This article is the first in a two-part series designed to help explain various common shutter terms you may come across when shopping for interior or exterior shutters for your home.
This article contains terms from A through M.
Bottom Rail. This is a portion of the shutter that runs along the bottom. It looks like the bottom part of the frame, but it’s actually called the rail.
Brasswood. This is a type of strong and straight hardwood used in making most shutters.
Café Style. A shutter that only covers the lower portion of a window.
Divider Rail. When you notice the fixed position board between the upper and lower moveable slats, this is called the divider rail.
Double Tier. A window shutter unit that contains and upper and lower portion, both independently functioning of each other.
Finish. The paint or stain of the wood shutter.
Frame. This is used for mounting full height custom style shutters to the outside of a window opening.
Hanging Hinge. This is part of the hardware that connects the shutter to the window frame.
Hang Strip. Usually used on café style shutter units, this vertical strip extends the length of the shutter and is hinged on the outside of the stile. The strip is screwed into the wall or window jamb.
Hardwood. The type of wood that is commonly used for quality shutters.
Height. The length or space between the top of the window opening to the bottom, based on the specific style of shutter being considered.
Hinge. A two-leaf device that allows the shutter to connect to the window frame or jamb that will also allow it to be opened and closed.
Louvre. The moveable (or immoveable, depending on the type of shutter you choose) slat is called the louvre.
Mortise. The outside edge of the shutter that affixes to the window frame is referred to as the mortise.
