How to Paint Wooden Shutters

Painting shutters is something that needs to be done every time that you paint the outside of your house. For most houses in a temperate location this occurs every five or six years. Take your time, when you undergo this project and you should be very pleased with the results. Shutters that are painted in a thorough manner with a vivid color can really make a house stand out.

Things You'll Need

• Ladder Saw horses Paint scraper and sandpaper Primer-sealer paint Trim paint Paint brushes Cleaning solvent for oil paint Soap and water

Instructions

1. Remove the shutters and take them to your the area, where they will be painted. The simplest way is to take one down at a time and return to its appropriate spot on the house after it has been painted and dried. However, this can be rather time-consuming if you have a lot of shutters or if you are using oil paint. A better use of time would be to take down all the shutters at once, paint them, let them dry and then replace them on the outside of the house. This method is more time-effective, but you must remember to mark each one, as to the particular window where it belongs, and whether it is on the right or left side of the window.

2. Organize your work space. This step will require more attention, if you take down all the windows at one time. Don't forget that each window needs to be cleaned, scraped and primed before it is painted. Organize your space so you can accomplish these tasks easily. Make sure you find a well-ventilated place to dry the shutters.

3. Clean the shutters. Use a mild solution of soap and water and scrub each one with a cleaning brush. Then rinse with a hose. After they are dry, you can go to the next step. This is also a good time to repair any shutter than is broken or cracked.

4. Scrape the shutter with a metal paint scraper. Try to keep the scraping to a minimum and you can sand the scraped areas lightly, afterwards with some rough sandpaper.

5. Cover any area of exposed wood with a layer of outdoor primer. If there is oil paint on the shutters already, then you should keep using oil paint. If the shutters are covered with acrylic, then you can continue with acrylic or cover with an oil top coat.

6. Paint your shutters with the top coat of paint. Use glossy of semi-glossy paint and do all the painting on a pair of saw horses. Turn the shutters over frequently and make sure there are no drip marks. When you are finished then stand the shutter up to dry.

7. Replace the shutter after the paint has dried. Now stand back and admire your work.

Tips & Warnings

• Count the number of shutters before you begin to get an idea of how much work is involved. Check the shutter numerous times during the drying process for drips.

• Make sure you have the equipment (usually a ladder of some kind) to remove each shutter safely from the side of the house.