Basswood is the wood of choice for most Wood House Shutters. Not only is it durable and able to withstand temperatures from the freezing cold to the tropical heat, but it is also reasonably priced and looks appealing both inside and outside your house. Although there are several kinds of hardwoods used in shutters, basswood is the top choice for wooden shutters.

Interior shutters are usually very straight and have a glossy surface. Unlike many species of wood that have heavy graining, basswood has a finer grain, making it an ideal choice for outside and inside shutters, particularly for those who do not necessarily care for wood grain or knotholes but do not want to paint the wood opaque.

Basswood is lightweight enough to be maneuvered and hung easily, yet tough enough to endure the extreme heat or cold. When you purchase interior window shutters, they are most likely made of basswood. There are several alternative woods used to make shutters, and you can read more about them here:

Oak

Oak is a very traditional wood and is particularly heavy. Oak also has a coarse grain. For the reason that oak is so stout, it is not the perfect option for interior Wood House Shutters since it can expect too much from the window jambs. Many people also do not care for the grainy appearance of oak, yet oak is not easily painted. Oak continues to be a popular choice for house shutters, just not the most sensible choice.

Maple

Maple is also a golden colored, heavy wood that is excellent as a dining set but can be very labor intensive when it is used for shutters. Because maple is particularly hard, the jambs need to be drilled prior to hanging the shutters, a job which will take time and patience. Maple interior shutters are very stout, like oak, and can wear down the window jambs.

Cedar

Cedar is a solid, strong hardwood that is easy to stain. Cedar wood is fairly light which results in it being easy to work with when fashioned into interior wooden shutters. Unlike oak or maple, cedar shutters will not wear down the window jamb. Then again, cedar is more easily dented than oak or maple and could have need of replacement.

Poplar

Because poplar is striped with minerals and has a grey-green hue, it looks better when painted rather than stained. For most people, the benefit of wooden shutters is the look of real wood. Most people don’t care for poplar because they prefer not to have to paint the Wood House Shutter. Painting normally requires touching up much more often than staining. For this reason, poplar, although more economical than the other woods, is not often chosen for use as house shutters.