[stano]

I have had some quotes for plantation blinds and not sure whether to go synthetic , aluminium or wood? I got quotes from both half price shutters and shutters australia and they were both giving if the salesman blag! Half price shutters was a lot cheaper and he claimed synthetic was better as we have quite bad condensation in a couple of the rooms, however the guy from shutters australia said he refuses to sell synthetic as it "sags" and he recommended wood or ideally aluminium as the best (obviously because that was more expensive!) . I am concerned about high price of aluminium and now worried synthetic will sag but then not sure if wood will damage with damp/compensation!what do you think?

[twinkiedooter]

I have the syntheric wood plantation shutters on all of my windows in my home for the last NINE years and I have yet to experience what they call sagging. I have them on both the top and bottom of each window or 4 shutters per window.

You are being told fairy tales about the syntheric shutters. I take my shutters down about once a year and put them in the bathtub in a bath of dish soap and about a cup of bleach. Mine are white and they come out sparkling clean. You would never know they are 9 years old just from looking at them as they don't warp, chip, peel and if I did want to I could have probbaly painted them whatever color I wished using an electric sprayer and using latex paint.

My home can be a bit moist in the winter and the shutters are not damaged in anyway.

Go with the synthetic and no one will know the difference. I used to have real wood shutters on all my windows many years ago when I lived in NYC. 4 very tall windows. I really didn't notice any sagging from them either.

The shutters keep out the hot sun in the summer and the cold at night in the winter.
I never fully open the shutters but just move the louvers with the stick and open them that way. I will give you a hint. I have NEVER had good luck with plants indoors as there is not enough light coming in through the slats versus opening the shutters entirely.

[stano]

Thanks for your advice. You mention the light - does having the blinds block out light even when they opened with the stick? That was a concern of my husband in having them it might make the place dark! Also, you mention bleaching the shutters -do they yellow otherwise? Final question, did you have steel supported synthetic shutters? Sorry for all the questions! Thanks

[twinkiedooter]

thanks for your advice. you mention the light - does having the blinds block out light even when they opened with the stick? that was a concern of my husband in having them it might make the place dark! also, you mention bleaching the shutters -do they yellow otherwise? final question, did you have steel supported synthetic shutters? sorry for all the questions! thanks

Since I have both top and bottom shutters and don't like to just push them totally back out of the way I just adjust the upper louvers with a stick. No, my LR and BR are light and airy enough to suit me and not dark at all. It seems that there is not enough "direct" light available for plants to grow though. I do have lucky bamboo that does very well at one window though. With both top and bottom louvers open I get more than enough light in any room. The white color helps brighten up the room versus a wood colored shutter. I had those, remember, and the room WAS too dark.

I do keep the lower shutters closed most of the time at night for privacy though and leave the top ones tilted open. And NO, the shutters do not get yellow when I bleach them every so many years. And I don't have steel supported shutters. They are on little synthetic strips into the walls and held up with brass hinges. So far they've held up very nicely for the past 9 years.