How to Install Wood Exterior Shutters

Installation instructions are written by ShutterLand, a U.S. exterior shutter specialist with over two decades of hands-on experience mounting shutters on residential homes and commercial properties.

Wood exterior shutters can be installed with hinges for functional operation or permanently mounted beside the window with fixed brackets. The installation method should be determined during the process of measuring for wood exterior shutters because it affects shutter dimensions, placement, and hardware requirements.

The instructions below apply to wood louvered, solid panel, combination, and board and batten shutters. Wood Bahama shutters use a top-mounted hinge and follow separate Bahama shutter installation instructions.

Before Installing Wood Exterior Shutters

Unpack and inspect wood shutters shortly after delivery.

If the shutters will not be installed immediately, store them in a clean, dry, protected location. Position the shutters horizontally on their side or edge with adequate support along the length. Do not store shutters flat on their face or standing vertically or leaning upright for an extended period.

Factory-painted shutters arrive finished on all surfaces. Unfinished wood shutters must be properly primed and painted before installation to protect the wood from exposure to moisture and weather.

Confirm that the shutters, hinges, pintles, shutter dogs, brackets, and other hardware correspond with the intended installation before beginning.

Tools and Materials

Most wood shutter installations require:

• Sturdy ladder
• Cordless drill
• Drill bits appropriate for the installation
• Driver bits
• Awl or marking tool
• Level
• Tape measure
• Painter’s tape
• Shims or spacers
• Ratchet or wrench set
• Appropriate mounting screws and anchors
• Touch-up primer and paint

Brick, masonry, stone, or other installation surfaces may require specialized drill bits, anchors, or fasteners.

How to Install Functional Wood Exterior Shutters

Functional wood shutters are mounted with hinges and pintles so they can swing between the open and closed positions. Depending on the window construction, the shutters may close inside the window opening or in front of the window casing.

The intended closed position should have been established when measuring for wood exterior shutters.

Step 1: Position the First Shutter

Temporarily hold one shutter at the window in its intended closed position.

For an inset installation, position the shutter inside the window opening with shims around the perimeter to establish consistent clearance.

For a surface-mounted installation, position the shutter in front of the window casing at the location established during measuring.

Wood louvered shutters are installed with the bottom rail at the bottom. When the shutter is closed, the louvers should slope downward toward the exterior.

Confirm that the shutter can swing from the closed position to the fully open position without contacting trim, siding, masonry, light fixtures, downspouts, or other obstructions.

Step 2: Determine the Hinge Locations

With the shutter positioned at the window, determine the locations of the top and bottom hinges.

Note the hinge positions in relation to the shutter rails so they can be accurately placed after the shutter is moved to a work surface.

IStep 3: Attach the Hinges to the Shutter

Remove the shutter and place it horizontally on a stable work surface or sawhorses with the exterior face upward.

Position the bottom hinge along the outside edge of the shutter. Strap hinges and New York-style L hinges are typically centered vertically on the bottom rail. Other hinge styles may require different positioning.

Mark each screw location with an awl.

Pre-drill each location with a 1/16-inch drill bit. Do not drill deeper than the length of the mounting screws.

Secure the hinge with screws through all mounting holes.

Repeat the process for the top hinge.

If additional hinges are required because of shutter height, weight, or installation conditions, position them between the upper and lower hinges as appropriate for the selected hardware.

Step 4: Establish the Lower Pintle Position

Return the shutter to its intended closed position with assistance.

Align the lower pintle with the barrel of the bottom hinge and raise the pintle into position against the building.

Mark the lowest mounting hole in the pintle plate.

Remove the shutter as necessary and install one screw through the marked hole to temporarily secure the lower pintle. Pre-drill the mounting surface when required.

Step 5: Establish the Upper Pintle Position

Return the shutter to the window and lower the bottom hinge onto the lower pintle.

Use a level to position the shutter vertically.

Insert the upper pintle into the barrel of the top hinge and hold the pintle plate against the building. Install one screw through the lowest mounting hole to temporarily secure the upper pintle.

Check the shutter for alignment and confirm that it swings freely.

Uneven siding or trim may require a suitable shim behind a pintle plate to provide a stable, properly aligned mounting surface.

Step 6: Secure the Pintles

Carefully swing the shutter partially open and lift it off the pintles without disturbing their positions.

Install the remaining screws through the upper and lower pintle plates.

Use fasteners appropriate for the mounting surface. Masonry installations may require anchors or masonry fasteners.

Return the shutter to the pintles and confirm smooth operation.

Step 7: Install the Second Shutter

Position approximately 1/4-inch spacers along the center edge of the installed shutter to establish an even gap between the two shutters when closed.

Attach the hinges to the second shutter using the same procedure as the first.

Position the second shutter against the spacers and align it with the first shutter.

Establish and secure the upper and lower pintles using the same procedure.

Remove the temporary spacers and operate both shutters to confirm adequate clearance around the perimeter and between the shutters.

Installing Inset Functional Shutters

Shutters that close inside the window opening use the same general hinge and pintle installation method.

Place the shutters inside the opening with temporary shims around the perimeter and between the shutter panels. The shims establish consistent spacing and allow the shutters to swing without binding.

Attach the hinges, establish the pintle locations, secure the pintles, and test both shutters through their full range of movement.

Minor trimming may be necessary when fitting wood shutters into an existing opening. Keep adjustments minimal and immediately prime and paint all exposed wood created by cutting or trimming.

Step 8: Install Shutter Dogs

Shutter dogs hold functional shutters against the building when they are fully open.

Swing one shutter completely open and determine the shutter-dog mounting position.

