Interior Raised Panel Shutters

Interior raised panel shutters have been found in homes dating back to the early 1700's.  Primarily used to keep the elements at bay, they have survived these many years as a functional yet decorative window treatment.  No other product on the market today will afford you the luxury of keeping you warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer with built-in lasting elegance and functionality.

Indian Shutters

Myth :  The paneled shutters that covered the windows in old houses were for protection against Indian attack.

Reality : Interior shutters were popular in early homes because of their ability to shut out noise, light, and the cold.  In period portraits, the shutters are often shown in the closed position.  In fact, shutters may have been closed much of the time to prevent sunlight damage to expensive fabrics and furniture.

There were no Indians left to defend against when most of the houses with interior shutters were built.  

(Early American Life, April 1988, Old House Myths, by Michael Dunbar, p. 31)
Reprinted with permission of Early American Homes Magazine.

The interior raised panel shutters that Maple Grove Restorations produces come in four basic styles. The Windsor, two panels per section; Amherst and Gloucester, three panels per section; and the Salem, four panels per section. These are the basic styles that I have found to be the most popular and historically accurate. Panel configurations other than the four mentioned are available as well. Feel free to mail, fax or email your own panel design specifications. The Windsor style lends itself to being constructed either as a full shutter, a full split shutter, or a half ("Dutch") shutter.

Each set of shutters incorporates overlapping rabbets. The rabbets occur wherever two shutter sections meet i.e. at the edges where two sections are hinged or where the two center sections, in a typical bifold/single fold, meet. Not only does this eliminate most of the sunlight from passing through at these points, but it also allows enough space for the sections to expand and contract due to seasonal climate changes. Furthermore, a shutter set constructed in this manner offers an aesthetically pleasing window treatment while being fully functional. Finally, the four basic styles of shutters incorporating the overlapping rabbets are historically accurate in both the overlapping rabbet and panel configuration. If overlapping rabbets are not desired, a shutter set with square edges can also be made to your specifications.

The type of wood used to construct the interior raised panel shutters is totally dependent upon your styling needs. Poplar and birch are excellent when painting is required. Clear Eastern White Pine, Red Oak, Cherry, Walnut, etc., are used to match existing woodwork in which a stain or oil is to be applied.

All interior raised panel shutters less than 60 inches in length are 13/16 inches in thickness. From 60 inches to 74 inches they are 7/8 inches and any shutter taller than 74 inches will be 1 inch in thickness

Maple Grove Restorations offers a ball tip loose pin hinge to attach the shutters to the window casing and a brass butt hinge to attach the shutter sections together. The number of hinges needed depends on the overall height of the shutter. Up to 48 inches in height order two pair of each hinge; 48 to 60 inches order three pair of each hinge; 60 to 72 inches order 4 pair of each hinge. Half shutters require two pair of each hinge. For shutters greater than 72 inches in height please contact Maple Grove Restorations.

Window widths have a great deal to do with determining the way the interior shutters will open and close. Generally speaking, most windows from 28 inches to about 48 inches in width would require a bifold interior shutter set. Below 28 inches, the individual panels and stiles and rail, the vertical and horizontal that make up the frame around the raised panel become very narrow and therefore less structurally stable than what they should be. With this size of window, the shutters will most likely be considered a single fold shutter consisting of two (2) sections, one folding to the right and one folding to the left when they are opened. There have been situations where these two sections were hinged together and folded either to the right or to the left but not both. A situation like this occurs when there is an obstruction (wall, post, etc) to one side or the other. The situation where a trifold would occur would be similar to the situation just mentioned, where there was an obstruction, but with a window wider than 28 inches.