Elm vs basswood vs poplar for shutters

[Malcolm Schweizer]

I am ordering some custom shutters. They offer them in elm, poplar, and basswood. The shutters are going to be in windows without panes, exposed to the sun and rain. I live in the tropics. We have shutters on the outside that close to prevent rain, but the windows otherwise are just open in the downstairs. Upstairs there are glass windows and they stay open all the time, so these will still get wet from time to time with unexpected showers or showers too light to bother closing the outside shutters.

I know poplar is not at all rot resistant. What about basswood and elm? These are not woods I ever deal with so I do not know which is better.

Also so interested in feedback on Rockler's shutter-making parts. I would consider making my own, but good grief that is a lot of work for not much less money.

Interesting fact: my house, built in 1836, was the second house on the island with glass windows (upstairs only). The first house was my neighbor's, hence the street is named "Crystal Gade." ("Gade is Danish for "Street.") The downstairs would have housed the servants and held the coal-fired oven, so I guess they wanted the airflow of fully open windows, as I am sure it got pretty hot down there.

Image shows downstairs versus up. I am preparing for a storm, so the upstairs shutters are closed. Downstairs has the same outer shutters. I want inside shutters (which the house also had originally but they are beyond repair) for privacy but to still have the airflow. I also want them as a third line of defense when it rains and the windows are open. They will get a little splashing now and then. That side of the house faces away from the tradewinds, so even when it rains and the windows are open it rarely blows in.

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[Malcolm McLeod]

Construction material may be immaterial - - depending on finish. If you put something semi-bulletproof on them (Sikkens Cetol? ...not good in full sun IMO), any material will last. If you're leaving them unfinished, then my advise would be to stick with the known performers - teak, white oak, cedar, or cypress. (All you have to do is convince supplier to do this. Simple.)

I figure you can apply your own financial and esthetic filter to these... but were it mine, I'd use cypress - light, good grain, rot-resist, and cheap (at least in my neck of the world).

I've eyed the Rockler jig/kit, but reached same conclusion as you.

[Erik Loza]

No expert on shutters but I have been all over the tropics in Latin America and every time exterior wood is called for, it's teak with that heavy varnish we are all familiar with.

Would any of those woods last in your kind of weather and humidity?

Erik

[Malcolm Schweizer]

These will be painted white. The exterior shutters are pine and have lasted fine.

[Bradley Gray]

Of those 3 I would go with poplar: prime , scuff sand, re prime, 3 coats of paint

[Malcolm Schweizer]

Of those 3 I would go with poplar: prime , scuff sand, re prime, 3 coats of paint


I am ordering these already painted. My concern with the poplar would be that it rots easily, but otherwise it would be my choice. I wonder about those parts where the slats are inserted that may not have paint but would be succeptable to water. If you look at my pic, however, the window treatment will be on the wet side. Those double as bug screens. So that will at least diffuse the rain.

[Brian Ashton]

Are they movable shutter blades and hinged so the frame can be opened? If so they're exposed to the sun and able to get a good breeze all round, they should dry out fairly quickly which should limit rot taking hold. If they're in shade all the time then that could be a problem. I assume you get rain at the same time everyday, with intense sun on either side, in the wet season? What maybe more a problem is the constant wetting and drying along with the high heat, So I'd be looking at the most stable of what you're planning on using, which should be poplar.

If they're fixed in that they're morticed to the frame and screwed to the building the joints will hold water and could be a problem some years down the road but I don't think rot is going to be a problem for the most part. The frames maybe at risk where ever they touch a stone building and/or water can pool, usually you see rot down at the bottom where a stile or jamb is morticed in the sill.

soaking with an anitfungal first should also help keep the rot away for a few years.


Personally I'd be going with powered coated aluminum shutters

YMMV

[Kent A Bathurst]

Malcolm - May I assume this is a reputable outfit, whom you have checked out, and who has sold product there many times? They must know what they are doing. I'd go with the poplar.

I think the key to performance/longevity is the integrity of the paint coating. Your job.

Unless you want to find a supplier that sells teak, etc. Or - make your own - but that is a thankless task.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

Brian, good point on mating to a stone house. I do have rising damp, although on that side of the house, due to the height off the ground, it's not too bad. As for aluminum, I am restoring this house to original and I would rather not do aluminum. Also even in a new house I don't really like aluminum shutters.

Erik, teak is just too costly, if I could even find a manufacturer, and I would hate to paint teak. I want white. It certainly would be an ideal wood otherwise.

Kent they are reputable, but it is an online retailer. I am not getting them here. http://www.theshutterstore.com/shutters/quick-quote?width=34&height=64

I plan to buy three for the downstairs and see how they do, then get more for upstairs later on. Poplar is the cheaper option. Nobody commented on basswood yet. All I know about basswood is that it is good for carving, but I do notice that Rockler makes their shutter parts out of it, and it seems this place (above link) has it as a more premium wood.

[roger wiegand]

I don't think any of them are particularly rot resistant. Cypress is a good choice for exterior painted wood at a fraction the price of teak.

[Myk Rian]

I am ordering these already painted. My concern with the poplar would be that it rots easily,
I don't like Poplar outdoors for anything.