Exterior storm shutters

[Mike Holbrook]

Some of the storm shutters my builder originally had made for my home have decomposed. Apparently they were made with regular construction (non treated) lumber for the frames and MDF for the raised panels. Paint is all there was to protect the wood. Apparently the shutters that had no protection from rain eventually got water into the cracks between the joinery and rotted. They contain two raised panels per door. I want to make new doors to replace at least the rotted ones. I want to make the raised panels and dadoes with a LV skew rabbit plane vs a router.

Has anyone tried gluing up raised panels with treated lumber? I am wondering if the wood preservative would keep glue from making a solid bond? I guess I could use something like poplar or SFP and just treat the boards or finished product with some sort of wood preservative. Again I am not sure if a wood preservative will keep paint, stain, finish from working properly? I have made bee boxes, treated them with borg wood preservative then painted them and that seemed to work ok. I guess I could paint them with WATCO or some other finish. I am just hoping someone who has done this more than I have will have a better idea what works best.

[Mel Fulks]

I don't think the glued up pt has a chance. The exterior mdf called EXTERA is good and probably one of the least expensive things that will work. Since it moves so little you could glue the panels in with Gorilla glue ,filling in any voids to keep out water. Unless your house design is accurately architecturally traditional you could just use one piece shutters with large applied mouldings. Put a metal drip cap on them. The old shutters are probably made of interior mdf with the mistaken idea that paint would preserve them.

[Brian AdamsMS]

Mike,
I see from your profile you are located in Georgia. Im in central Mississippi with a similar climate as you. I built my my woodworking shed with a 'foe' timber frame look using cypress which is pretty abundant around here (actually cheaper from the mill than borg construction lumber). It is on its 5th year with only a coat of spar varnish for protection. The cypress has darkened slightly from the sun exposure but no rot visible at any seam. It has actually held up better than the 5/4 treated deck boards that got the same spar varnish finish. If your going neander with the shutter build, you cant beat the natural weathering of cypress in my opinion.

[Mike Holbrook]

Mel I believe I have used the "EXTERA" for floors on a building and for a covered porch. I believe it is something between MDF and the plywood made from chips of wood that is suppose to stand up to rain. If it is the material I am thinking of there are several different brands and builders often use it for floors on new builds as it can stand up to weather in houses that do not have roofs yet, without warping all over the place? The house is a copy of an old Dutch Colonial design so yes it is more of a traditional design, not modern or rustic. I think you are correct about how the shutters made for the house were made. We are getting the house ready to sell so I do not want to over do this job, but at the same time it needs to attractive for sales purposes.

Brian, I was thinking of Cypress too. The front porch of this house was done in a board & batten style using Cypress. I bought some Cypress siding to replace the rotted boards next to the front porch that were masonite/MDF or something cheap they covered a small trim area with. The exterior walls are early hardy board planks, which of course have not rotted. I thought Cypress had gotten expensive, good to know it may be obtainable at a reasonable price. I will look into that option as it matches well with other parts of the house too. I believe I still have a few cut offs. I will try planing it with my skew plane and see how that goes too.

[Mel Fulks]

The EXTERA just looks the same as any other MDF,so I look for the edge stamp even though it also has a different smell from standard MDF. I haven't seen it used for floors ,I'm guessing the material you mentioned is more flake than dust....
there's a quality distinction!! It has held up very well for me. It's not structural,strictly a trim material. I last used it for some cornice caps AKA "contour boards". SO much better that the often used construction plywood replete with football patches.

[lowell holmes]

I would be using quarter sawn white oak. It provides resistance to water and also strength.

[Mel Fulks]

White oak is a great choice for REAL hinged shutters. How often do we see them? Most shutters are hollow plastic screwed to the house. EXTERA can be machined but is extremely dusty. Years ago we made three kinds of raised panels "raised",
"flush raised" ,and "off set". The latter was 1/4 inch thicker on one or both sides than the frame. A bold look. Here is a design suggestion. One inch thick EXTERA cut to size of finished shutter. That was quick! One quarter inch EXTERA "panels" glued to shutter. Nice bolection moulding made of a good outdoor wood applied about about one and one half inches from panel edges with the thick side of moulding toward the panel. Other edge of moulding should define standard dimensions of top and bottom rails and stiles.

[lowell holmes]

If the make believe shutters are made out of soft pine, they will rot.

Straight grain fir would be an alternative. If painted, they would last awhile. If I want something for exterior trim, it will be treated lumber, straight gain fir, or qs white oak.

I don't like doing things again, and that's why I've pretty much gone with qs white oak. I recently replaced some quarter round on exterior glass stop. I made it out of white oak. I put a primer on all sides before nailing it, caulked it, and two coats of exterior latex paint. My heirs will probably replace it next time and I plan on staying around for some time.

[Mike Holbrook]

I have worked white oak chair backs and know it can be a challenge to work with green wood hand tools if it isn't "green". I am thinking that doing the beveled edges for raised panels might be a challenge. I just tried a cypress board with my LV skew rabbit and was surprised that it was pleasant to work, especially after I honed the original edge. Some of the shutters were not as exposed as the others so they may be salvageable with some wood preservative, calk and fresh paint. So I may want to use the original design on the ones I make. Maybe I can make oak shutters for the blue ridge cabin/home, after I get some experience making raised panels.

[lowell holmes]

I think you will be pleasantly surprised if you put that Skew Rabbet on a piece of white oak.

[Mel Fulks]

Mike, I read most of the posts in all forums. Neglected to notice your question was in Neanderthal corner; but since you are readying the house for sale I still think my suggestions are appropriate. Hand planing can be a real joy but might not be when goal is to fix and move. Going back to your first post ,most who have cut PT with hand tools find the chemicals and moisture dulling and corrosive.

[Tom M King]

The original ones are still on the Hope Plantation house on the porches. I think that house was built around 1810. They're Heart Cypress raised panel. Those are the oldest originals I know of anywhere around where I live. I've built them out of White Oak, and it's a good feeling to know that's what is out there when they are closed for an approaching hurricane.

[Mel Fulks]

Even though I've been pushing the "make believe" shutters for op. I'm a fan of working shutters ,and 38 years ago put two pair on the front of a nice traditional cape cod. Made of old growth redwood with custom made hinges to throw them the way I wanted. Used to close them every night. They are still there but I don't think they have been painted since we moved. And I'd bet money they have not been closed since I closed them. I've been able to suggest and sell some nice custom mill work but have never once been able to get anyone to want working shutters. Once in while someone has wanted them hinged for looks and easy painting. But all have declined to have them fitted.