Owner’s guide · Last updated September 2026
Your Sunbelt shutters are hand-built to last for years on the front of your home. Like any fine exterior woodwork, they reward a little routine attention: a complete finish, an occasional wash, and a once-a-year inspection keep them looking their best and working smoothly for decades.
Care at a Glance
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| On arrival | Inspect for damage or defects before finishing or installing. Let unfinished shutters acclimate indoors 24–48 hours before painting. |
| Before installing | Seal or paint all six sides, including edges, ends, and cut-outs, and let the finish cure fully. Primed shutters need their topcoats within 30 days. |
| Twice a year | Wash gently with mild soap and water and rinse. Inspect the finish and touch up any chips. |
| Once a year | Tighten hardware, lubricate pivots, check caulk and end grain, and treat any mildew. |
| Every few years | Recoat as the finish shows wear, sooner on sun- and weather-exposed sides. |
Finishing & Painting
A complete, well-applied finish is the most important thing you can do for exterior wood shutters. It seals out moisture, the main cause of warping, splitting, and paint failure.
Know what you ordered
- Primed (recommended if you plan to paint): primed in our shop with an exterior water-based primer, tinted gray. Add your topcoats within 30 days of delivery.
- Final paint: finished in our shop with an exterior water-based topcoat in satin. Ready to hang; just maintain the finish over time.
- Unfinished: you must prime and paint before installation. Do not leave unfinished wood exposed to the weather.
- Stain-grade: built from hand-selected pieces for a stained look. Apply a quality exterior stain and a clear UV-protective topcoat. We do not offer staining.
Finishing best practices
- Coat all six sides — front, back, top, bottom, and both edges — plus any cut-outs and end grain. Unsealed end grain wicks water.
- Use a quality 100% acrylic exterior paint, with two topcoats over primer.
- Follow the temperature and cure times on the paint can, and let each coat dry fully.
- Lightly scuff-sand between coats and wipe off the dust before recoating.
- Lighter colors reflect heat and reduce movement on sunny walls; very dark colors run hotter.
- Keep touch-up paint on hand so small chips can be sealed before they spread.
Cleaning Your Shutters
A gentle wash twice a year, in spring and fall, keeps dirt, pollen, and grime from dulling the finish and holding moisture against the surface.
- Mix mild soap (dish soap or a gentle cleaner) with a bucket of cool water.
- Dust or dry-brush loose debris from the louvers and corners.
- Wash with a soft cloth or soft-bristle brush, working along the louvers and panels.
- Rinse thoroughly with a garden hose at normal pressure, from the top down.
- Let air-dry, and wipe pooled water off ledges and louver edges.
Removing mildew
In shaded or humid spots, wipe mildew with one part white vinegar to three parts water, or a mild oxygen-based cleaner. Rinse well and let dry. Mildew that keeps returning usually means the area stays damp, so improve airflow or trim back plants.
Do
- Use mild soap, water, and a soft brush
- Rinse from the top down
- Clean spills and bird droppings promptly
Don’t
- Pressure-wash; it forces water into joints and strips the finish
- Use bleach, solvents, or abrasive pads
- Let sprinklers hit the shutters every day
Seasonal & Annual Maintenance
| Season | Check & do |
|---|---|
| Spring | Wash off winter grime and pollen. Look for chips or cracks from freeze-thaw and touch them up. Make sure shutters and arms operate freely. |
| Summer | Watch sun-facing sides for fading or chalking. Rinse off coastal salt spray more often. Secure open shutters so wind can’t slam them. |
| Fall | Deep-clean, then do the annual check: hardware, caulk lines, end grain, and mildew. Recoat where the finish is thin. |
| Winter | Keep water from pooling on ledges before freezes. Secure operable shutters against storms. Don’t let snow and ice sit against the wood. |
Your annual checklist
- Inspect every face and edge for chips, cracks, or peeling, then sand and touch up.
- Reseal end grain and any exposed cut edges.
- Check caulk where hardware meets the wall and renew it if cracked.
- Look for early mildew in shaded areas and treat it.
When to recoat
Repaint or recoat when the finish looks thin, chalky, or faded, or when touch-ups no longer blend — typically every few years, and sooner on hot, sunny, or coastal sides. Recoating on schedule is far easier than stripping failed paint later. A dime-size chip sealed this weekend prevents a swollen, split rail next year.
