Board and Batten Shutter choice

[Marion Smith]

I have my own personal opinion on which version to make.
Asking here for your pick also.
Shutters are 56" tall, 17" wide, and will be on the front windows of our home. Of course, they will be primed and painted.
The LH shutter has 5-1/2" wide horizontal members, the RH has 4".
Which one say ye?

[Mel Fulks]

I don't think it matters. Think the important thing is that style should be used only on a simple one story house. Not as an inappropriate change or "update".

[Wayne Lomman]

My preference is for the 5 1/2" version. This version has more chance of remaining structurally sound as you can space out the fixing screws better, given that there is no diagonal brace. Looks a bit more robust too. Cheers.

[Al Launier]

I like the 4". To me it presents a more "balanced" appearance given the width of the shutters. The 5 1/2" just appears to be too wide for this application.

[Scott Brader]

My wife wanted similar shutters several years ago, but with a twist. The board ends are cut at about 7 degrees (if I remember correctly) and each of the boards is offset by about 1/2" from the board beside it so they give the illusion of being partly open when viewed from the street. She loves them and that's really all that matters.

[Wayne Lomman]

Marion, going to let on which one you are building? Cheers

[Marion Smith]

Scott pretty much called it! The ones that make her majesty happy are the ones to make!
My wife likes the narrower battens, that's what I'm making.
Since pine was her wood if choice budget-wise, I really pushed for a 3-batten shutter or with a diagonal between the battens for more stability over time. I kind of agreed the Z pattern isn't appropriate for our home, but she didn't want the mid mounted batten either.
So, like any good hubby does, I'm building them as she wishes.
But, like any smart hubby does, I'm cutting all the 'extra' middle battens now out of the same stock we bought, and painting them up.
That way, in a couple months when I show her how mother nature wins every time, I can just screw them on to help stabilize the shutters, and she can just be in awe of "how quickly" I cut them up and painted them!🙌

[Marion Smith]

Thought I'd share the shutter progress so far.
They are made from 1x6x14 pine boards from Menards.
The battens ripped to 4" wide.
Assembled using 5gal paint stir sticks as board spacers, and a template for batten spacing from either end.
I used plenty of Tightbond III, and 24 1-1/4" 18 gage brad nails per shutter.
Primer is Kilz Premium, tinted.
They will ultimately be 2 shades darker, but the house painters will be doing all that this week weather permitting.