Simple planks of pine
covered in 3 layers of paint
and then sanded to perfection
Last week I shared these simple wood shutters
and I promised a tutorial
They were inexpensive and so easy to make-
I think making the 2 pairs took me about an hour total
1×4 pine boards
(amount and length will depend on your window)
(amount and length will depend on your window)
wood screws
4 hinges
(I used simple pin hinges)
Pale pink, pale green and white paint
(You will also need a saw to cut the boards
as well as a drill/driver)
Here’s how I made them:
I started off measuring my windows to get a good INSIDE measurement for the length of the planks.
You want your shutters to be able to sit inside the window area for the hinges to work well
(otherwise, you will need different style hinges to get them to sit right and open and close properly
on the outside of the frame.)
on the outside of the frame.)
You also need to measure the width of your window at the same time to know the width you will need for each shutter so that you know how many boards you will need for each one.
Each of my shutters were the width of (5) 1×4″ pine boards wide
Using the mitre saw ~ I cut each board to the length
and laid them together flat on the ground
A quick double check measure to make sure they were the correct width
then cut (3) pieces of leftover 1×4 to put across the
top, middle and bottom
and I secured them with screws on each board
then cut (3) pieces of leftover 1×4 to put across the
top, middle and bottom
and I secured them with screws on each board
A little sanding around the rough top and bottom edges of each cut board
and they were ready for paint.
and they were ready for paint.
I like to add a little of the paint color to primer for quicker coverage when priming
-but you don’t need to
-but you don’t need to
After that- it was simply layers of paint.
A layer of pale pink and then vintage green and a layer of pink again
The next step was to sand some of the paint away in areas to create a vintage finish.
The hardest part?
Hanging the shutters.
Yep. I was on my own with getting these up & too impatient to wait for someone to help
so I balanced them on my thigh while
getting the hinges lined up correctly
and getting them screwed onto the window frame.
It really would be so much easier
if you had a helping hand~ these puppies are heavy.
These shutters were actually made back in April (we work a few months ahead on some of our Lowes projects) and it happened to be when the big muscles were busy
balancing some of those big beams while making the front porch pergola
So since I only got the little boards with the shutter job-
I can’t complain too much 😉
To make it easier- I started by attaching the hinges to the edges of the shutter
(and then made sure I had all those teeny tiny screw within easy reach as well)
Since the shutters basically fit inside the window frame area- you can balance them on the sill for a bit
before lifting them up (or when you get tired)
before lifting them up (or when you get tired)
Make sure to set the hinges so that when you attach them to the frame
the shutters open the correct way and easily.
The next step is to lift the shutter up and position it to allow just enough space on top and bottom for them to swing open
and then secure it to the window frame with a couple of screws in each hinge.
Then- repeat for the other side and other windows.
Then- repeat for the other side and other windows.
I only used 2 hinges on each shutter but you can use more if you would like.
I also went with a hinge that has a subtle appearance-
I didn’t really want it to be that noticeable
So do they work for keeping the heat out
or just look charming?
Both 😉
I keep these shutters open most of the time but when it is super hot,
they do a fantastic job of closing off that heat coming through the window
and keeping the room cooler
I love that they have a vintage look that fits perfectly in my office too.
sharing at
wow
wow
simple and lovely = perfection…
have a happy day, Mariaelena
Thanks for the tutorial, they are just perfect. I am sharing on my FB page today:)
I really love these! Thanks for the fantastic tutorial !
wow! it's fantastic! estera
This would be a good way to recycle some old boards. I like it behind the chair like that.xoxo,Susie
So awesome.
Wow, those look beautiful! You're one handy woman 🙂
These are awesome Courtney. They look amazing!
Hugs,
Betty
I LOVE the way they look in your studio, Courtney! You made yours exactly the same way I made mine for my bathroom, kitchen, and hallway. I used t-hinges on mine because I wanted them to look more rustic. 🙂 I think that painting those layers and distressing the paint was the most fun part, wasn't it? Thanks for sharing your tutorial. I'll bet that alot of bloggers out here will be making some of their own now! ♥
xoxo laurie
Very nice! I love the look. Thanks for sharing!
How creative Courtney! 🙂 and so pretty!
I love these thank you for the tutorial. Courtney, what are the 3 paint colors that you use and who makes the paint?
They were all oops paint actually-so I don't have the exact color names. It was just a pale pink, celadon type green and basic white- all Valspar from Lowes. Hope that helps.
Great tutorial. You make it look easy, thanks for sharing. They look great.
xo Ginger
Love your shtters, so cool and so easy with your tutorial, thanks for all of the tips…Phyllis
Thank you so much for showing us how to do this. They are so pretty! Blessings to you Courtney, Patti@OldThingsNew
Absolument réussi, c'est superbe!!!!
Love, love these and thanks for the how to!!
They're gorgeous – absolutely gorgeous!!!
Pinning these for sure!
XOXO
ID ALSO LIKE TO HAVE BUILT A NICE WOODEN FRENCH DOOR TO MATCH THE SHUTTERS,CAN YOU HELP ME?
So pretty! They seem pretty simple to put together. Thanks for the great tutorial!
Jeanette
Lovely. I shared this with my hubby. He said to avoid having to hold them up you could put a shim or small slat of wood on the sill and rest them there. Love all of your ideas and designs.
I love the shutters you created. Just lovely!
Thank you so much for sharing.