Caring for Each Wood
All of our woods are furniture-grade and perform well outdoors when fully sealed and maintained.
Southern Yellow Pine
Strong and economical, but the least naturally weather-resistant of our woods. It carries a 1-year warranty and depends most on a complete, well-kept finish. Prime and paint all sides, never leave it exposed, and paint rather than stain it.
Incense Cedar & Rough Sawn (Western Red) Cedar
Naturally stable and rot-resistant with a classic grain. Excellent painted or stained; if you stain, use a UV-protective exterior finish and refresh it periodically to prevent graying.
Red Grandis
A sustainably grown hardwood that is dimensionally stable and takes paint and stain exceptionally well. Maintain it as you would any painted hardwood.
African Mahogany
A premium, dense hardwood prized for stained finishes. Keep a clear UV-protective topcoat fresh to preserve the color and guard against sun and moisture.
Composite & Hardware
Extira® / Rockbridge composite
Composite resists moisture, rot, and termites, so it is our lowest-maintenance material and a good choice for painted shutters in humid or coastal areas. It still needs paint for looks and UV protection:
- Keep it painted. Composite arrives primed; maintain the topcoat as you would on wood.
- Clean it the same way: mild soap, water, a soft brush, and a rinse.
- Touch up paint chips so edges stay sealed and crisp. No special rot treatment is needed.
Vinyl shutters
Mastic vinyl shutters never need painting. Wash them with mild soap and water as above, and follow Ply Gem’s care information.
Hardware care
- Tighten hinge, pintle, and tieback screws once a year; vibration and wood movement loosen them over time.
- Lubricate hinge pivots and Bahama arm joints yearly with a light dry or silicone lubricant.
- Rinse hardware when you wash the shutters, especially near the coast, where salt speeds corrosion.
- Touch up chips on powder-coated steel and iron to prevent rust; stainless needs only a wipe-down.
- Open and close shutters by the stiles, and always secure open shutters with the shutter dog or slide bolt so wind can’t slam them.
- Adjust telescoping Bahama arms smoothly; don’t force a bound arm.
Troubleshooting
| If you notice… | Try this |
|---|---|
| Cracking or peeling paint | Scrape and sand the loose area to a sound edge, spot-prime bare wood, and repaint. Fix the moisture source (an unsealed edge or failed caulk). If it happens in the first year on a finish we applied, file a claim. |
| Mildew or green film | Wash with 1:3 white vinegar and water or a mild oxygen cleaner, rinse, and improve airflow and sunlight where you can. |
| A shutter sticks or won’t sit flush | Check for loose or bent hardware and tighten it; confirm even spacing at the wall. A thin finish can let edges swell, so reseal. |
| A tall hinged shutter sags | Make sure shutters 60 inches or taller hang on three hinges, and tighten the existing hinges. |
| Loose or wobbly hardware | Tighten the fasteners. If a hole is stripped, fill and re-drill or move to sound material, then re-caulk wall penetrations. |
| Surface checking or a hairline crack | Light checking is normal in wood: sand smooth, seal, and repaint. For a split that grows, send us photos. |
| Fading on one side of the house | Sun-exposed sides fade first. Plan to recoat those sides sooner, and consider lighter colors. |
Shutter Care FAQ
How often should I clean my exterior shutters?
Twice a year, in spring and fall. Use mild soap, cool water, and a soft brush, then rinse with a garden hose at normal pressure. Do not pressure-wash.
Do I need to paint all sides of my shutters?
Yes. Unfinished and stain-grade shutters must be sealed on all six sides, including edges, ends, and cut-outs, before installation. Unsealed end grain wicks water, which causes warping, splitting, and paint failure, and finishing every surface is a condition of the warranty.
How do I remove mildew from shutters?
Wipe it with one part white vinegar to three parts water, or a mild oxygen-based cleaner, then rinse well and let dry. Avoid bleach. Mildew that keeps coming back usually means the spot stays damp, so improve airflow or trim back plants.
When should I repaint my shutters?
Recoat when the finish looks thin, chalky, or faded, or when touch-ups no longer blend. That is typically every few years, and sooner on hot, sunny, or coastal sides of the house.
This guide offers general care recommendations for exterior wood and composite shutters. Always follow the directions on your paint or stain. See our full Warranty & Returns policy.