Shutters in the UK are getting very popular, price and quality and still important factors. With all the different types of shutters out there it can be hard to know which shutter will be best.
MDF shutters are man made and have a plastic coating, wooden shutters are made from wood and have a sprayed finish. Here are a few points to help you decide what might suit your windows or budget.
Weight:
The weight is a key difference between the two, MDF is heavier than wood so it’s more suitable on smaller windows. If you are fitting MDF to large windows then think about using Tposts to help support the weight, make sure a 4 sided frame is used as this will also support the shutters when closed.
Strength:
Wood is stronger than MDF so it’s better for large doors or openings. It’s the grain in the wood that provides extra strength and stops the shutters wobbling around on larger panels when they are opened. If you have a large doorway or opening you can also upgrade the width of the side stile and increase the number of middle rails in the panel. Both these options will help increase the strength.
Finish:
The plastic coating on the MDF does provide a tough durable finish, the shutters can be wiped down and easily cleaned. With this in mind, MDF shutters are great in playrooms or children’s bedrooms. The spray finish on the wooden shutters does make these shutters nicer to touch/feel so some customers fit MDF upstairs and wooden shutters downstairs. If you are looking for a stained finish, then you would need a wood shutter as MDF can not be stained.
Price:
MDF shutters are cheaper than the wood shutters. If your looking for a cheap shutter, MDF can be the perfect choice and ticks most of the boxes.
Options:
There are a few more limitations with MDF than wood, like colour, frame choice and options available. Most customers opt for a white shutter and have rectangular or square windows so they have a much wider choice of materials. Basswood is a very good material for making wooden shutters, it’s strong, stable, lightweight and smooth. Larch, Cedar or poplar are other materials used when manufacturing shutters.