Tuesday, December 27, 2011

A Look Through Plantation Shutters


A Look through Plantation Shutters


Plantation Shutters of the present day have evolved like never before.  Plantation shutters are essentially a covering for your homes window openings.  Shutters are versatile in the way they can close off your windows from the outside world; as well as, block the sunlight when needed.  They also offer great privacy for your home with environmentally friendly insulating benefits too.  Shutters have and can be used as functioning exterior window shutters or functional interior window coverings.

Curtains be gone!
Have you ever wished you never had to struggle with handling your window curtains again? Curtains can be over bearing, challenging, and expensive to clean and maintain.  With shutters you can enjoy that beautiful refreshing breeze again without having your curtains blowing like a free spirit in your living room.  With the use of plantation shutters you can throw those curtains out or make play clothes from them, just like Maria did in the Sound of Music for the Von Trapp children.

Let the Sunshine IN!
The use of shutters for dwellings goes all the way back to the 15th century where they were used in Europe and South America. During that period of time window shutters had a very basic purpose which was to act as a type of barrier from elements of the weather.  Shutters also served to provide security and could allow sunshine through their wooden boards. These narrow boards situated at a particular angle within the window opening could control the sunlight that would enter into a room.  In addition, the spaces between the boards allowed air flow through the panel to help cool a room on a hot day.  This style of shutter is still used today and is commonly known as the Plantation shutter.


Bring Plantation shutters into your home!

You do not need to live on a plantation to have plantation shutters.  You can have all the elegance and benefits of plantation shutters in your home today.  More than ever plantation shutters give you great sun blocking ability; as well as, allowing you to open up your windows to let the sun shine in as you desire.  The evolution of shutters over the centuries includes the use of a movable flat blade slats mounted into the shutter panel called ‘louvers’.  The louvers of the shutters are horizontal and can be adjusted with a vertical tilt bar which runs down the middle of the shutter panel.  During the early parts of the 1800’s many southern plantation homes had shutter on the interior of their windows.  So the plantation shutters received their known name from their initial use in this type of homes in the southern ‘Plantation’ style of the United States.

Custom Plantation Shutters for you!

Today’s plantation shutters can be made from an array of materials, paint colors, wood stained finishes and sizes. You can completely customize your plantation shutters according to the décor of your home or the unique style of your own personality.  No matter the shape of your windows from rectangular, arched, angled, octagonal, or circular openings plantation shutters give you fully functioning window fashions that will last and last.  Your plantation shutters will add to your home a warming charm like no other type of window fashion can.  Giving your home an elegant look with quality craftsmanship is easy as calling Stanfield Shutter Company. For OVER 60 years Stanfield Shutter Company has manufactured custom shutters along the Wasatch front.  Give us a call today for ideas or a free in home consultation at 801-467-8823

Monday, December 19, 2011

Shutters For Your Holidays......


MERRY CHRISTMAS From your friends at Stanfield Shutter Company!!!

Add some tall shutters to your decor to compliment your tall Christmas tree...


Add Some Holly for a Happy Holidays Shutter Design...


Give your Christmas village a nice shuttered back ground...







Friday, December 16, 2011

Experience Utah - Buy Local First Salt Lake City



'Tis the Season to Buy Locally!


The holiday season presents a wonderful opportunity to explore the many unique, locally owned, independent retailers across the state of Utah. If you're on the hunt for a truly one of a kind gift for that special someone in your life, skip the mall and check out Local First Utah's online directory of local businesses. Stanfield Shutter is in the directory. We are currently offering 20% OFF until January 31st, 2011.


While you're online, looking at the Local First directory, take a gander at the businesses that are still offering great discounts for the Gift Shift Coupon Campaign.


Head over to www.localfirst.org to view the directory, download your Gift Shift Coupon and learn a whole lot more about what buying locally this holiday season does for our local economy!

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Plantation Shutters; What a Home Owner Needs to Know


Plantation shutters, the name says it all.  Plantation Shutters were popular in the days of Southern plantations over a hundred and fifty years ago. Consider though that wooden shutters actually go back as far as to the time of the Romans. During the past few years wooden plantation shutters are making a comeback and are installed in many modern homes, office and apartments.

