Window shutter

Shutters may be employed for a variety of reasons, including controlling the amount of sunlight that enters a room, to provide privacy, security, to protect against weather or unwanted intrusion or damage and to enhance the aesthetics of a building.

Many areas of tropical Australia, the Mediterranean, Africa, and the American South, feature exterior shutters that block the strong sun from windows.

Functional shutters hinge on each side of a window or at the top and swing closed when necessary and can also be mounted on tracks applied to the face of the building.

[3] Fixed and operable louvers shed rain, allow air transfer, filter direct sunlight, protect from small flying debris, and provide privacy.

Certain hardwoods currently used for exterior shutters, specifically Spanish cedar, Honduran mahogany and teak, are resistant to rot and decay, and far more durable than a softer wood like untreated pine.

Non-functional shutters can be simply screwed or bolted directly to the building, with spacers or other hardware to prevent water accumulating against the wall.

Fiberglass, a material widely used for boat hulls, is not prone to rotting or twisting, is dimensionally stable and has low expansion and contraction.

Exterior shutters in France, notably in Paris, are frequently made of steel and are configured in multiple narrow full-length panels, allowing them to fold open and fit inconspicuously against the recesses at the sides of the window.

Some exterior shutters in Italy, such as in towns along the Adriatic coast, slide on rollers into pockets in the wall at each side of the window.

They are typically raised and lowered manually, such as by a rolling pull made of flat nylon cord, but they can be equipped with electric operating mechanisms.