A common location places the mounting bolt approximately one-quarter of the shutter width inward from the outside edge. The vertical position should provide enough clearance below the shutter for the dog to rotate freely between the holding and released positions.

Predrill a hole sized for the shutter-dog mounting bolt.

Install the bolt and shutter dog. Tighten the bolt only enough for the back of the shutter dog to meet the face of the open shutter while still allowing the dog to rotate freely.

Repeat on the opposite shutter.

Step 9: Install Additional Functional Hardware

Install pulls, slide bolts, locks, catches, or other selected shutter hardware after the shutters have been hung and properly aligned.

Open and close both shutters several times to verify smooth operation and adequate clearance.

How to Install Wood Shutters in a Fixed Position

Wood shutters can also be permanently mounted beside the window with clear polycarbonate fixed mounting brackets.

The V-shaped brackets have one surface that attaches to the building and another that attaches to the top or bottom edge of the shutter. Longer screws secure the brackets to the structure, while shorter screws secure the shutter to the brackets.

Step 1: Confirm Shutter Placement

Temporarily hold the shutter beside the window in its intended position.

Confirm that there are no obstructions and that the top and bottom mounting brackets can be secured to a solid mounting surface.

Wood louvered shutters are installed with the bottom rail at the bottom. When displayed in the open position beside the window, the louvers will angle upward and away from the building.

Allow a small air gap between the shutter and adjacent window trim rather than pressing the shutter tightly against the casing.

Step 2: Drill the Mounting Brackets

The polycarbonate brackets are supplied without mounting holes.

Use a 1/4-inch drill bit to drill two holes through one side of each long bracket. Position the holes approximately 1 1/2 inches from the corresponding ends.

Turn the bracket and drill two holes through the opposite side. Position these holes approximately 1 1/2 inches from the ends and slightly toward the front lip of the bracket.

Repeat for the remaining brackets.

Some large shutters may require additional side support brackets.

Step 3: Install the Lower Bracket

Position the lower bracket upside down beneath the shutter with the wall-mounting portion facing upward. Center the bracket beneath the shutter if the bracket is slightly shorter than the shutter width.

Remove the shutter and rotate the bracket upward one-quarter turn into its mounting position.

Mark the mounting hole closest to the window.

For typical wood siding, pre-drill the marked location with a 1/8-inch drill bit to a depth of approximately 1 1/2 inches.

Install one of the longer mounting screws through the bracket and into the building.

Place a level on the bracket and rotate it until horizontal. Mark and pre-drill the second mounting location, then install the second screw.

Mounting Brackets to Masonry

For brick or masonry, drill an appropriate hole for the selected anchor or masonry fastener.

A 5/16-inch masonry bit can be used with a compatible No. 10 screw anchor. Insert the anchor and tap it flush with the mounting surface before installing the screw.

Compatible masonry screws may also be used when appropriate for the substrate.

Step 4: Establish the Upper Bracket Position

Place the shutter on the lower bracket and push it back toward the building while maintaining the desired space from adjacent trim.

Place the upper bracket upside down on top of the shutter with the wall-mounting side pointing downward.

Remove the shutter while keeping the upper bracket location established.

Rotate the bracket downward into its mounting position and mark the hole closest to the window.

Pre-drill and install the first mounting screw.

Level the bracket, mark the second hole, pre-drill, and install the remaining screw.

Step 5: Mark the Shutter Mounting Holes

Return the shutter to the upper and lower brackets.

A small amount of tension between the brackets can help hold the shutter securely in position.

Confirm that the shutter is plumb and properly positioned beside the window.

Mark the top and bottom edges of the shutter through each bracket mounting hole.

Step 6: Pre-Drill the Shutter

Remove the shutter.

Pre-drill each marked location with a 5/32-inch drill bit to a depth of at least 1 inch.

Do not skip pre-drilling. Driving mounting screws directly into the edge of a wood shutter can split the wood.

Step 7: Secure the Shutter

Return the shutter to the brackets and align the pre-drilled holes.

Install the shorter screws through the brackets and into the shutter.

Make the final turns with a hand screwdriver to reduce the possibility of over-tightening.

Step 8: Install the Opposite Shutter

Repeat the same process for the shutter on the opposite side of the window.

Compare both shutters from a distance to confirm consistent height, spacing, and alignment.

Wood Shutter Installation Questions

Can wood exterior shutters be functional?

Yes. Wood shutters can be installed with hinges and pintles so they swing between the open and closed positions. Shutter dogs can be added to hold the shutters against the building when open.

Can wood shutters close in front of the window trim?

Yes. Functional shutters can close in front of the casing when the window opening is not deep enough for an inset installation. The required shutter dimensions and hinge configuration should be established when measuring.

Which direction should louvers face?

When functional louvered shutters are closed over the window, the louvers should slope downward toward the exterior. When those shutters are swung open against the building, the louvers naturally angle upward and away from the house.

How much space should be left between functional shutters?

Approximately 1/4 inch between paired shutters provides clearance for operation. Adequate clearance is also needed around the perimeter of shutters that fit inside an opening.

Do wood exterior shutters require a lower support?

Wood shutters do not require the dedicated lower support used for functional PVC shutters. Properly selected hinges and pintles carry the shutter while shutter dogs hold the shutters in the open position.

Can wood shutters be installed without hinges?

Yes. Wood shutters that are intended only for a stationary decorative installation can be permanently mounted beside the window with fixed mounting brackets.

Do wood shutters need to be pre-drilled?

Yes. Pre-drilling helps prevent wood from splitting and should be used when attaching hinges and when fastening fixed mounting brackets to the shutter.