3 Ways Polywood Shutters Are Better Than Hollow Vinyl And Composite Shutters In Seattle, Washington
December 15, 2015
Plantation shutters in Seattle come with different options. And when you are figuring out which non-wood shutter is best for you, it might be hard to discern the differences. You can pick the wrong type without knowing and end up buying low quality shutters. Are solid polymer shutters, like our best-selling Polywood® shutters, a better investment than MDF (multi-density fiberboard) or hollow vinyl shutters? Find out the three ways Polywood shutters are better than composite shutters in Seattle, Washington so you can choose.
1. Polywood vs Composite Shutters Durability
Polywood shutters are made from high quality solid polymer that results in the most durability, rigidity, and color-retention than any other shutter available. This means the shutter louvers won’t warp as long as they’re on the window. In contrast, composite shutters are built from a pressed-board core, wrapped with poly-vinyl. The vinyl wrapping the pressed board is prone to peeling from the core material readily. And this peeling happens even faster in humid, wet, and hot environments. Another option for non-wood shutters is hollow vinyl. But they deteriorate the fastest in large part due to the material.
Both kinds of non-wood shutters are likely to warp and deteriorate under varying environmental conditions in Seattle. Polywood is crafted with UV inhibitors that do not absorb heat. And with heat being the leading problem in splitting the shutter louvers, Polywood is absolutely the highest quality plantation shutter you can find.
2. Polywood vs Composite Shutters Color Fastness
Polywood shutters colors include three superior white paints. These paint finishes are baked on each piece at temperatures hotter than it will ever get in Seattle, Washington. Our patented finishing process uses UV inhibitors to make sure the color doesn’t fade.
Other types of non-wood shutters come with no or low quality paint finish. In a lot of cases, the vinyl covering is the all the color you get. Yes, this finish appears to be adequate at first. But it fades as time goes by. And when it comes to hollow vinyls, some are painted. With the vinyl being a heat conductor, this adversely affects the finish over time.
3. Polywood vs Composite Shutters Energy Efficiency
Third party tests show that Polywood shutters reduce heat transfer by up to 45% and block up to 30° of temperature. With that, Polywood insulates up to 70% better than even the best solid wood shutter.
Polywood’s insulating properties are a result of the solid polymer material. However what makes Polywood even more energy efficient than composite shutters is the weatherstripping on the panels and louvers. Just interlock the weatherstripping pieces as you close the panels to get a very tight seal against the effects of the weather outside. No composite shutter can offer the energy savings that Polywood does.
Our Vegas Team’s First Hand Experience With The Durability Of Polywood Shutters
In 2004, Sunburst Shutters Las Vegas had Polywood shutters fastened to the sides of their trucks as part of the graphics. They were parked outside and saw all the weather conditions Las Vegas is infamous for. That means extreme heat for almost five months each year!
These shutters had been attached to our vehicles for almost 7 years. That’s when our team organized an experiment on how well Polywood retained the color painted on it. The team dusted off the Polywood shutter that was on the truck. And we brought a new Polywood shutter and held it up next to it to compare. The color hadn’t changed one bit. There was no fading or discoloration. It was further validation for us that our paint finish is indeed the best around!
And knowing that Polywood can handle that much heat damage on the road for 7+ years, it’s undoubtedly the strongest shutter for your home in Seattle, Washington.