Breakfast Nook Bay Shutters

Plantation shutters can be made from natural hardwoods, engineered hardwoods (aka composite wood) or water proof vinyl materials. Many homeowners like the idea off an all natural hardwood shutter adorning there windows. These are more aesthetic in many ways, although they are more expensive. However, well made engineered hardwood plantation shutters can also be an aesthetic option and well as a less costly choice. In addition, engineered hardwood plantation shutters are “greener” and offer better insulation.  They are often more durable than their natural hardwood counterparts. Hardwood shutters will warp and get ruined in humid weather, or if they get wet.  Vinyl shutters, on the other hand, will hold up very well in a daily wet area such as a shower window or a kitchen window where the faucet may be very close to the window shutters. These shutters can be installed for any room of the house, the kitchen and bathroom included.

Plantation shutters give you several advantages over regular curtains/draperies.  While there are many less expensive curtains/draperies for sale at local “big box” designer stores or over the internet, most cheap curtains and draperies look put of place or out of style. Higher end more expensive curtains can be a more aesthetically pleasing look; unfortunately, even these will fade over time due to the harsh U-V rays of the sun. Plantation shutters, on the other hand, will function beautifully as compared to curtains/draperies for decades. Also consider it is less expensive to buy good quality plantation shutters than it is to buy good quality curtains/draperies.

Dining Room Bay Window

It is also much easier to clean plantation shutters than it is to clean curtains or draperies. Curtains and draperies have to be taken down, washed, dried and then hung up again. This can be quite tedious, and most people have better things to do with their time. On the other hand, quality plantation shutters are very easy to maintain and clean. If the plantation shutters are made from genuine natural hardwood, then one should never clean them with a wet rag or cloth. Rather, it is better to use a vacuum soft brush attachment to clean and gently vacuum the shutters when desired.  It is also a good idea to avoid getting engineered hardwood plantation shutters overly wet, although these shutters can be wiped with a damp cloth as needed to remove small finger prints or dust and then dried immediately there after.


Plantation shutters also give you the homeowner greater privacy. In addition, Plantation shutters work great for a bedroom as they will block out most of the natural light, thus allowing one to sleep in as desire by control the light.  There are some room darkening curtains/draperies that do the same thing, such curtains/draperies are often very, very expensive.

Office/Study Shutters

When buying plantation shutters for your home,eowner may have shutters installed along with sheer curtains or draperies. The look with having plantation shutters along with sheer curtains can be nice. Having a thinner sheer curtain installed also can provide a homeownis a good choice to blend or match the shutters to your casings or interior doors.  Neutral color choices are a good idea as well; this will give you options for future design and color schemes.  If you have white shutters and you want to repaint your walls an off-white, then you can plan and blend the color to your desire.  On the other hand if you have purple shutters and want to change your wall color you may need to go to the extra cost and expense to repaint your shutters. 

Plantation shutters are not only a simple clean look but also aesthetically pleasing to the room. Stanfield Shutter plantation shutters come in many styles and colors.  In some cases, a homeowner may have shutters installed along with sheer curtains or draperies. The look with having plantation shutters along with sheer curtains can be nice. Having a thinner sheer curtain installed also can provide a homeowner with the option of having some privacy without having to block out all natural light from coming through the window.


From traditional, modern to commercial Plantation shutters are a good option for almost any home owner. Stanfield Shutter company shutters come in many different colors and can be custom color matched to fit your personal tastes.  Many Shutter shapes and styles can be made from natural hardwood or engineered hardwood.  A home owner should choose a material, color and style of shutters that is right for their home. Plantation shutters will last for years as long as they are properly cared for and cleaned.  Over all, plantation shutters are a great investment! They are aesthetic, durable, practical and a great value for the money.

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Shutters, invest wisely....

