Plantation Shutters

[Mark Westerman]

I have to make a number of interior plantation shutters for our house (a whole lot cheaper than buying them).  The largest shutter will be about 36x70 inches, six or seven will be 35x58 inches, and the rest smaller.  I am considering several types of joints for the shutter frame stiles and rails.  Does anyone have any experiences with using pocket screws and plugs (shutters will be painted), especially if the joints loosen after a period of time?  I am also toying with BeadLock, mortise & tenon, and possibly bridle joints.  I fleetingly considered biscuits, but just can't quite pull the trigger on them.

[Ken Darga]

Mark,

The rails can be satisfactorily affixed to the stiles, using the Kreg pocket hole fastening method.

I'd suggest using exterior grade wood glue at the joined members.

Locate the screws & plugs on the back-side.

The frame members, rails and stiles, need to be of substantial width and thickness, to prevent racking---

(distorting and sagging from their own weight).

Sounds like a fun build.

[Ken Darga]

Mark,

Are you planning to make your own shutter slats?

[Mark Westerman]

I have a louver router bit and have made some test louvers.  I will likely start making my own, at least for the garage and closet shuttters, then see how that works out before I head into the house.  Otherwise, I will buy ready made bulk slats, either from Rockler or one of the shutter manufacturers

Ken Darga said:

Mark,

Are you planning to make your own shutter slats?

[Ken Darga]

Mark,

I made some shutter slats,  some time ago, from 1/4'' clear pine/fir/spruce stock---

purchased from one of the home centers---

routed a radius on the edges---

turned out nice.

(Didn't have basswood, at the time).

[Ken Darga]

Mark,

If making the frames, (rails and stiles), from basswood, since its a soft wood material, 

you might want to look at sealing the wood, with a suitable sealer, so as to toughen the material, before installing the screws.  

(Thin the sealer so as to get deeper penetration into the wood).

Alternate: use an adhesive on the screw threads, so as to provide in a firmer grip into the soft material.

[Felipe de la Rosa]

I'm getting my windows replaced and my wife wants Plantation Shutters. I ran across ShutterMedic.com and then found that Rockler has a free program for the plans & jigs for drilling the stiles and slats. Anyone have any experiance with either?

[Jack Charity]

Both Rockler and Shuttercutter have online programs that can be very useful for designing shutters and supplying the necessary jigs and materials.  I have bought materials from both sites, and would have confidence in using either.
Rockler has superb Customer Service and expeditiously rectifies mistakes.  I have not had to use Customer Service at Shuttercutter yet because, so far, my orders have been executed without error.
If your windows are even slightly out of square, or if your existing trimwork/casings are non-standard (like mine!), my biggest tip is to make your frames first and sort out all your problems with hanging them before you install the louvres.  Since you have made the frames with pocket screws, it's easy to remove one stile to install them.  

It is also much easier to paint them before installing the louvres.