The downsides of
window shutters

They are expensive

The first and most obvious downside is the price.

Shutters are one of the most expensive window coverings you can install in a home. They cost more than curtains, more than most blinds and certainly more than leaving the window bare.

There is no point pretending otherwise.

At The Scottish Shutter Company our ranges currently start from around £544 per window and extend up to about £1,592 depending on the material and design.

Those are starting prices for a typical window. Larger windows or more complex panel layouts will cost more.

Once you start installing shutters throughout an entire house the numbers rise quickly. A full property installation commonly falls somewhere between £6,000 and £12,000. In larger homes or properties with many windows the figure can be higher still.

For some households that level of investment makes perfect sense. They view shutters as a long term architectural improvement to the property.

For others it simply does not fit the budget. And that is completely understandable. There are excellent blinds available that cost a fraction of the price and provide very good performance.

See our full pricing breakdown for detailed costs by range and window size.

They take a long time to arrive

Unlike most blinds, shutters are not produced in standard sizes. Every installation is manufactured specifically for the measurements of the windows in that home. The width of each panel, the height of the louvres, the position of hinges and the design of the frame are all tailored to the individual property.

That level of custom manufacturing takes time.

Once an order is placed the shutters must be manufactured and shipped before installation can take place. The normal lead time is between ten and fourteen weeks.

We live in a world where many things can be delivered the next day. Waiting several months for window coverings can feel surprising if you have never ordered shutters before.

There is a faster option through a UK manufacturer that can sometimes deliver in around two weeks. However the selection of finishes and designs is more limited, so it is not suitable for every project.

The reality is that shutters require patience. If you need something quickly, blinds are almost always the faster solution.

They reduce the visible glass area

Shutters introduce structure around a window. A frame sits around the edge of the window opening and panels sit within the recess. Even when the panels are fully open they still take up some of the window area.

This structure is actually one of the reasons people like them. The frames and panels create a sense of order and architectural presence that can make a room feel more finished.

But in smaller windows it can slightly reduce the visible glass area. The room may feel a little more enclosed compared with having nothing on the window or using a slim blind that disappears almost completely when raised.

They do not block light as well as blackout blinds

Shutters are very good at controlling light but they are not designed to produce total darkness.

Light can pass through the small gaps between louvres and around the edges of panels. Even when the louvres are closed tightly some light will still enter the room.

For most living spaces this is not a problem. Many homeowners prefer the soft, filtered light that shutters create.

But in bedrooms where someone wants complete darkness the limitations become more obvious. Parents preparing a nursery sometimes expect shutters to block all light. They can be disappointed when early morning daylight still finds its way into the room.

In those situations a purpose designed room darkening blind will perform better. Luxaflex Duette blinds are a common solution because they are specifically engineered to minimise light entry. They will usually achieve a darker room than shutters ever can.

It is not that shutters are poor at light control. It is simply that blackout is not what they were designed for.

They do not insulate as well as honeycomb blinds

Another area where shutters are sometimes misunderstood is insulation.

Shutters do provide some insulation. Any barrier placed across a window will reduce heat transfer to some extent. But honeycomb blinds such as Luxaflex Duette are specifically engineered for thermal performance.

The fabric of a Duette blind forms a cellular structure that traps air within small pockets. This trapped air creates an insulating layer between the room and the glass. Because of this design, honeycomb blinds provide measurably better insulation than shutters.

If a homeowner's main goal is reducing heat loss or improving energy efficiency, we will often recommend honeycomb blinds over shutters. In some properties the blind will simply perform better.

They can be difficult to operate for some people

Shutters are a manual product. You open and close panels by hand and adjust the louvres to control light and privacy. For most people this becomes second nature quickly.

But on large windows the panels can be substantial. A full height bi-fold panel on a wide bay window requires some physical effort to swing open and fold back. Someone with limited strength or reduced mobility may find this more difficult than they expected.

Adjusting louvres also requires a degree of manual dexterity. Some people with arthritis or similar conditions find the tilting mechanism uncomfortable to use repeatedly.

Motorised shutters do exist and we can supply them, but they add significant cost to the project. For certain homeowners a motorised blind controlled by a remote handset or smartphone is simply easier to live with day to day, and considerably less expensive than motorising shutters.

They are a permanent visual commitment

Shutters become part of the architecture of the room. Once installed, they frame the window and influence the style of the space in a very visible way.

Many homeowners love this. The structured appearance can make a room feel elegant and well finished.

But it also means shutters are not something you change easily. Curtains can be replaced in an afternoon. Blinds can be swapped when you redecorate. Shutters are more like fitted furniture than decoration. Removing them involves unscrewing frames from the window recess and potentially touching up surrounding paintwork.

Not every window suits shutters

Although shutters are versatile there are windows where they are not the best solution.

Very narrow windows can look crowded once a frame and panels are added. There simply is not enough glass to carry the visual weight of the shutter without the whole thing feeling disproportionate.

Certain tilt and turn windows can create practical challenges depending on how the window operates. The shutter panels and the window mechanism need to work together without obstruction, and in some configurations the geometry does not allow it comfortably.

Rooflights and skylights are another area where shutters are rarely suitable. These windows require specialised products designed specifically for sloping or overhead glazing. Motorised lantern blinds are purpose built for these situations.

In many homes we end up installing a mixture of products. Shutters on the main windows, blinds on rooflights, and sometimes external shading for large south facing glass. The goal is always to find the right treatment for each window rather than forcing shutters into every situation.

They need occasional maintenance

Shutters are often described as maintenance free. That is not entirely accurate.

They are certainly low maintenance compared with most other window coverings. But over time, hinges may need adjustment and louvre mechanisms can occasionally stiffen. Painted finishes can chip if struck by furniture or other hard objects. In rare cases a panel may need realigning if the house settles.

Cleaning is normally simple. A wipe with a damp cloth or a pass with a duster is all that is usually required. Compared with fabric blinds that need specialist cleaning or curtains that need washing, shutters remain one of the easiest window coverings to care for. But it would be misleading to claim they require no attention at all.