" Shutters add rich detail and character to your home. There are many different types of shutters you can install from inexpensive molded plastic panels that look like shutters, and are fastened to either side of the window to custom built historical reproduction wooden shutters, which are very beautiful, but also very expensive. The J & L Shutters we have chosen are historically correct and fully functional, but they're made of modern Permex. This choice of material gives the architectural advantages of wooden shutters with the weathering advantages of Permex, a synthetic material. Permex shutters will not rot and have a lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects as well as a 10-year guarantee against paint defects. Here's how to get started. First, determine how many pairs of shutters you'll need as well as the size of the shutters you'll need for each window. Real operable shutters are the same height as the window and half as wide with the 2 shutters totaling the width of the window. Measure the width across the inside of the window casing. These windows have a small raised molding to support the window screen so we'll measure just to the outside of the screen molding. In the same manner, measure the height of the window from the inside of the bottom of the casing to the inside of the top of the casing. Double check to make sure all the windows are the same size. Often, upper windows are slightly smaller. When the shutters arrive, lay the 1st set out on a generous workspace, and make sure that you have all the parts and that nothing was damaged in shipping. There are a lot of hinges and latches to attach so a screw gun is definitely necessary. You'll also need a drill for pilot holes, a 9/16-inch wrench for"

" in areas of high winds and tropical storms where hurricane-rated shutters can protect your windows from torrential rain and damage from flying debris. Lay out a pair of shutters with the inside of the shutters facing up as if you were looking out through the window at the closed shutters. Following the directions, orient the hinge plates along the top and bottom outside corners of the shutters. On traditional shutters, the bottom style or panel is usually wider than the top style. With the hinges correctly oriented, flip the shutter over and align the hinge plate square with the corner of the shutter. Then, using a pencil, mark the locations for each of the screws. Do the same with the top hinge. Use one of the hinge screws to determine how deep the pilot holes need to be, and then, using a 1/16 of an inch drill bit, drill a pilot hole for each of the hinge plates. Use the sharp drill bit because on some of the holes, you'll be drilling through steel reinforcement molded into the frame of the Permex material. Next, using a Phillips bit, fasten the hinges to the shutters. Now, do the same process for the matching shutter; first, aligning the plates, and then drilling the pilot holes, and finally, drilling the screws through the steel reinforced Permex. Next, center the shutter fastener clip on the outside edge of the middle style. Mark the locations for the screws. Once located, drill pilot holes for the screws and fasten the clip in place. Do the same with the fastener on the matching shutter. On these shutters, there is a stainless steel clasp that needs to be screwed together with its fastener. When assembled, clip it into the clips so they stay together. With the hardware attached, it's time to mount the shutters to the casing. Measure from the top of the shutter to the top of the pintle hinge plate. In this case, we measure 3 and 3/16 of an inch. Then, measure from the top of the shutter to the top of the bottom pintle, which again, in this case, is 60 inches. Now, measure down from the bottom of the top casing to the distance between the top of the shutter to the top of the pintle hinge plate, which in our case, was 3 and 3/16 of an inch. Because this window has a molding surrounding the screens, we're measuring from the top of the screen molding instead of the bottom of the top casing. Next, we'll transfer the distance that we measured from the top of the shutter to the top of the bottom pintle to our window casing, which in our case, was 60 inches. Line up the mark for the top pintle hinge plate with the upper mark. And then, using the holes in the pintle plate as a guide, mark the location for the fasteners. Line up the top of the pintle of the lower hinge plate with the mark on the casing, and mark the location for the fasteners. Now, using a 1/16 of an inch drill bit, drill pilot holes through the upper pintle plate fasteners and then the lower pintle plate fasteners."

" is with the faster clipped into the clasp, open the shutter. The screw of the fastener will mark the location for the hole. Drill a pilot hole the size of the fastener into the siding. It's a good idea to ream out the hole as you drill so that the fastener will not crack the siding over time. Start the fastener by hand and then tighten it into place with a 9/16-inched wrench. Test the alignment of the fastener. Because of our alignment technique, it should fit perfectly. The last step is to attach the dog, the traditional latch for shutters. Find the center of the shutter and drill a 3/8 of an inch pilot hole about 1 inch under the bottom of the shutter. This measurement is flexible. Use your good judgment here. Don't drill a pilot hole through the bottom half inch of clapboard or shingle because it will split. Pick a location that places the lag bolt of the dog in solid siding. Note that a traditional dog is weighted, so that the heavier lower side assures that the latch lies perpendicular with the shutter holding it in place. The dog should be adjusted so it lightly touches the open shutter. With the dog in place, the shutter is mounted. The process is exactly the same for the matching shutter. Measure the location of the hinges. Fasten the hinges in place. Hang the shutters and locate the fastener, and the first set of shutters are in place. You'll find that the 2nd set of shutters will go up faster than the 1st. In fact, once you become comfortable with the installation process and have your measurements worked out, you may find it faster to install all the shutter hardware on all the shutters first and then install all the shutters to the window casings all at once. This significantly shortens the process. Whatever installation process you choose, the results will be stunning. Functional shutters add wonderful detail, elegance, and value to your home, which will be a source of great personal satisfaction for years to come."