Question on raised panel shutters.

[Marshall Harrison]

We currently have plastic shutters on the front of the house that are 14"x58". SWMBO wants them replaced with wooden raised panel shutters. I know the basic joinery needed and I figure I can use red cedar as that should stain up nicely to match the mahogany front door. The front door is 3/4 stained glass with one raised wooden panel at the bottom.

My question is; are there any design standards for raised panel shutters. I'm unsure how many rails and panels to use and what their dimensions should be. I want this to look good for the wifey.

Any suggestions?

Thanks.

[Tom M King]

I don't think there is such a thing as a standard design. I'll post a link to a page on my website that shows some shutters I made for an 1850 house. There was no originals left, nor any old pictures. It had some really clunky looking ones on it, so I just started from scratch on the design.

Doors for this house only had single, large panels, but I didn't feel comfortable with that for the shutters, so I put one rail in the middle that corresponds with the meeting rails of the windows.

They were 20+ inches wide by 90+ inches tall. Stiles are 1/6 of the shutter width. Bottom rail is double the stile width. Middle stile is 5/6 of the bottom rail width. Top rail matches stile width. Exposed part of the panels are 5/6 stile width. I just drew one corner full size on brown paper, and played with proportions with a divider. Raised panels on both sides show whether they are open, or closed.

They have had many complements. The window stool is below knee level, so you were risking your life to operate shutters with regular dogs. I made those hooks so they can be safely, and easily operated.

No glue was used, so if some of the Cypress parts need to be replaced in a couple of hundred years, someone can just knock the pegs out, and take them apart, like I do on so many of these old houses that I work on. Four years later, and they are still easy to operate.

I don't know if this will do you any good at all, or not, but hopefully it will give you some ideas.

http://historic-house-restoration.com/shutters.html Pictures are thumbnails, so you can click on any picture to get a larger version.

[Marshall Harrison]

Thanks Tom. I'll show those to my wife. Not sure if she wants two or three panels. Got to look at some with her so she can decide.

[Mel Fulks]

There are also raised panels ,flush raised panels, and "off set " (higher than surrounding frame) panels. According to taste.

[Peter Christensen]

You could cut a 1/4" piece of plywood to size and draw a 2 panel on one side and a 3 panel on the other with markers. Hold it up beside a window to see which the 2 of you (she) like best.

[Bob Stanny]

Also, see http://www.oldhouseguy.com/shutters/ .

[Marshall Harrison]

Thanks for the link Bob. And thanks to everyone else for their suggestions.

Still waiting for my TS to ship so I have a little time for research and design. I can't decide if this is a woodworking or a carpentry project but I'm looking forward to it either way.

Still need to figure out how to mount them on a stucco wall.

[Jim Becker]

Making these should be pretty much a similar process to making a raised panel cabinet door. Personally, I'd make them thicker and use a thicker panel that is flush with the back of the frame by undercutting it as necessary to obtain that fit. I might use a loose tenon/Domino to further reinforce the rail/style joints for good measure rather than just depend upon cope and stick. Remember, these things are going to endure the weather and should be more robust. But the actual build technique is pretty standard.

BTW, "carpentry" is woodworking...just with its own focus. :)

[Jim Tobias]

Marshall,
Just finished making 2 custom shutters to match for an old house that is being refurbished. I used dominoes and cut the raised panel on the table saw....little set up time, but I did not want to spend $120 on a new router bit to match this profile.
Jim is right....it's just like making cabinet doors, just taller with more panels.

Jim383883383884383885383886383887

[Cary Falk]

I don't think there are any standards for shutters. Even if there were, it doesn't matter if the wife doesn't like them.