March 7, 2008, Newsletter Issue #66: Measuring Interior Shutters Accurately

Tip of the Week

If you want to purchase interior shutters for your home, you will probably have to measure the windows yourself before you buy. Accuracy is key when it comes to measuring to interior shutters. Without accurate measurements, your finished product will not hang right and the shutters will look off balance or worse. There are some decisions you must make before getting out the measuring tape.

Do you want an inside or outside mounted shutter? If there is enough depth for the shutter to fit flush with the wall, most people prefer ‘inside mount’ interior shutters for a sleeker appearance. For width, measure in 3 places (top, middle, and bottom). Take the smallest of the 3 measurements and rounded down to the nearest 1/8th inch. Repeat for the height. If you do not have enough depth for the shutter, an ‘outside mount’ is necessary. This is necessary when there is not at least 1 1/8th” of clearance within the window opening. Measure the same as above, but add 1 ¼” to each side. Gift special attention to window openings that are sloped, have window cranks, latches, security devices, removable screens and more. These things will obstruct the frame of the shutter. Use a steel measuring tape for accuracy or a folding rule with sliding extension to get the most accurate measurements. Measure each window even though you think all windows are identical. Accurate measurements insure interior shutters that look beautiful and install easily.

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