- 2 to 3 hours per pair
- From $350 to $700 per window
Difficulty: Moderate
Shutters are custom-sized, but getting them centered on the window opening has its challenges.
So what if you want to crank up the Bob Seger, slip on the dark sunglasses, turn up your collar, and slide across the living room floor in nothing but your underpants and oxford shirt? Go right ahead—what you do in the privacy of your own home is, frankly, nobody's beeswax. Just do the neighbors a favor and shutter the windows.
Functional exterior shutters, which swing shut when you need them to, will do the job quite nicely. As This Old House technical editor Mark Powers shows on the following pages, you could put several pairs up in a weekend. Then, aside from privacy from prying eyes, you'll also get relief from the summer heat, a barrier against storm winds, and a sure defense against arrow attacks (if you're a 17-century colonist, that is).
The bonus: Studded with hammered-iron hardware and a bright coat of paint, shutters will dress up the front of your house and add to its curb appeal. Which, we're guessing, is a better way to attract attention to your house than your half-dressed homage to Tom Cruise.
