Checking for Home Depot plantation shutters on their own site revealed that they are suggesting that you have ‘experts’ install them for you. Of course that makes a lot of sense as they stand to make a considerable profit from it, and it is nice if you are able to afford it to have them take care of it from the beginning measuring stages all the way through to the actual installation.  They also offer payment plans if you are not able to pay for all of the installation of plantation shutters in all windows at the same time, which is a helpful option if you really can’t afford to pay for the installation at once but you aren’t able to install them yourself.

If you are not able, or willing to pay for Home Depot plantation shutters plus installation, there are a few other options available. Unfortunately, though, none are as well priced as ordering your plantation shutters from Home Depot and then putting them up yourself.

There are other options for ordering standard sized Plantation shutters online, and a quick and simple search online should turn up quite a few options.  The shutters themselves will most likely  be more expensive than what you would have paid for the same at Home Depot, but still considerably cheaper than ordering custom made and custom installed Home Depot plantation shutters.  Look for sales, and look for sites that offer free shipping in order to cut down your costs.

Alternatively, you may be able to negotiate to get the price down to something you can afford. For example, some people have offered to pay Home Depot to come and measure for the shutters, as that is the trickiest part of putting them up yourself–getting the measurements exact–and they have paid around $35 for that service.  The good thing about that is that if the shop itself gets the measurement wrong, then the fault lies with them and not with you and they will be obliged to fix the mistake they made.  Sure saves on you measuring wrong and then not being able to return your plantation shutters and get new ones.

In any case, if you are planning on re-doing several windows with Plantation shutters Home Depot may have the standard sized shutters available again at some time in the future. If they do, you may be well advised to buy them all at the same time, rather than planning on doing them one at a time, just in case they disappear off the shelves again! If you do buy Plantation blinds Home Depot is definitely a good place to check out first.

Usually you will find that the more expensive shutters, such as those made from premium hardwood or Alderwood and those that are designer shutters are able to be custom made to size, whereas often the basswood shutters, or those made from vinyl come in stock sizes. There is a large difference in price, depending on both design and material that they are made from, with the stock vinyl plantation shutters being the cheapest you can find.

Also, the stock sized, cheaper shutters do not usually come with the offer of installation and they are, for the main part, made to be self-installed.  They are quite easy to install, and if you have someone around who is a bit of a handyman or who can at least drill a hole and wield a screwdriver, you should be fine.  Fortunately they are often sold with offers of free shipping, so you can definitely save when buying on line as you can find cheaper prices for the actual shutters and you will get free shipping.

One other interesting option for those of you who are able to do your own home improvements is the possibility of purchasing unfinished wood shutter panels.  These are great if you are hoping to save money and you do not mind investing a bit of time into finishing them yourself. You can order each panel by exact size, so they can be used for standard or custom windows. I saw some online recently that were made from Poplar hardwood that was unstained and unfinished. They are great for either staining or for painting over, depending on your preference. You do have to add a little more if you want a stain finish, around $12 per panel.

The stock sized wood shutters, usually made from Basswood, are the cheapest wood shutters you can buy. They still look great, it is just that they are made from less quality type of wood and you have to have standard sized windows to buy them. They do come in variable heights, up to 40″ though the louver size and slat size is usually set. If you are living in a location that is hot, and where there is bright sunlight during the summer months you may want to take a look instead at the faux wood shutters, or even the vinyl shutters as both of these stand up better in hot climates.

On the other end of the spectrum, designer plantation shutters are usually made from the best hardwood available. Western Red Alder is a popular choice of wood as the grain and the finish are fantastic. Usually you can custom make these to any desired width and height and you can also choose the stain that you want on the shutters. You can also custom design the shape of your window so that they can be used in any shape window, even those with an arch.  Naturally, you should expect to pay quite a bit more from these type of shutters.

When ordering online, especially if you are opting for the more expensive, custom designed shutters, you should be able to receive an actual sample of the wood that the shutters are made from so that you can check the quality and even decide on the stain and color of the wood used. You should also aim to have these installed by a craftsman who is very knowledgeable about what they are doing as you would not want to damage then during the installation.

There are many different options for ordering shutters online, and prices vary greatly from store to store. If you look around you should be able to easily compare prices and the quality and services offered and find one that is just right for you in terms of pricing as well as look.

Too often ‘discount Plantation shutters’  are lacking in their design, sometimes to the point that they don’t close or open properly.  Other elements that you may be missing out on, should you buy cheap Plantation shutters are the hand-sanded louvers, fine finish, and multiple finish coatings.  You may also find that the hinges or other parts to the shutters are of inferior quality, as often the way that retailers trim costs is by using inferior quality materials.

It is possible to get good quality Plantation shutters cheaply, or to at least trim the costs by following some of the subsequent tips.