For Over 60 years Stanfield Shutter Company has provided elegant fashionable plantation shutters in homes along the Wasatch.  As the largest manufacturer of custom plantation shutters in the state of Utah we take pride in providing our customers with a reliable and affordable product. We uphold to a tradition of service, quality, reliability, reputation and customer satisfaction as the premier shutter company in Salt Lake City.  Shutters are considered fine window furniture for any home.  With our versatile line of custom interior shutters including the Savannah, Colonial, Georgian Lodge and Newport you can be assured Stanfield Shutter has a shutter to fit your window covering needs.  Our shutter lines are manufactured with many unique features that making each shutter a long lasting beautiful statement for any window configuration.


Savannah Shutters-


Our most economical & popular shutters for the past 20 + years Stanfield shutter has used Premium Engineered Hardwood.  Engineered Hardwood, specifically High Density Fiberboard (HDF), is scientifically designed with cross grained hardwood fibers, blended together with industrial strength resins. The cross grained wood fibers and the resins work together to offset the movement that occurs in natural woods. Natural wood expands and contracts in the direction of the grain; however, the cross fibers of the engineered woods stabilize one another, resulting in a product that is less susceptible to the effects of moisture and temperature change.



Colonial Shutters-

Beautifully smooth grain textured Basswood material.  Made of domestic wood cut in northern Michigan and Wisconsin, basswood is valued for its economy, soft workability, and finishing qualities. Because of its close, homogeneous grain structure, it is ideal for a wide variety of hobby, craft, and miniature projects.  Basswood can be stained or painted to represent any wood type. Shutters turn out very well when basswood is used.


Georgian Lodge Shutters- 
Made from Northwest Knotty alder which has a comparable durable strength of maple and the traditional appeal of pine. The wood is light brown in color with yellow and peach hues. Stains or glazes can further highlight the beautiful grain. The open, solid knots give alder a more rustic finish personality.  If you need a traditional rugged look without the high price of more expensive hardwoods our Georgian Lodge knotty alder shutters are the way to go.




Newport Shutters-

Stanfield Shutter uses only solid vinyl synthetic shutter components. This is important because other products such a vinyl wrapped or hollow vinyl shutters deteriorate rapidly and do not hold up as well as solid vinyl products. While our high grade vinyl synthetic shutters are more expensive then other more common materials it does have the advantage of being waterproof. Therefore if you are putting a shutter above a kitchen sink or in a shower stall vinyl is a better way to go to avoid water related damage. 


Friday, December 2, 2011

Add to your Holiday Décor with Shutters....

Plantation Shutters can add to your Holiday  décor.  Just like Barbara of Sandy Utah did. She was very creative in taking advantage of the space her bowed dining room window seat gave her to bring a Christmas village to life.  The Christmas village is beautifully accented with her plantation shutters in the background to help control the lighting that comes through her southwest windows.


During the morning her shutters can be fully opened and have the Christmas village lights be seen by all.  In the later afternoon when full sun comes through the southwest sky, she can adjust the louver slats to the desired angle to prevent the direct sun from blinding those that want to enjoy the her beautifully designed Christmas village.


In other rooms of Barbara's home, shutters have been installed with an appeal to be dressed as needed with accent draperies.  Giving a room a more full look or adding complementary color.  Take a look at how beautifully the shutters shine off the finish of her piano.


Adding Shutters to the rounded windows on the south side of her home Barbara can help to control her homes comfort by blocking the harsh UV rays in the summer time that can damage her piano, or allow the suns rays to shine through in the winter season to help warm and give light to the rooms desired.  



Stanfield Shutter Sunburst arched shutters have a control rod that rounds to outer perimeter of the shutters louvers slats.  Creating an easy way to pull all the louver slats opened or closed with a single push upwards to open or a single pull down to close.  

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Real Problems, Real Solutions (Part 2) - "Green" Paint/Stain Finishing Materials -


Stanfield Shutter Company is Utah’s most reputable and oldest custom shutter manufacturer. We have been building your shutters here locally for OVER 60 years!

Stanfield Shutter continues the tradition of giving you the most advanced and up to date construction and manufacturing processes in the shutter industry today.  Looking to the past as an “old time” company we have learned the importance of meeting the needs of our clients and giving their windows the best shutters possible.  Looking to the future with our clients in mind we have made the commitment at Stanfield Shutter to compliment the beauty of your shutters by using environmentally friendly “Green” paints and finishes.  We feel it is our responsibility as a business to use healthy materials wisely and to meet the needs of our clients without compromising the integrity of the future.

