Minneapolis's Frequently Asked Questions About Shutters

For more than 26 years, we’ve been asked every question about shutters imaginable from our customers in Minneapolis. And we’ve collected the top ten of them here. Perhaps in these questions and answers you’ll find answers to questions of your own. If not, please don’t wait to contact Sunburst Shutters Minneapolis directly. We’re here to aid you and happy to do so.

That depends on how you would like the shutters to mesh with your home’s décor. Do you want a shutter that contrasts your wall paint color and has clean lines? Polywood® plantation shutters are perfect for you. Or are you looking to copy the wood in your home as closely as possible? Ovation® wood shutters are an absolute fit for you.

Plantation shutters are known for being energy efficient. And to get the most energy savings, our Polywood Shutter Insulation System is the only choice.

An inappropriately installed window treatment can be difficult to open and can get damaged easily. We have a skilled installation crew that comes to your home and installs your window treatment exactly, making sure that each one moves flawlessly – and doesn’t get damaged when opened and closed.

But before we get to installing your shutters, we bring shutter samples to your home so we can custom fashion your window treatment together. Learn more about our free in-home consultation.

Your plantation shutter slats – or louvers – can be moved easily by adjusting them up or down. Usually, a tilt rod mounted on the front of the shutters allows you to adjust the louvers. To move the louvers with your hand, we recommend buying shutters with hidden tilt-rods or rear-mounted tilt rods. This gives your shutters a clean, contemporary look.

Our Polywood shutters last more than 50 years – more than any other shutter in the US. That’s why these plantation shutters are a permanent fixture that raises your home’s resale value. Learn more about the durability of our shutters.

Plantation shutters are simple to clean because they have large louvers and their tilt bars are either hidden or mounted on the rear. Gently tilt them open and dust them like furniture – or wipe smudges with a damp cloth.

Plantation shutters are custom fashioned to fit your windows down to the last one eighth of an inch. They become a permanent fixture of your home, increasing its resale value. This means they can’t be moved from one house to another.

Plantation shutters are an investment that provides you with temperature control, energy efficiency, and privacy. They are custom designed and installed on your windows to become permanent fixtures. Not only are they lovely and energy saving, but plantation shutters also add to the value of your house. We’ve seen it first hand in Minneapolis!

Sunburst Shutters Minneapolis is happy to provide a collection of window coverings made right here in the U.S.A. Our popular Polywood plantation shutters are 100% American-made, from the creation of our exclusive Polywood material to the building of the shutters themselves. Not only does that mean savings passed on to you from cutting unnecessary shipping and handling costs, it also gives you the benefit of knowing you’ve chosen an all-American window treatment for your Minneapolis home.

And it’s not just Polywood that’s from America. Our naturally beautiful Reclaimed Wood shutters are constructed with lumber repurposed from sources across the country, from homespun Southern barn doors to sturdy Texas ranch fences and more.

The main differentiator between a shutter that’s stained or painted is how the material of the shutter interacts with the color. Paint lays on the top layer of the shutter, covering the surface. Stains on the other hand penetrate the shutter, becoming a part of the natural wood or Polywood material.

Both methods come with their individual benefits. There are usually more color choices for paints. With stained shutters, the color doesn’t interfere with the natural wood grain, so you’re able to see the natural knots and bumps of the material without it being masked by a layer of paint.

During your in-home shutter consultation, our team will bring paint and stain samples right to your door so you can perfectly match and complement colors with your current design.

The complete plantation shutter process, beginning with your starting consultation through installation, usually takes approximately four to six weeks. The reason it takes this long is because our goal is to build the perfect shutters for your windows. Doing that requires us to take precise measurements, utilize sophisticated software to design them, assemble your brand-new shutters manually, and ship them to you prior to installation. Wood shutters typically take longer than faux wood because of the staining and finishing process.

It will take some time, but it’s definitely worth the wait.

Sunburst Shutters Minneapolis offers a complete in-home shopping experience. We’ll send one of our reps to you to measure all your windows, show you your options, and give you an accurate quote. The in-home consultation is 100% free. That’s the easiest way to start your window treatment project. If you’re only looking for a ballpark estimate, you can give us your window measurements either by phone or through our contact form.

The answer will depend on your personal style. If you want to keep your trim in place, we’re able to build custom shutters to complement your current trim. If you like our shutter frames better, then you can take out the existing trim—but it is not a requirement for shutters. If you’re trying to go trimless or replace your trim, we can help you pick the best option to match the vision you have in mind for your windows.

If you’re an experienced handyman, you might be familiar with what goes into a shutter installation. However, DIY shutters might be a bit tricky for most Minneapolis homeowners. Our suggestion is to leave the installation to our certified and insured professionals, that way you won’t risk damage to your shutters, windows, or injuring yourself.

By far our most in-demand shutter options are our classic white Polywood® plantation shutters, and Ovation® hardwood shutters.

To get more specific, the most common shutter configuration we sell is a 3 ½” louver, non-textured finish, and a Z-frame. If all that information is confusing, that’s ok. We’d be happy to demonstrate what all that means in person. Set up a complimentary in-home consultation and we’ll help you find what will look best in your home.

Shutters with a smooth finish tend to look more fashionable and suave, whereas textured finish shutters look a little more natural. However the perks to both types of plantation shutter finish go a little bit farther, and ultimately come down to your own personal preference.

