How to Decorate the Exterior Shutters

Show off your creative side.

Exterior shutters serve a broad range of purposes. While giving homeowners the ability to regulate light and air flow, shutters also embellish windows and provide homes with additional design elements. Renovate outdated, sun-faded or plain shutters by repainting them. After repainting, decorate the shutters using stencils to add decorative elements. Today's shutters are usually made of either wood or vinyl, both of which can be painted.

Things You'll Need

• WOOD:
• Screwdriver or drill
• Coarse-grit sandpaper or finish stripper
• Mineral spirits
• 220-grit sandpaper
• Exterior primer
• Paintbrush or sprayer
• Exterior paint
• Vellum paper
• Pencil
• Craft knife
• Tape
• Liquid sandpaper
• Artist's paintbrush
• VINYL:
• Chisel or putty knife (optional)
• Hammer (optional)
• Shutter locks (optional)
• 120-grit sandpaper
• Acrylic-urethane resin primer (optional)
• Acrylic-urethane resin paint

Instructions

Wood

1. Unscrew and remove the shutters.

2. Prepare the surfaces for paint. Remove the original finish by sanding with coarse-grit sandpaper or by using a stripper that is appropriate for the type of finish. Clean the shutters by wiping them down thoroughly with mineral spirits. Allow the mineral spirits to dry. Sand the shutters with 220-grit sandpaper. Clean up the sanding dust with a tack cloth.

3. Apply two coats of exterior primer, followed by two coats of exterior paint, using a color that complements the home's exterior. Use either a paintbrush or a paint sprayer to apply the primer and paint.

4. Create stencils to decorate the shutter borders and the centers of the non-louvered shutter panels. Stencil possibilities include geometric shapes, nature-inspired shapes, animal silhouettes or symbols, such as stars, Chinese characters or astrological signs. Draw the stencils on vellum paper and cut out the shapes with a craft knife.

5. Tape the stencils in the desired locations. Paint liquid sandpaper within the stencil shapes, then paint the stencils with the desired color, using an artist's paintbrush. Remove the taped stencils and allow the paint to dry.

Vinyl

1. Lift the shutters off the brackets, if the shutters are bracketed. Pull the shutters to release them from the clips, if they are clipped. Insert a chisel or putty knife behind the shutters and hit the back of the handle with a hammer to break the lock stems, if shutters are attached with screw-in shutter locks. Shutter locks will have to be replaced with new, matching locks.

2. Prepare the shutters. Scrub the shutters with a solution of hot water and household cleaner containing mildew killer, using a plastic-bristle scrub brush. Sand the shutters lightly with 120-grit sandpaper to dull the surface.

3. Apply two coats of acrylic-urethane resin paint, using a color that complements the home's exterior. Avoid painting a dark color over light colored shutters, as the heat absorption could damage the vinyl. If applying a lighter color, start with a coat or two of acrylic-urethane primer. Leave the paint to dry.

4. Create stencils to decorate the shutter borders and the centers of the non-louvered shutter panels. Stencil possibilities include geometric shapes, nature-inspired shapes, animal silhouettes or symbols, such as stars, Chinese characters or astrological signs. Draw the stencils on vellum paper and cut out the shapes with a craft knife.

5. Tape the stencils in the desired locations. Paint liquid sandpaper within the stencil shapes then paint the stencils with the desired color, using an artist's paintbrush. Remove the taped stencils and allow the paint to dry.

References

• Minwax: Basics of Wood Finishing
• Ask The Builder: Painting Vinyl Shutters