Shutter Painting

Shutter painting refreshes faded or peeling shutters with a paint matched to the shutter material. Wood shutters are scraped, primed and painted. Vinyl shutters can be painted only if the maker allows it, so we check the brand first. Safe Choice Painting paints shutters on their own or with the trim and front door.

Can you paint vinyl shutters?

It depends on the shutter. Mid-America, one of the largest vinyl shutter makers, sells two kinds: shutters with the color molded all the way through, and shutters sold as "030 Paintable." Its guidance, reproduced by its dealers, says only the paintable ones can be painted, and color-through shutters cannot. Other brands have their own rules. At the walkthrough we look for a brand mark on the back of the shutter or the original paperwork before we promise anything.

For paintable vinyl, Mid-America's painting instructions ask for a high-quality 100 percent acrylic paint and warn against paints with vinyl acetates or vinyl chloride, which it says are more common in lower-cost paints. They also recommend a primer under satin or gloss finishes, since shinier paints grip less.

Color limits on vinyl

Dark colors absorb more heat, and vinyl softens and can warp when it gets too hot. Diamond Vogel's guidance on painting vinyl explains why paint makers limit dark colors on vinyl unless the paint is made for it. Shutters on south and west walls in North Texas take the most sun, so they matter most. If you want black or a deep color on vinyl shutters, we pick a paint made for vinyl. Our vinyl siding painting page covers the same limits on siding.

Wood shutters

Wood shutters paint well but need more prep:

1. Take them down and number them so each goes back on its own window.
2. Scrape and sand loose paint, especially on louvers and bottom rails.
3. Fix small damage. Split slats and soft corners are pointed out, and small spots are filled.
4. Prime bare wood, including the edges and back.
5. Paint with an exterior acrylic, sprayed or brushed so every louver is covered.
6. Rehang with new fasteners where the old ones are rusted or loose.

Why shutters come down to be painted

Painting shutters on the wall leaves bare edges and paints the siding behind them by accident. Taking them down lets us paint every edge and the back, and gives a chance to paint or clean the wall behind them, which is often a different color from years of shade. If the siding is being painted too, shutters come down first and go back up last.

Hardware and fasteners

Shutter fasteners loosen and stain the wall over time. Plastic shutter fasteners and screws are replaced where they are cracked or loose, and rust marks on the wall beneath are cleaned and primed before the wall is painted. Decorative hinges and holdbacks on wood shutters are cleaned and painted black, or left as they are, your choice.

Choosing shutter colors

Shutters are usually the strongest color on the front of the house. Common choices:

• Black or near-black on white, gray or light brick.
• Deep green or blue on cream, white or tan.
• A darker shade of the body color for a quieter look.

Many homes match the shutters to the front door, covered on our front door painting page. Trim around the windows is often painted at the same time; see trim, fascia and soffit painting. In HOA neighborhoods, shutter colors may need approval, and we help with HOA color approvals.

Newer homes with vinyl shutters

Vinyl shutters are common on newer homes. In Lantana about 97 percent of homes were built in 2000 or later, by Census estimates, so many shutters there are original and starting to fade on the sunny side. See exterior painting in Lantana.

Faded shutters that cannot be painted

Color-through vinyl shutters that have faded cannot be painted under the maker's rules. Replacing them is the usual fix, and that is a job for a shutter supplier or installer. We can paint the trim and wall around new shutters when they go up, so the wall behind them is fresh and even before they are mounted.

Nearby

• Shutter painting in Denton, TX
• Exterior painting
• Vinyl siding painting
• Front door painting