After we finished our DIY Stacked Stone porch makeover, we decided it was time to add a little more curb appeal to the front. Like with any new addition to your porch, thinking of continued ways to improve are always on the agenda. Some people decide to get black replacement windows when renovating their front porch. That gave me the idea to think about my windows. The way our front windows were placed left them looking out of proportion. My solution was to add some shutters! Here I am going to show you how they were created. Please keep in mind that you will need to create yours to size, so no dimensions are given with this tutorial. If you do not want to make the shutters yourself, you can check out websites like shuttercraft-norwich.co.uk. However if you are feeling creative and looking for some inspiration, keep on reading!
As usual, my plans started in my head which meant I needed to get them onto paper in order for my husband to understand my thought process. Here is a little sketch of what I had in mind. I was aiming for a simple/classic style shutter.
I started with some pine 1×4 from Home Depot. I measured the length of the windows and then decided how wide I wanted them. Speaking of the windows, they might be the next thing to be replaced as part of the project of improving our home’s exterior; we’ve been looking at something like the fiberglass windows by Marvin which could help to lower our heating costs. Anyway, I cut the 1×4’s as shown to fit my custom sizes. This is where your measurements will be different from mine. Keep in mind, you will want to make sure that your frames will accommodate 1×4’s across, so measure that BEFORE you start cutting your frame pieces.
You’ll notice I have two sizes, to fit the two different size windows.
Once all of the pieces were cut, I sanded down each individual board before assembling them using my Ryobi ONE orbital sander.
Then using your Kreg Jig and drill, you will put two pocket holes in the ends of ALL of your cross supports (the shorter pieces).
Lay them all out BEFORE assembling them to make sure everything is in the right place. There is nothing worse than having to take your work apart.
Assemble your frame. Don’t forget your wood glue (not pictured) on each joint prior to attaching the pocket hole screws (I used 1 1/4″ kreg screws).
Once the frames are assembled, you are ready to attached the boards onto the back. I cut them 2″ shorter than the length of the shutter frames. Mark the center on the top and bottom of your shutter frames. Then mark the center on both ends of one of your cut 1×4’s.
You will then line those up as shown to create the center 1×4 for the backing. Attach using wood glue and 1 1/4″ brad nails.
Once the center board is attached, using both wood glue and nails, attach the remaining boards to the back.
Once the shutters are assembled, grab your favorite stain and apply a nice even coat to your project. I used Varathane Wood Stain in KONA by Rustoleum.
I let my stain set for 24 hours and then added this clear outdoor waterproof sealer. This part is crucial as these will be in the elements for years to come, you will want them to hold up.
For the best coverage, I suggest rolling and then brushing the edges.
I let the first coat dry per the instructions before applying the second coat. You can see in this photo, I just covered my paint tray and brushes with press and seal so that I could come back later and use it all again.
Once those dried completely, we hung them on the house! Based on the siding you have on your home you will want to decide how to install them. We have hardi siding so we used concrete nails and epoxy. If you have visible holes, you can either put a stained plug in the hole or just add stain and more sealer to cover them up.
We absolutely love how much this changed the look of our house. We have a couple more plans for the exterior, such as some new James Hardie siding, but we feel like we are so close to being finished. It’s been a long time coming.
Thanks for stopping by. For more DIY tutorials, click here. To see more of our home remodel, click here.
