How to Attach Shutters to Siding
When you want to change the exterior look of your home, shutters can be a quick way to accomplish your goal. You'll find two main types of exterior shutters: fixed and operable. With fixed shutters, the shutters remain in place, and you can't close them to protect the windows. You can close operable ones, like hurricane shutters, as needed. Any do-it-yourself fan can add exterior shutters without the need for professional assistance.
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Things You'll Need
- Measuring tape
- Pen or marker
- Drill
- 3/8-inch drill bit
- 1/8-inch drill bit
- Screws
Instructions
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Attach Shutters with Screws
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1
Locate the side rail for fixed shutters or the hinge plate for operable ones. Measure a distance of three to five inches from the top of the fixed shutter and make a mark with a pen or marker on each side rail. Hinge plates go by the outside corners of operable shutters, and the shutters attach to the hinge plate rather than the siding. To get the best grip, the screws should penetrate the bottom edge of overlapped siding.
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2
Measure and mark the location for the bottom screws. The distance should be between three to five inches from the bottom of fixed shutters, based on where the screw will hit the siding.
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3
Determine whether you need additional screws to support fixed shutters. In areas with high winds, you may want to place extra screws along the side rails. If so, space the screws evenly between the top and bottom screw.
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4
Lay your shutter flat and drill holes for the screws. Many manufacturers use a standard screw size for shutters, and a 3/8-inch drill bit should work for the pilot holes. Drill pilot holes for each screw you plan to use. To attach shutters to siding, use screws two to three inches in length.
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5
Hold the shutter in place against the window and use the drill to mark where the screws will go on the siding. You only want to mark the spot rather than drilling the full distance into the siding. You may find it helpful to attach the hinge plates to operable shutters before you do this. When you have the position of the screw holes marked, put the exterior shutter down.
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6
Use a 1/8-inch drill bit to drill pilot holes in the siding for the screws.
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7
Reposition the shutter against the wall and screw it into place. When the screw head is level with the shutter, stop screwing to avoid stripping the screw or damaging the shutter. If the manufacturer included screw caps, screw them over the screws.
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8
Repeat the process for each additional shutter.
Install Fixed Exterior Shutters with Clips
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9
Use the provided template to determine where the clips need to attach to the siding. If you don't have a template, use a measuring tape to transfer the measurements from the shutter to the correct place on the wall. The shutter should have clip installation ribs on its backside for you to use for the measurements.
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10
Locate the best place to install the screws on the template or based on your measurements. You'll want to place the screws near the bottom of overlapped siding in order to get the most secure hold.
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11
Make sure the top and bottom screws align vertically. If you need to add screws in the middle for additional support, align them to the top and bottom screws.
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12
Drill pilot holes using a 1/8-inch drill bit.
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13
Attach the clips to exterior wall using screws. The clip installation ribs on the backside of the shutter should snap into place on each clip.
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14
Hang additional shutters following the same process.
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Tips & Warnings
Depending on the style, you may need additional hardware for operable shutters to hold them open or shut.
