Shutter Framing and Finishing Process

Various framing and finishing options for your custom wood shutters personalize them to your needs.


Shutter Framing and Finishing
Works of art deserve a fine frame. So do your shutters, which are as well crafted as they are beautiful. With ideal solutions, enduring styles, and attractive options, every shutter we manufacture and install is of the highest quality with colors, finishes and options tailored to your individual style.


Shutter Frame Styles
Upon receipt of your panels the appropriate frame for your style of window opening or door is constructed. Frames can be made for both square and arched windows. All but a very few shutters are installed using some type of frame. Square, frameless shutters installed directly in out-of-square openings result in uneven reveals, and a poor appearance. Frames allow us to create a perfectly square opening for your shutters while disguising imperfections in the shape of the window. The following are common types of frames based on our region’s typical style of windows and methods of construction.

Z-Frame:
A Z-frame is most commonly used on sheetrock openings. This style of frame wraps the window’s edge hiding imperfections behind the frame. The portion of the frame that overlaps the wall gives the window a custom, wood-case appearance. When professionally installed a Z-Frame can take a poorly constructed opening and make it appear square.




L-Frame:
Wood cased windows with or without a recessed area, and doors are treated with an L-Frame installation. This frame style is installed in a range of conditions from partially to fully recessed within a wood cased area, to completely surface mounted on a window with no recess or a door. There are many variations of this frame style to deal with virtually all non-sheetrock applications.



Truewood shutters are sold exclusively by Austin Window Fashions and Window Fashions of Texas.


Shutter Finishing
Once the product is framed it is thoroughly inspected and prepared for a premium, furniture quality finish. We offer numerous standard painted and stained finishes and a custom finish is always available. Quality shutter installations should result in a treatment that looks like it was installed and finished with the woodwork in your home. A good match is critical for a quality, custom appearance.

Painted Finishes:
Paint technology has advanced rapidly in recent years, however the majority of shutter companies still use common, inexpensive, noxious oil based paint. Oil based paint is cheap and forgiving to apply which is of benefit to the shutter supplier, however oil based finishes yellow almost immediately and do not dry with a hard film, meaning the finish can be damaged if subject to regular use and common household cleaners.

We use Kelly Moore Dura-Poxy+ 100% acrylic, water based paint. Dura-Poxy+, while expensive relative to other paints, provides one of the most durable, long-lasting finishes available in the paint industry. The quality and durability of this paint has made it a popular choice for commercial health care facilities where finishes must be able to withstand constant cleaning while retaining their original, just painted look.

Stained Finishes:
We offer a wide range of standard stained finishes that represent the most popular color choices used in today’s residential construction. While these standard finishes provide an outstanding match in many cases, a custom match is always available. Matches are performed using a shelf, drawer, piece of trim or some other item from the home representative of the desired color. Once a match is completed and prior to any finish actually being applied to the shutters, a sample of our material is finished for customer approval. Various types of stain and methods of finishing are used depending on the exact finish desired.