3 Ways Polywood Shutters Are A Better Choice Than Hollow Vinyl And Composite Shutters In Gainesville, FL
December 15, 2015
Plantation shutters in Gainesville come with different options. And when you are figuring out which non-wood shutter is best for you, it might be hard to discern the differences. You can unknowingly choose the wrong type and end up purchasing low quality shutters. When it comes to solid polymer shutters, like our best-selling Polywood® shutters, are they a better investment than MDF (multi-density fiberboard) or hollow vinyl shutters? Learn about the three ways Polywood shutters are a better choice than composite shutters in Gainesville, FL so you can choose.
1. Polywood vs Composite Shutters Durability
Polywood shutters are crafted from a top grade solid polymer that ensures the most rigidity, color-retention, and durability than any other shutter on the market. With that, the shutter louvers will not chip as time goes by. However, composite shutters are built from a pressed-board core, enveloped in poly-vinyl. The vinyl covering the pressed board is likely to peel off from the core substance quickly. And this peeling is expedited in humid, wet, and hot environments. Non-wood shutters are also available as hollow vinyl shutters. But they disintegrate the fastest because of the material.
Both kinds of non-wood shutters are likely to warp and deteriorate under varying climate conditions in Gainesville. Polywood is made with UV inhibitors that deflect heat. And with heat being the main culprit in warping the shutter louvers, Polywood is hands down the longest lasting plantation shutter you can find.
2. Polywood vs Composite Shutters Color Fastness
Polywood shutters colors include three superior white paints. We bake our paint finishes on each part at hot temperatures that exceed any temperatures Gainesville could experience. Our patented finishing process applies UV inhibitors and ensures the color doesn’t fade.
Other types of non-wood shutters come with low quality paint finish. And some composite shutters won’t even have any paint finish at all. In the majority of cases, the vinyl wrap is the final color. Although it looks good when installed, this finish fades with time. And as to hollow vinyls, some are painted. With the vinyl being a heat conductor, this adversely impacts the finish day after day.
3. Polywood vs Composite Shutters Energy Efficiency
Third party tests show that Polywood shutters insulate against 30° of temperature and result in a reduction of heat transfer by up to 45%. With that, Polywood insulates up to 70% better than a similar solid wood shutter.
These insulating properties are due to the solid polymer material Polywood shutters are made from. Yet what makes Polywood stand out even more from composite shutters is the weatherstripping on the panels and louvers. Simply interlock the pieces of weatherstripping when closing the panels to get a very tight seal against the effects of the weather outside. No matter how far and wide you look, there isn’t a composite shutter that can give you the energy savings close to that of Polywood.
Our Vegas Team’s First Hand Experience With The Durability Of Polywood Shutters
Back in 2004, Sunburst Shutters Las Vegas had Polywood shutters attached to the sides of their trucks as part of the graphics. They were parked outside and saw the weather Las Vegas is known for. We’re talking intense heat for almost five months each year!
These plantation shutters had been fastened to our trucks for almost 7 years. That’s when our team carried out a test to see how effective Polywood is in retaining the original paint color. We wiped down the dusty Polywood shutter installed on the vehicle. And we compared it side by side to a new Polywood. The color hadn’t changed one bit. We didn’t see any discoloration or fading. It was further validation for the team that the Sunburst paint finish is truly top quality!
And since Polywood can endure so much abuse and heat on the side of a truck for over 7 years, it’s undoubtedly the long lasting shutter for your residence in Gainesville, FL.