Our Colonial shutters are made with premium Basswood. The name Basswood is derived from the inner bark, or “bast” of the tree which was used by Native Americans to make rope. Basswood is one of the most versatile hardwoods available in the United States because its natural color is a light creamy white and it has a relatively smooth grain structure which makes the wood adaptable to almost any application.
Because of these characteristics Basswood can be either painted or stained depending on the needs of the customer. While painted finishes on Basswood are satisfactory, most of our customers do not have us paint Basswood because it is more expensive then other products. The smooth, clear grain structure of Basswood gives the stained Colonial shutters a classical or traditional look and feel. Basswood usually does not have very many knots and even when they are present the knots are small and tight. If the rustic, open-knot look is what you prefer you may want to consider the Georgian Lodge shutter made from Knotty Alder.
The light, natural color of Basswood makes it very versatile when staining. Stain colors may vary from the lightest maple to the darkest cherry, oak, or walnut. No matter what stain color you have Basswood can be stained to match. This gives you the beauty and natural variation of hardwood combined with the ability to select the exact stain color that matches your décor. Our Colonial shutters are also well suited to mimic other natural hardwoods like Cherry and Oak. Since the natural grain of Basswood is so light it can be stained to match almost any color or species of hardwood.
While it is possible to make Cherry or Oak shutters most, of our customers prefer not to pay the premium that would be charged for those woods, especially since it is the color they are really looking for and not the expense. If you are looking for a relatively inexpensive traditional shutter the Colonial shutter is a perfect choice. Because stain grade shutters allow the natural grain of the wood to show through the finish it is important to choose a hardwood that best matches the grain patterns of the wood in your home. The Colonial shutter made with Basswood has a clear grained (small or no knots) wood. Because of that unique pattern, Basswood lends itself more to a classical or a traditional decorating style.
Basswood is one of the more versatile hardwood species since the natural color of its grain is very light and its grain structure is relatively smooth and consistent. These pictures illustrate the light and dark extremes that can be achieved using Basswood. Basswood is frequently used to mimic other natural hardwoods such as Cherry, Oak, and Maple. When decorating your home it is not always necessary to use the same specific species of hardwood in all your stained applications. It is more important to make sure your colors blend well together.
