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How To Paint or Stain Your Exterior Shutters

08 OCT, 2020
How To Paint or Stain Your Exterior Shutters

How To Paint or Stain Your Exterior Shutters

Regardless of how much you loved the look of your shutters when you first bought them, there always comes a time when you’re ready for a change. Adjusting the appearance of your exterior shutters can dramatically alter how your home looks. In fact, you can even generate different effects depending on the type of makeover you decide to do. This is how to paint or stain your exterior shutters and give your home an updated style.

Choose a Quality Stain or Paint

To get the best results out of your efforts, you’ll need the right materials first. Wooden shutters that you plan to paint require priming beforehand to ensure the product adheres properly to the surface. It’s also important that the paint you decide to use can resist wear from the weather. On the other hand, if you’re opting for a stain instead, the stain you choose must have UV-resistant properties to limit sun damage over time.

Properly Prep Your Shutters for the Process

Take some time to prepare your shutters for their corresponding makeover. Prior to either job, lightly sand the shutter using 150 grit sandpaper, removing any sharp edges or loose fibers. Caulk and seal all joints and end-grain to prevent liquid penetration. Clean off any dust by blowing the shutter with dry compressed air or a good dusting with a clean tack cloth. This ensures that the products yield the richest colors after the fact and that the application process will be the most effective.

Renew the Primer Coat

It is very important that all size sides of the shutter are caulked and primed equally. Allow the primer to dry as per manufacturer instructions and re-sand the shutter with 150-180 grit sandpaper until the primer coat is smooth to the touch. Apply a second coat of primer on all six sides of the shutter and re-sand the shutter with 150-180 grit sandpaper until the second primer coat is smooth to the touch. No bare wood should be visible. Spot prime as needed. A quality primer coat is essential to proper topcoat adhesion. Be sure to use a high-quality primer designed for the wood species of your shutters.

Apply the First Coat Evenly Across All Sides

Whether you’re painting or staining your shutters, it all begins with a solid first coat. Clean off any dust by blowing the shutter dry compressed air or a good dusting with a clean tack cloth. It is very important that all six sides of the shutters are finished equally. Multiple finish coats may be required to ensure uniform coverage and color. After each coat is dry, lightly sand the shutter with a 150-180 grit sandpaper until smooth to the touch. With a loaded brush, apply your product evenly over all six sides of the shutters and allow it to dry. This will be the foundation that will get richer in appearance as the task continues. You’ll rarely get the look you want after only this one coat, so be ready to repeat the process. Allow finished shutters to dry and cure fully prior to installation.

Use Additional Coats If Needed

The next step to painting or staining your exterior shutters is to apply a few more coats of product to better amplify the results. It’s common for the first coat to look patchy or light once it finally dries. Because of this, adding more than one layer is necessary to achieve the color and shine you’re envisioning. Make sure that each coat is sufficiently dry before adding the next one, as going over wet paint can ruin the clean appearance of your strokes.

Let It Dry and Install

Once you have the depth of color that you want, simply allow your shutters to dry fully, and prepare them for installation. It’s best to give them at least a day to fully absorb the product and cure. This way, there’s less risk of the paint or stain running off during the next storm.

It’s our mission at Millwork Traders to ensure that you not only have access to high-quality combination shutter materials but also that you know how to customize them. We know that your design tastes will change during the time you spend in your home, so it’s important to us that you feel empowered to make changes. After all, it’s your property, and you should always love how it looks.