No area of green materials has seen such a profusion of new products then that of paints and finishes.  Beginning in California, standards were set for healthier paint and finishing products. Following California’s example the green movement has swept nation wide.  Shortly there after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) set nation standards for low and non Volatile Organic Compounds or VOCs.  VOCs are called volatile because they evaporate and release ground level smog which we all know is unhealthy.  VOCs are emitted by paints, cleaning supplies, and even pesticides.  Even a very small concentration of smog, which can be ten times higher indoors, can damage respiratory and cardiovascular systems. 

Stanfield Shutter made the commitment to use low VOC waterborne paints and finishes years ago from Sherwin Williams.  Our specially formulated waterborne paints will dramatically reduce the air pollution in your home and in our communities when compared to paints and finishes used by other shutter companies.  Our low VOC paint complies with acceptable EPA allowances for a green paint and finished shutter production.  No longer is there a need to use unacceptable EPA paints such as; lacquer oil based paints or varnished finishes which contain an unhealthy amount of VOCs.  Lacquer/oil based paints and varnishes are up to six (6) times higher than the acceptable EPA standards for VOCs.  Since we spend approximately 90 percent of our time indoors, there are serious concerns that can affect the health of a variety of people.  The EPA rates indoor pollution as a top five public health concern.

High performance, low and no VOC paints and finishes are widely available to use at prices similar to what you used to pay for more dangerous paints. This results in a smart investment for your home and the environment with quality shutters for less cost to your pocket book. Consider not just the benefits of a healthier indoor air quality and a healthier tomorrow, but also the benefits to the over all planet we call Earth.  So what could be greener than using and supporting the efforts of those that reduce VOCs and to the smog that is produces?
If you are looking for the highest quality, environmentally friendly and most affordable painted shutter in the industry today look no further than Stanfield Shutters.  With our manufacturer life-time warranty and attention to detail your shutters will last for years to come. 

Invest now for a life time of pleasure with Stanfield Shutters Savannah shutters. 

Creating elegant, beautiful and fine crafted shutters for your home for OVER 60 years.

Call Stanfield Shutter today for a free in home consultation at 801-467-8823 or visit our website – www.stanfieldshutter.com.

Thank you

Monday, November 14, 2011

Real Problems, Real Solutions (Part 1) - Engineered Hardwoods



Stanfield Shutter Company is Utah’s most reputable and oldest custom shutter manufacturer. We have been building your shutters here locally in Salt Lake City for OVER 60 years!

Stanfield shutter continues the tradition of giving you the most advanced and up to date construction and manufacturing processes in the shutter industry today.  Looking to the past as an “old time” company we have learned the importance of meeting the needs of our clients and giving their windows the best shutters possible.  Looking to the future with our clients in mind we have made the commitment at Stanfield Shutter to compliment the beauty of your shutters by using “Green” materials and sustainable building products.  The past few years, much advancement has been made in the construction industry with more attention being given to the sustainability and use of our natural resources.  Our mother earth has given many resources for which we may build our communities and homes.  It is our responsibility as a business to use those resources wisely and to meet the needs of our clients without compromising the integrity of the future.

The need for “green” products is more urgent today than it has been in the past.  Being green is nothing new. It has always been about good manufacturing practices, using quality products, and creating a shutter that reduces heating and cooling costs; while providing a healthy and safe living environment for you, our clients.  Stanfield Shutter began using green engineered hardwoods during the 1980’s.  The wood fibers used in our Savannah plantation shutters make use of every last bit of the tree fibers.  This results in reduced pressure on our forests and complies with the goal of sustainable lumber harvesting. Engineered hardwoods also reduce the waste that is added to our landfills; as well as using less labor and energy to produce your shutters, which results in a smart investment of quality shutters for less cost to your pocket book.