Perks of shutters with a smooth finish – A smooth finish to your shutters give you a solid, chic, sophisticated look. A smooth finish may be what you want if your home has few other wood textured accessories or furniture. A smooth finish is easier to see when it needs dusting, in comparison with a wood grain finish. We usually recommend a smooth finish for faux wood shutters like Polywood.

Perks of a textured or wood grain finish for shutters – Shutters with a textured finish offer a more natural look in your home. That’s awesome if you’re trying to bring the beauty of nature indoors, especially if you want to complement the look of your hardwood floors. A textured finish on your shutters can also make it harder to see dust, meaning you can wait a little longer between regular cleanings. A wood-grain finish looks especially great on real wood shutters in Minneapolis.

For the most part, the larger the surface area of your window, the more shutter panels you’ll want on it. The optimal design is to use one panel for windows up to 26 in. wide, two panels for windows up to 50 in. wide, and four for windows up to 98 in. wide.

Single wide panels aren’t as user-friendly as multiple panels. Oftentime, wider panels can’t fit flush against the wall because of their size. Multiple small panels solve that issue.

For windows that you’ll open or shut regularly, you’re usually better suited with multi-panel shutters, since it’s easier to open them and they get more support from the frame when you do open and close them.

With Sunburst Shutters Minneapolis, any and all measurements for shutters will be done for free by one of our installers as part of your in-home consultation. If you happen to have windows in a difficult to reach area of your house or you have windows with a distinct shape, our shutter pros can get you a precise measurement so that the final product will perfectly match up with your windows.

At your free shutter consultation, your Sunburst Shutters installer can help you narrow down your options from our wide array of Minneapolis plantation shutters, featuring choices for finish, stain colors, and custom framing options.

So set up your free consultation today by calling 952-856-8130 today.

Sunburst can assist you in picking the perfect shutter for your rooms, regardless of how small your frame. We will use an outside mount installation that affixes to the trim or wall outside the window pane . Your shutters will still have the same capabilities and energy efficiency, and will tie in seamlessly with other window treatments.

If the louver is disconnected and hanging from the frame, you likely have a broken louver pin. To mend this you should take out the pin from both the louver and the stile with some needle-nose pliers or a utility knife. Once the damaged pin is withdrawn, put the undamaged pin base into the same hole in the shutter stile, then guide the louver onto the pin. To receive extra louver pins for free, just call us at 952-856-8130.

Pricing on plantation shutters revolves on the desired product line and window dimensions. While we can offer you an estimate over the phone, complete quotes are determined after our free in-person consultation. Call 952-856-8130 to make an appointment today.

To start, pull out the broken staple away from the louver with some of needle-nose pliers. Then use some adhesive (like wood glue or epoxy) to spread all over the legs of a replacement staple. guide the staple through the loop on the louver and slide its legs into the existing staple holes on the tilt rod. For new shutter staples, call us at 952-856-8130.

Shades offer a host of colors and unique patterns, turning your window into artwork. By effortlessly pulling up the fabric of the shade, your whole window is exposed and you can see out onto your Minneapolis neighborhood.

Draperies also offer a wide variety of color, fabric, and patterns. They are a traditional choice for a window treatment. Placing thick panels between the drapes and the window allows for light and temperature block-out capabilities. And unlike other window treatments, there’s no rush to clean draperies for five years.

If you are searching for a window treatment that lasts over 10 years, saves you money on your energy bills, and looks exquisite on your windows, shutters are the choice for your home. Not only are shutters durable, but they’re also exquisite and energy efficient. As a matter of fact, Polywood shutters insulate up to 70% better than an equivalent wood shutter. That’s energy savings you can’t get with any other window treatment.

No other window treatment gives you control over privacy and light as plantation shutters do. And with their large louvers, Polywood plantation shutters give your house a clean modern feel whether they’re closed or open.

A half shutter gives you privacy on the bottom and leaves the top open for light and view. It’s called a café style shutter. But is it the right look for a plantation shutter?

Cafe Shutters Cafe Style Shutters With Divider

What it comes down to is style choice – whether you like the look of a half shutter or that of a plantation shutter with a divider rail.

A full length shutter with a divider rail “completes” your window, giving it a polished look – and letting you close the bottom louvers for privacy while leaving the top louvers open for light. At night, you can close the top louvers as well for privacy and security. This also comes in handy during the day when the sun is preventing you from watching TV. And don’t worry about losing any of your view. A 3.5" or 4.5" louver will almost disappear when opened flat and gives you plenty of room to look through.

Easy! Call us at 952-856-8130 or fill out the form below to schedule your free in-home consultation, and we’ll take it from there. We come out to your home to measure the windows you want to shutter and bring samples of all of our shutter products and their available options. Once you’ve selected a shutter that matches your style, we can provide you with the best shutter quote for your project. Schedule your in-home consultation today!

Absolutely! There’s rarely a reason to take out or make alterations to your existing window trim when you buy new plantation shutters. Natural Ovation wood shutters and premier Polywood shutters can be customized with a variety of frame styles to fit easily into your existing window trim. If your windows are trimless, we offer frame styles to install directly onto the wall around your window to fix your stunning new shutters to your window opening.

Your installer will measure each of your home’s windows during your free in-home consultation to ensure that your new shutters will fit perfectly with your window trim.

Polywood shutters are seen as some of the safest window coverings in Minneapolis. The durable, cordless design is safe for kids and pets. The toxin-free and hypoallergenic paint and materials will never chip or peel. And because Polywood is moisture and pest resistant, you will not have to worry about termites, mold or wood rot.