DIY Upgrade your Old Aluminum Shutters to Solid Urethane Shutters

By Matt Weber

Replacing your shutters? Consider installing decorative urethane shutters for years of low-maintenance curb appeal.

A home makes its first impression through its curb appeal. When repainting the exterior siding and trim of EHT’s current project house, we decided to boost its curb appeal by replacing the old, hollow aluminum shutters with solid urethane shutters that had a more contemporary style.

Although aluminum holds up to weather fine, over the years the painted shutters had severely faded and become dull with chalky residue. We would have to remove them from the house, even if it was just to repaint them. Since this was the case, we took the opportunity to replace them completely, opting for a raised double-panel design rather than the louvered look of the old shutters.

We removed the old shutters buy simply backing out the mounting screws. Be sure to have a plan to support the weight of the old shutters.

The paint of the old louvered aluminum shutters had faded dramatically, so they were replaced with the new urethane shutters with a raised double-pane design.

Aside from the stylistic update, urethane shutters offer several other material advantages. Solid urethane shutters are insect-resistant, will not bow or fade over time, and they’re more resilient to weather exposure than wood or polypropylene shutters. Urethane is a very lightweight material, making the new shutters easier to lift and install than the old ones, and the material is easy to drill and screw.