Tip #1: Check Resale Lists

Builders or homeowners and DIY enthusiasts often return mis-measured Plantation shutters (and other blinds) to the store they brought it from.  It is amazing how often blinds are bought but then it is discovered that they don’t exactly fit, so they have to be returned and exchanged for another size.  In most stores, these items then have to be offered at quite large discount prices, even bigger discount prices if the packaging has been opened.

Tip #2: Research at a store, but buy online

Do all of your researching at a store, such as Home Depot or Lowes. Find out what type of shutters you like best, talk to the salespeople and get all the information you can to make an informed decision. Note down the product number and name of the shutter you want to buy and then go online and search for it. Chances are you will be able to find it online at one third to half the sale value in the store when it comes to buying Home Depot plantation shutters at least.

Some people think it is too much trouble to buy something as expensive as Plantation shutters online, as there’s too much risk of ordering the wrong size.  It can happen, so if you are going to order online make sure you measure your window correctly, and according to the instructions given on the website.

Tip #3: Freebies

If ordering on line, order from a store that gives free shipping and handling.  See if the store offers free custom painting.  If buying from a store, not online, ask for free delivery and installation.

Tip #4: For the Brave at Heart–Buy a Shutter Kit

Yes, they do exist, and you can order them online.  You can buy a ’shutter’ kit which gives you the wood and materials needed to assemble and then install your own shutter. This may be a better option for the handyman, but it can definitely save you money plus you get to tell everyone that you made them yourself.

Tip #5: Buy directly from the Factory

Cut out the middle man, and the added expenses of going through him, by buying directly from the factory.  This could definitely be an option if you’re thinking of re-doing all of your windows, and you are prepared to place a larger order. It may not work if you are only buying one set of shutters, but it wouldn’t hurt to ask. You might end up with a bargain.

Tip #6:  Buy Last year’s Design

Check out the store for old stock, last year’s designs.  Plantation shutters don’t really go out of style, and there really won’t be much difference between Plantation shutters made a year or so ago, and brand new designs.  No one will be able to notice any difference once they are up, so why not save yourself some money by getting last years’ shutters.  Most stores offer a substantial discount on old stock that they are trying to get rid of, take advantage of that.

Tip #7: Install the Shutters Yourself

Or if you are not that handy with tools and DIY projects, invite someone over to help you put them up and treat them to a great dinner, or offer to help them with something in return. It’s amazing how many people would be willing to do a trade like that.  Offer to watch their kids for an evening, if they help put up your Shutters. Be inventive, I’m sure there’s some trade you can make!

Tip #8:  Buy Faux wood Plantation Shutters

Instead of investing in the more expensive wood Plantation shutters, buy faux wood or even vinyl plantation shutters instead. They look just as nice but are oftentimes considerably cheaper.

Originally plantation shutters were made from locally available hardwood, and they were handmade, often by the plantation workers themselves. Today some of the better, more expensive and classy shutters are still made from premium hardwood, such as Cedar or Aldar wood.  Aldar wood is a favourite these days for designer shutters, as the wood texture and grain is beautifully even. Shutters are also made from a variety of other materials, such as plastic, vinyl, faux wood or fibreboard. Some people prefer these other materials such as vinyl or faux wood as they don’t warp easily, and in the case of vinyl or plastic they’re very easy to clean, and don’t fade or crack in the sun. They’re also quite a bit cheaper than the more expensive hardwood types.

While traditional wood shutters are very elegant and really do add to the rooms décor and warmth, by the same token they also are more difficult to care for.  You need to keep them polished to keep them looking nice. They are also affected quite a bit by the hot sun shining in on them, and the wood can sometimes either crack, warp or fade.

Sometimes you’ll find that online companies offering plantation shutters online also offer you free shipping, which is something worth considering.  If you are ordering blinds online, make sure you are prepared to put them up yourself, or that you know of someone who would be willing to help you to do so.  Remember to specify if they’re for inside our outside mounts–that does make a difference. If you’re ordering on line you should get them with pre-drilled frames, and make sure you confirm that they’re sending you all the pieces you need to get them up, including the correct screws, mounts and hinges.

There are many companies selling their plantation shutters online, and a quick search will usually bring up over thousands of retailers. You might want to make your search specific to your location, so that you can cut down on shipping costs (should you need to pay them) and so you can always pop into the shop if you end up having problems with the installation or anything else to do with the blinds. Just type in the name of your city after the blinds and it will bring up a list of retail outlets nearby your city.

You can also get a good idea of the type of blinds you are interested in, and what is available locally, by perusing various websites and checking out what they have available.

While it is definitely very possible to shop for plantation shutters online, if you have the time and are able to do so it may be worth your while to actually visit a shop that specializes in selling blinds and take a look at what they’re offering.  You’ll get the chance to talk to a salesperson face-to-face who may well be able to offer you some good advice on what would best suit your particular situation.