Our Savannah shutters are made from engineered hardwoods which are an environmentally preferable product or EPP. The EPP provides an independent certification of wood composite products that are demonstrably environmentally preferable through their use of recycled and/or recovered wood fibers with adherence to specific emission standards.  Unlike wood materials that come from over seas, such as China, our domestically made and used engineered hardwood materials are produced to strict environmental standards made by the Environmental Protection Agency.  With the concern of unhealthy emissions from off shore products you can be assured our American lumber suppliers are producing materials that are green, and healthy for you and your family.







In addition to the EPP, our engineered hardwood suppliers are participating members of the ‘Sustainable Forestry Initiative’ or the S.F.I.  The S.F.I. program was organized with the vision for sustainable forest development. The SFI is based on principles that promote sustainable forest management and considers all forests valuable.  When you see SFI on the label of a product, either a ream of paper, packaging material or a 2 X 4, you can be confident you are buying a product that has come from responsibly managed North American forests.

Over the past 20 years Stanfield shutter has used Premium Engineered Hardwood.  Engineered Hardwood, specifically High Density Fiberboard (HDF), is scientifically designed with cross grained hardwood fibers, blended together with industrial strength resins. The cross grained wood fibers and the resins work together to offset the movement that occurs in natural woods. Natural wood expands and contracts in the direction of the grain; however,  the cross fibers of the engineered woods stabilize one another, resulting in a product that is less susceptible to the effects of moisture and temperature change.


If you are looking for the highest quality and most affordable painted shutter in the industry today look no further than our Savannah Shutters.  With our manufacturer life-time warranty and attention to detail your shutters will last for years to come. 

Invest now for a life time of pleasure with Stanfield Shutters Savannah shutters. 

Creating elegant, beautiful and fine crafted shutters for your home for OVER 60 years.

Call Stanfield Shutter today for a free in home consultation at 801-467-8823 or visit our website – www.stanfieldshutter.com

Monday, October 31, 2011

Autumn Plantation Shutters....

The autumn brings out beautiful colors with the change in the tree leafs, as well as a chill to the air with Ol' Man winter coming to town.

Stanfield Shutter can help to beautify your home with custom plantation shutters to compliment your autumn colors.  As well, shutters will add to your festive holiday decor with our many styles to choose from.

Plantation shutters are great to insulate your home and to give you protection from Ol' Man winter.  Plantation shutters can have up a 6 R-Value. Helping to keep heat in your home where it belongs on those chilly fall days.

See further below how Stanfield Shutter helped the Landvatter Family of Herriman Utah add to their fall season decor.  Beautifully Stained Basswood Shutters worked great for their home decor.

Shutters for Sliding Glass Doors are great for Shutters. Wide Panels to let the view in as well as all the great natural light you can handle!

 Bi-Pass Shutters Slide in Front of Sliding Glass Door.

  Bi-Pass Shutters slide open for easy access to your back yard patio.....

 BiPass Shutters open with one half fully opening the same way your door slides for a great view and easy access to get in and out of your opening.


 Kitchen Bay Shutters with White window have a great contrasting look....
 A 2" Facer Frame Completes the look around the window as well as covering up an unsightly gaps or spaces between the wall and shutters frame.....


 Entry Sidelite Shutters are great to give you privacy when you need it by your front Door....




Monday, October 17, 2011

Keepin’ it here at Home ... Utah’s Own Shutters...





Stanfield Shutter Company is Utah’s most reputable and oldest custom shutter manufacturer. We have been building your shutters here locally for OVER 60 years!

Buying local in Utah is not only a great way to become more sustainable without a lot of effort, it also helps you learn more about your city. Seek out local merchants the next time you need a product. The reason’s are clear to buy local;





1.  Local Utah businesses produce jobs for local communities.

2.  Local Utah businesses are more likely to utilize local ads, banks and other services.

3.  Local Utah businesses donate more money to nonprofits and are more accountable to their local communities.

4.  Supporting local Utah businesses preserves the economic diversity of our communities and the unique character of our neighborhoods.

5.  Supporting local Utah business is good for the environment, because it cuts down on fuel consumption. Buying locally produced goods reduces the need to ship goods from thousands of miles away and also cuts down on the distances shoppers travel.

