On many New Jersey homes, the window shutters provide a perfect touch of definition and distinction to the exterior. In order for them to look their best, your shutters may need periodic painting. This helps preserve them against deterioration, and it keeps their color looking fresh. Painting shutters is not a tremendously difficult job, but like all exterior painting, it needs to be done right. Let’s take a look at some of the most common shutter painting questions.
How Do I Know if I Need to Paint My Shutters?
One factor in determining whether your shutters need painting is the material they are made out of. Most metal shutters come with a baked-on coating that is designed to last a very long time. In fact, some never need repainting! However, if the color begins to wear out, or you simply want a different color, it is a great idea to paint your shutters.
Vinyl shutters are produced with the color in the material itself, which also means they might never need painting. That said, the color can fade out of older vinyl shutters. Also, you may want to change the color of your shutters. Painting vinyl shutters is less expensive than buying new ones.
With wooden shutters, you will probably need to repaint them every 5-8 years, which is the typical length of time exterior paint lasts here in New Jersey. You can tell they need repainting when the prior paint shows signs of age, such as cracking, fading, blistering, chalking, or peeling. Of course, you can also paint wooden shutters when you want to change their color.
How to Paint Shutters
Painting your shutters is not particularly difficult, but the process must be completed correctly. Begin by removing the shutters from the exterior walls, and clean them thoroughly. Lay them flat on sawhorses or on clean scraps of wood.
If there is any deterioration on your shutters, such as wood rot or loose slats, repair them before you continue. Apply primer to any bare wood or metal.
Now it is time to paint! Make sure you choose the correct exterior paint for your type of shutters. A high quality latex exterior house paint will do for wooden shutters. If you are painting vinyl or metal, ask your local paint store expert what will be the best paint product to use.
Shutters can be painted with a brush or with a sprayer. Brushing produces a more traditional look, while spraying gives more of a “factory finish.” In either case, be methodical:
- Keep checking for any runs or drips
- Paint all sides of every surface
- Start by painting the outward-facing side, and wait for it to fully dry, then flip it and paint the back side
Once you have applied multiple coats of paint and allowed them to dry, reinstall the shutters on the home and admire your work!
New Jersey Professional Exterior Painting
While painting your shutters is not a huge project, it does take several days. It also requires specific equipment, materials and skills. Hiring a professional painter might be your best option for a few reasons:
- The shutters can be removed to a shop for better dust control and environmental isolation. This also means a tidier home for you during the project.
- You are saved a great deal of time end effort in removing, cleaning, prepping, painting, and reinstalling the shutters.
- A professional house painter will produce longer-lasting, more beautiful results.
For New Jersey residents, Cherry Hill Painting is a company you can rely on for high quality painting at a reasonable price. We emphasize attentive customer service, exceptional craftsmanship, and excellent overall value for our clients.
In addition to painting shutters, we also provide exterior painting, interior painting, wallpaper removal, kitchen cabinet refinishing, and much more. For over 50 years, we have lived and worked here in New Jersey, and we look forward to at least 50 more!
Contact our office for your free, no-pressure house painting estimate today!