What Is the Best Material for Window Shutters?

There is no single best material for every window. For most bedrooms and living rooms, engineered wood gives the best mix of stability, finish and price. For bathrooms, en suites and kitchens, waterproof ABS composite is the better choice, because it does not absorb moisture. For very large windows and shaped windows, hardwood is the best option because it is lighter. Hardwood is also the only material we offer in a wood stain.

We measure and fit all four materials below across the West Midlands. This guide covers what each one is, where it works best and where it does not. For colours, see the shutter colours and finishes guide.

Shutter materials compared

Engineered wood shutters

Engineered wood is the material most homeowners choose for dry rooms, and it is the most popular shutter we sell. It is made from wood fibres bonded into a dense board, so it has no grain or knots and takes a smooth, even painted finish.

Its main strength is stability. Engineered wood panels hold their shape and colour no matter how much direct sunlight a window gets, which makes them a good choice for south-facing windows. It is also a good choice when you want the same finish across several rooms, like this four-room engineered wood installation in Walsall.

Engineered wood is heavier than hardwood, so very wide or tall panels are better made in hardwood or our Boston range, which is an engineered wood frame with hardwood panels. Engineered wood is also not built for steam, so we do not fit it in bathrooms or en suites.

Hardwood and engineered wood shutters

Also known as our Boston range, this option uses solid hardwood panels set in an engineered wood frame. Each material is used where it works best:

• Lighter panels. The panels are the part that opens, closes and hangs from the hinges. Making them in hardwood keeps them lighter than full engineered wood, so they put less weight on the hinges and can be made wider.
• A stable frame. The frame is fixed to the window and keeps the panels square. Engineered wood holds its shape and colour whichever way the window faces, so the frame stays true over time.
• A lower price than solid hardwood. You get real hardwood panels without paying for hardwood throughout.

Choose it for larger windows and bay windows in living rooms and bedrooms. The Boston range comes in painted colours, so if you want a wood stain, choose solid hardwood. This Tipton living room is Boston: an engineered wood frame with hardwood panels.

Solid hardwood shutters

Solid hardwood is our premium material. The frame and the panels are hardwood, with an engineered wood core so they stay stable and do not warp.

• Lighter panels. Hardwood is lighter than engineered wood, so panels can be made larger without putting extra weight on the hinges and frame. The Boston range has the same hardwood panels. Solid hardwood adds a hardwood frame.
• Made for difficult windows. It suits very large windows and shaped windows such as arches, circles and triangles.
• Paint or wood stain. Hardwood is the only material we offer in a wood stain, so the natural grain can show. It also comes in painted colours.

Choose solid hardwood if you want a wood stain or hardwood throughout. If you want painted shutters with light hardwood panels, the Boston range gives you the same panels for less.

Waterproof composite shutters

Our waterproof shutters are made from a high-grade ABS composite that does not absorb moisture. They will not warp, peel or discolour in steam, splashes or humidity, and the surface wipes clean.

Once fitted, they look like painted timber. They come in the same painted colours as our hardwood ranges, so you can put composite in the bathroom and hardwood in the bedrooms and they will match. See this full height waterproof bathroom installation in Brierley Hill.

Some homeowners choose composite for every room. In this Kingswinford installation, composite went into the bedrooms, office, living room and kitchen, giving moisture resistance where it was needed and one consistent look throughout.

Composite is available in full height, café style, tier-on-tier and most other configurations. Shutter & Shade is made in timber only.

The best shutter material for each room

• Bathrooms and en suites: waterproof composite.
• Kitchens: waterproof composite, especially for windows near the sink or hob.
• Bedrooms and living rooms: engineered wood, or hardwood and engineered wood for larger windows.
• Bay windows: engineered wood for small bays, and solid hardwood or our Boston range for larger ones. A bay costs more because it is a bigger window, not because we add a charge for it being a bay. A square window the same size would cost the same.
• Arches, circles and other shaped windows: solid hardwood.
• One look throughout the house: solid hardwood if you want a wood stain. A stain is not suitable for a bathroom, en suite or steamy kitchen. One matching painted look can be achieved with any of the other materials.

For style advice room by room, read choosing the best shutters for each room in your home.

Does the material change the price?

Yes. The price comes down to the material and the size of the window. A shaped window, such as a porthole, arch or triangle, can change it too. Tier-on-tier and tracked shutters do not add a charge: they are still priced on the material and the size of the window. The colour you choose does not change the price, but some colours are only available in certain materials. Wood stain finishes are only available in solid hardwood.

See the full range in our shutter colours and finishes guide, or the grey shutters colour guide if you are choosing a grey. For typical prices, see our shutters cost guide.

If you are weighing shutters against blinds, read are plantation shutters worth it? and shutters vs blinds. Lead times are in how long shutter installation takes.

See every material in your own home

At your free home visit we bring samples of each material, plus frame and hinge colours, so you can see them against your own windows. We measure every window and give you a written price on the day. Every shutter we fit comes with a 5-year guarantee.

Call 01902 956663 or 07455 758181, or message us on WhatsApp on 07455 758181. Our phone lines are open Monday 9am to 8pm and Tuesday to Saturday 9am to 9pm.

Book your free home visit.

Shutter material: common questions

• Are MDF or wood shutters best?

  For most dry rooms, engineered wood (often sold as MDF shutters) is the better choice. It is stable, takes a smooth painted finish and costs less than hardwood. Choose hardwood panels, either our Boston range or solid hardwood, for very large and shaped windows, because hardwood is lighter. Solid hardwood is also the only option if you want a wood stain. Neither engineered wood nor hardwood should go in a bathroom or en suite.

• Is PVC or ABS better for shutters?

  Both PVC and ABS are waterproof, so either will cope with steam in a bathroom or kitchen. We use ABS composite for our waterproof range. It does not absorb moisture, so it will not swell, warp or peel, and it comes in the same painted colours as our hardwood shutters, so it matches the rest of the house.

• What are the downsides of shutters?

  The main downsides are cost and waiting time. Shutters cost more upfront than blinds, and because they are made to measure, most orders are fitted 10 to 12 weeks after ordering. Some orders, including our express composite range, can be ready in around 4 weeks. Fitting itself is usually done in a day.

• Can I mix materials in one house?

  Yes. Our composite shutters come in the same 18 painted colours as our hardwood shutters, and those ranges can be custom coloured, so a composite bathroom shutter will match hardwood shutters in the rest of the house. Engineered wood comes in 6 colours and cannot be custom coloured, so if you are mixing it with other materials, choose a colour that is available in both. A wood stain will not match a painted shutter, because stain is only available in solid hardwood.

• Can I get shutters in a wood stain?

  Yes, in solid hardwood, which comes in 23 wood stains. Engineered wood, our Boston range and composite shutters come in painted colours only.

• Can I get a custom colour?

  Yes, on our Boston range, solid hardwood and waterproof composite shutters. Bring a hex code, a RAL K7 reference, or a paint chip or door sample, and we can match almost any colour. Custom colours are not available on engineered wood. They can add time before fitting day, and your written quote will show the lead time.