters in your everyday rooms or in spaces that have high heat, cold, or moisture.  

Well-made faux wood, like Polywood, is made from extruded compounds that is made so it won’t warp, discolor or fall apart.  Its synthetic structure allows shutters to defy bowing, splintering, cracking, and chipping, especially in high-moisture or varying-temperature areas.  Checking the warranty should be the easiest way to tell the quality of a faux wood shutter.  Companies that offer a lifetime guarantee stand behind their shutters because they only use the highest quality of materials.

Polywood Shutters in Family Room in Cincinnati 

Quality faux wood is easy to clean

Dusting is the same process for all types of faux wood plantation shutters.  However, in-depth cleaning has another set of issues. Vinyl and other cheap materials will absorb some moisture when scrubbed with spray cleaner.  Some faux wood shutters also have coatings that can trap dust and grime so that they are more difficult to clean.

Manufacturers that produce quality shutters know that faux wood should be simple to wipe down.  For example, Polywood uses a finish that is easy to wipe down quickly, and then your shutters seem always clean.  Good faux wood is completely water resistant, so if any muck and grime gets on the shutter, it will come clean with a little water or liquid cleaner.

Quality faux wood is energy efficient

When you lower your high-quality faux wood shutters, you should experience a quantifiable change in air flow and heat transfer.  The solid louvers and dense composites will help block sunlight that makes the room toasty and heat loss that can cool down the space.  The best faux wood shutters, like Polywood shutters, will even go further in ensuring energy efficiency through UV inhibitors and weather stripping.

Shutters crafted with a low quality composite doesn’t demonstrate the same energy-saving benefits.  Shutters with shoddy materials or hollow louvers will still let the outside air flow in freely. As time goes on, substandard shutters can begin to warp and permanently separate the louvers.  The way to find out if you are using a subpar faux wood is by finding its R-rating. The higher the number, the more energy efficient the shutter.

Polywood Shutters in Cincinnati Bathroom 

Call a Cincinnati shutters rep and get a quality faux wood treatment

Finding a good faux wood shutter can sometimes seem like an impossible task.  Luckily, our Sunburst representatives will bring you all our faux wood lines, so you can pick the perfect window treatment for your rooms.  To book a free in-home consultation, call 513-216-9740 today.