Shutterly Fabulous always strives to provide our customers with as much information as possible.  Please use this resource centre as the first step to understanding what makes Shutterly Fabulous wood plantation shutters unique.

What are the shutters made from?
Shutterly Fabulous use only high quality solid hardwoods. We ‘don’t do’ MDF shutters! (see below). We use only the best available kiln dried wood available, manufacturing from either American Yellow Poplar or Elm. Both are equally hardwearing but offer different looks depending on your preference for the depth of grain visible on your shutters.
Importantly, all hardwoods are harvested from sustainable sources.

Why should I not consider MDF shutters?
MDF is a commonly used cheap composite material. Formed through compressing sawdust, glue and formaldehyde it’s an ideal material for solid items that don’t move – skirting boards for example – but not for quality plantation shutters. Not only is it exceptionally heavy, but the continual opening and closing of the shutter panels and shutter slats, is not suited to MDF. Overtime, joints can open and more often the plastic coating (not a true paint finish) starts to peel from the MDF. Are MDF shutters slightly cheaper than hardwood? Yes. Will my MDF shutters last? That’s something you can find out for yourself….
Our unique wood shutters are made only from solid hardwoods – we don’t use off cuts and wood waste to make our shutters, guaranteeing your plantation shutters are the finest quality available.

Are there health risks associated with MDF?

We have researched this extensively, considering different medical research papers. It is proven that MDF dust is an irritant and responsible for certain sino-nasal cancers. While in stable form, there is no conclusive evidence that MDF causes cancer, our belief is that we do not want to put customers at risk through installing MDF shutters in their homes.

So what wood does Shutterly Fabulous use?
We manufacture our plantation shutters from solid Yellow Poplar and Elm. They are stable quality hardwoods which are kiln dried to ensure your shutters don’t warp twist or degrade over time.

What is American Yellow Poplar?
American Yellow Poplar is a harvested from the Poplar tree. It is often used in quality shutter manufacture in North America and has been for a number of years. The poplar tree is very fast growing which ensures that the grain is smooth and consistent, ensuring your shutters are strong throughout. All our shutters are made from wood that is sustainably sourced.

What is Elm?
Elm is very similar to Oak in the detail of its grain. This option is offered for customers who prefer to see a more detailed grain within their shutters. Most customers choosing elm will opt for a stained finish, which really shows a stunning depth of grain when your shutters are installed.

Should I choose Poplar or Elm Shutters?
It’s entirely up to you. There is no right and no wrong, it’s just down your aesthetic preference. Both are equally high quality and there is no difference in price whichever wood you choose.

Are MDF shutters cheaper than solid hardwood plantation shutters?
MDF is a very cheap material as its essentially waste material therefore MDF shutters are slightly cheaper. However, the cost difference is very, very small. Shutters are an investment and saving a small amount of money to buy an inferior quality product is, in our opinion, false economy.

What other materials are plantation shutters made from?
You will see other shutter companies offering craftwood, phoenix wood, locke wood, MDF, basswood – to name but a few. We’ve already mentioned above why MDF is not suited to shutter construction but in our option and research, materials such as basswood (the same wood used to make tea chests) is too fragile for shutter manufacture – poplar and elm have proved an extremely high quality material over our many years of business and shutter manufacture.
All Shutterly Fabulous shutters are made from premium grade kiln dried hardwoods or, for wetrooms or particularly harsh moisture environments, we use polyvinyl.

What slat sizes do Shutterly Fabulous offer?

We no longer carry the small 47mm or 32mm slats. They block out too much light and look exceptionally fussy on the window. The basic principle of good shutter design is to keep it simple – less wood, everything in proportion and keep true to the design and style of the window.
As such we offer either a 64mm (2 ½”), 89mm (3 ½”) or 114mm (4 ½”) shutter slat option. They are ‘true size’ meaning the have a good half inch overlap ensuring maximum privacy and minimum light intrusion at night when the shutters are closed.

Why do other shutter companies offer 3 different ranges and have similar shutter photos?
As shutters have grown in popularity, many new upstart companies have arrived on the market, selling identical products. Shutterly Fabulous focus on quality and see no sense in offering you an inferior quality product to save a small amount of money. We also don’t supply inexperienced companies therefore you can be safe in the knowledge that when having a Shutterly Fabulous consultation, you’ll be seeing a genuinely unique shutter product.
Shutterly Fabulous shutters are exclusive to us. Call us on 0845 644 2873 to discover why we’re unique!

A local blind company sells shutters. Why should I not contact them?
We are focussed on plantation shutters and there is much more involved in measuring and installing wood shutters, versus blinds. Our Shutter Technicians install shutters every day therefore have a level of experience and expertise that you won’t find in your local blind shop.
We are the plantation shutter experts with thousands of satisfied customer – giving you piece of mind your shutters will be second to none!

Who measures and installs Shutterly Fabulous plantation shutters?
Your In House Consultant will often be the Company Director who started the company several years ago. He is experienced in quality shutter design and will give you a host of design options for you to think about and decide which works best for you.
All shutter installations are undertaken directly by Shutterly Fabulous Installation Technicians. We do not outsourced our work to someone else, which many other shutter companies seem to deem appropriate.
Everything we do from start to finish is simply Shutterly Fabulous!
Shutterly Fabulous do no outsource. Everything we do is undertaken directly by our own non commission driven team!

Are the merits of Shutterly Fabulous and their plantation shutters recognised by any professional body?
Shutterly Fabulous is proud to be a full corporate member of The Guild of Master Craftsmen. Our entire business has been scrutinised by the Guild to ensure that our shutters and installation service meets exactingly high standards set by the organisation. For more information visit www.guildmc.com.

How often do I need to repaint or stain my shutters?
Due to the high quality paint and stain process our shutters enjoy your shutters will not need retreating for a period of around 7 – 10 years. Of course this varies depending on how well you treat your shutters, but so long as you treat the panels with respect, your shutters will last a lifetime!

In summary, why are you Shutterly Unique?
We have a passion and a love of shutters (sad but true) and belief in our product that has propelled us to become among the most successful shutter companies in the UK. Our shutters themselves are unique to us, made to the highest quality standards using only the finest available materials. All provided by our Shutterly fabulous dedicated shutter team!

Call us on 0845 644 2873 and we’re sure you’ll agree – we’re simply Shutterly Fabulous!
Please use this website as your first resource. To receive a quote, please click here and if you have any questions not answered on this site, please contact us and our team will be happy to help.