Care & Maintenance
Plantation shutters are built to last decades, but like any moving part of your home, they occasionally need a small adjustment. Here are the three most common issues homeowners encounter and exactly how to fix each one.
The tension bushing at the end of each louver pin wears slightly over years of use, reducing the friction that holds the louver in place. To fix it, locate the small plastic bushing at the end of the louver pin where it meets the stile. Using a flathead screwdriver, turn the bushing clockwise by a quarter turn. Test the louver. Repeat until the louver holds its position without being stiff to move. This is a five-minute fix that requires no special tools and no disassembly.
Houses settle over time, and the window frame shifts slightly. The hinge screws can also loosen gradually from repeated opening and closing. First, check the hinge screws — tighten any that have backed out. If the screws spin without tightening (the hole has stripped), insert a wooden toothpick with a small amount of wood glue into the hole, let it dry, then re-drive the screw. This gives the screw fresh material to grip. If the panel still hangs unevenly after tightening the hinges, the hinge itself may need to be repositioned — call us and we will come out to realign it correctly.
The center tilt rod clips onto small staples on each louver. If the panel is pushed or pulled on the louvers rather than the stile, the clips can pop off over time. Locate the louver where the rod has disconnected — it will be the one that no longer moves with the others. The tilt rod clip is a small U-shaped plastic piece. Press it back onto the staple on the louver until it snaps into place. No tools required. To prevent recurrence, always tilt louvers using the rod itself, not by pushing on individual slats.
These three issues cover the vast majority of service calls we receive. However, if a louver is cracked, a frame joint has separated, or the panel is warped, these are repairs best handled by our team. Attempting to force a warped panel can cause further damage to the frame or hinges. All Shenandoah Shutters come with a lifetime craftsmanship warranty. If something is not right, call us — we will make it right.
For more information, contact our team or call (804) 355-9300. We offer free in-home consultations across Virginia, Maryland, and Washington DC.
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Shenandoah Shutters builds custom hardwood plantation shutters in Richmond, VA and installs them across Virginia, Maryland, and Washington DC.