Although it may cost a little more in the short term to buy local, there are long term benefits. Buying locally in Salt Lake City helps build your community by increasing employment and developing greener technologies. The quality of local food and goods are often of a higher quality. Also consider that with a higher percentage of money staying in your community, there is more revenue for civic and municipal uses, better schools, and sponsor the arts and letters in your community.

Stanfield Shutter Thanks you for your support as Utah’s oldest and largest custom plantation shutter manufacturer.  For the past 60 years we have worked to beautify Utah homes with our locally made shutters.  We invite you to have Stanfield Shutter show you how adding plantation shutters to your home can improve your homes appeal and environment.  Call today for a free in-home consultation at 801-467-8823 or visit our website at www.stanfieldshutter.com

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Putting the Plant in 'Plant'ation Shutters

Looking to add a little green to your Plantation Shutters, just make a 'Plant'ation shutter planter.  With her environmentally friendly thinking and creative talents Cynthia Bee, of designresourceutah.com, donated her time and talents to the Conservation Garden Park. Using an idea from another floral designer Cynthia created a living work of art by transforming a used pair of plantation shutters into a planter by adding water wise succulent plants to the shutters. Read on to find out more about this project.  In addition check out Cynthia's blog Utahgardenblogs.com for other information and ideas for your home and garden.

Otherwise known as a 'Plant'ation Privacy Screen. Like many of you, I saw the original idea for this project in Sunset Magazine, though I am sure the designer who created it was not the first to do this, she certainly did it up beautiful! The Sunset Magazine version featured a gorgeous project completed by San Francisco area floral designer, Baylor Chapman of LilaB Designs. The magazine gave a little information on how the shutters were constructed and it sounded pretty basic (weed barrier fabric was stapled to the shutter to create pockets), so I thought I'd give it a try.


"'Plant'ation Privacy Screen on the auction block at the fundraising Gala for Conservation Garden Park"







Except that I don't live in the ideal climate provided by the California Coast which meant I had a lot more factors to take into consideration than the original designer would have to worry about. Not even succulents can survive our real-world heat and intense summer sunlight planted in just weed barrier fabric pockets! In addition, I did't want to be limited to just Utah-hardy succulents (sedums and sempervivums), I wanted to enjoy the massive array of Mediterranean climate succulents- which means overwintering them indoors and THAT meant making it possible for the plants to be overwintered indoors. This "easy" project is getting a lot harder already! Luckily, I like a challenge and I lack a reliable idea filter.



The first thing I needed to make the project work was a plantation shutter. Ideally, you'd use solid wood (as I did) or, even better, vinyl. The classifieds section is a good place to find a used shutter. Since I was creating my to be a one-of-a-kind piece for a Charity auction to benefit Conservation Garden Park, I decided to try and get a nice one donated.



I was a little nervous to call Stanfield Shutter (the leading company in this area for plantation shutters) and tell them about my crazy idea! Thankfully, not only did they hear me out without hanging up, they gave me a huge 6 foot tall by 4 foot wide shutter with extra wide slats to play with! Thanks to Stanfield Shutter!



"Thanks to Stanfield Shutter for donating this gorgeous plantation shutter!"






The next step was to retrofit it for our purposes. This meant adding vinyl trim pieces to the top and bottom of the shutter for better weather protection and gluing vinyl wedges between the slats to hold them in the desired open angle. I just purchased vinyl trim pieces from Home Depot for trimming out the shutter. My poor Dad (pictured below) is often roped into things like this, bless his heart. He's trained so well now that he just helps me get it done without thinking I've totally lost it. My spouse is still on a learning curve with that but he'll figure it out eventually!

"Retrofitting the shutter for long-term viability."






Once the plantation shutter is prepared, it's time to make the custom pockets. Now, I used a piece of paper to trace the shape along the ends I needed for the boxes which would account for the slope. That caused one side of my square shape to be longer than the other. Honestly, you could probably get away with just doing the sides the same length- once the plants grow the difference will be minimal.



To create the pieces of the box, I used a layer of weed barrier fabric on the outside (allows air and water to pass but not too quickly), 2 layers of felt in the middle (to help insulate, hold water longer, and help retain the shape) and then a layer of burlap on the innermost surface (to give the roots something to grip). At first, I tried to make the seams be on the inside of the pocket but that doesn't work so well. You won't see the pockets so go ahead and do it the easy way by sewing the seams so that they are on the outside of the box. Just trust me on that!

"Pocket pieces before stitching together."





For the top, I used a special 'fabric' type thing I get locally at Tai Pan Trading. It is a synthetic mesh which has real moss adhered to it. It's messy. Bits of it are still in my sewing machine but it's worth it. The mesh works really well for vertical gardening projects because it enables the plants to grow through it while the brown mesh and green moss serve as camouflage for the other elements in a vertical application. I wish I could find an online source for it but since I don't even know what it's called, that would be hard. I am sure you can use other types of mesh product so long as they have larger holes (no fine mesh). Even so, you'll still have to cut a few bigger holes in the mesh to insert the plants.


"Empty pockets with moss mesh tops."

I filled the finished pockets with a special soil formula which involved perlite, succulent soil mix and coconut fiber. As always, I rinsed the soil off the original plants. Every grower useke our REAL sun at this altitude! This screen has spent most of it's time indoors since it was planted. I watered the plants thoroughly right after planting 2 weeks ago and just now watered them again. Please note, the plants NEED to dry out after watering. They prefer a good soak so the soil is fully wet and then a good period of dry soil before wetting it again. A consistently moist soil or lightly misting them with a spray bottle will produce less desirable results. Consistently moist soil is the kiss of death for succulents while misting will create shallow roots and weak plants.

In the proper setting and with a water resistant shutter, you wouldn't have to remove the pockets at all for watering outdoors, just s for plants to be added. Cut the mesh as needed to get the root balls inserted. You MAY have to sew or zip tie the mesh closed if the hole is large."



As for watering frequency, the succulents would need to be watered about once per week if the shutter is outside and in PART SHADE- the non-hardy succulents can't take our REAL sun at this altituden: left;"> The end result of all this work is a planted privacy screen that can be installed on a deck for the warm season and stored away in the cold months (unless you've got a sunny south window and a tile floor indoors!) The plant pockets can be removed for watering if you don't have a vinyl shutter and you want to ensure better long-term survival of the shutter. The pockets are narrow enough to overwinter in a sunny windowsill.




"Plants will eventually be large enough to hide the gaps."

The end result of all this work is a planted privacy screen that can be instathem into the shutter openings but you can get away with putting them in immediately so long as you don't move the screen around much.


"Pockets fitted into the Louvers"



Pockets can be repositioned to improve privacy. Plants will grow at least 3x larger than their current size.

In the case of my planted pockets, the winners of this item are out of the country for awhile so I'll likely be overwintering it for them in a nice warm greenhouse with all of my own plants. I wonder if my work will notice that I snuck them into our new greenhouse!?


Ideally, you would let the plants grow in the pockets for a 6-8 weeks to establish themselves before popping them into the shutter openings but you can get away with putting them in immediately so long as you don't move the screen around much.


I'd like to make a screen FOR MYSELF now that I've got the whole process figured out and engineered but I'm rather worn out from making this one! I will confess that part of me hopes the new owners decide they don't really want it (and the required maintenance) and I get to keep it! Cross your fingers!


The project CAN be done reasonably cheap if you can find an inexpensive used shutter and use small plants. A little patience always pays off with succulents as they'll propagate themselves given the right conditions. The pockets are a bit time consuming if you sew them so they are removable as I did.

"On display for the Garden Gala"


If you just want to keep it outside permanently, you can probably get away with stapling the materials to the slats as the original designer did but I would recommend you use similar materials to those I recommended above or your plants will dry out much too quick.


I would rate this project a 3 of 5 stars for difficulty if you're making removable pockets as I did. If you just staple the fabrics in place, it's a 1 of 5 stars for difficulty but may be more a pain over the long term for maintenance. While the project is not that hard, it can take a lot of time to create AND care for. Make sure you're willing to do both of those things before starting. If anyone else is crazy enough to attempt it, feel free to ask questions in the comment section or e-mail me. I'd love to see photos when you're done!