Hey guys!
I am so STINKING excited to show you this project! It’s been something we’ve been dying to do since we bought our house.
Hey! We built those! Jake and I got our hands dirty a few weeks ago to whip these up, and I still find
myself stopping in the middle of the road to stare.
I’m even more excited to announce that building these shutters was part of the “Look for Less
Challenge” I’m participating in with 6 other incredible bloggers!
Ya’ll. I’m CHEAP. As in, spending more than I have to on just about anything won’t fly with me, so when I was asked to participate you bet your buttered biscuit I jumped in faster than Kim K jumped out of her second marriage. (PS…did you see that ROCK Kanye put on it? That’s a paperweight where I come from…let’s hope the 3rd times a charm)
Okay, okay onto the tutorial
I’m not going to lie, this project had hurdles we had to jump over, and it definitely wasn’t as easy as we expected but in the end it was SO worth it…let’s see:
If we were to buy these pre-made we’d be spending a whopping $620.00 on WOOD. No thanks, Franks! I knew with a little elbow grease we could whip ‘em up ourselves…try this price breakdown on for size!
You will need
• Pine Boards (we used 8 10 foot 2x4’s…$6.00 each) $48.00
• Wood Glue (already owned)
• Black Paint (already owned)
• Big Daddy Nails $6.00
• Big Daddy Screws $6.00
• A deep drill bit $4.50
• Electric Drill w/ Hammer Function (Owned)
• An electric sander (or sand paper if you don’t mind doing it by hand)
A whopping $64.50 for FOUR shutters! I’ll take it! Start by picking up the above items at your local Lowes. (You’d think Lowes sponsors me based on how much I mention them…but nope…Lowes has no idea who little old me is) For the Pine Boards, you’re going to have to go back to your high school math days, and break out some measurements. Our windows are 66 inches long. I wanted them to be about a half inch larger on both sides, so I needed 67 inch boards. I did some calculations to figure the best board height to purchase, based on what was the most cost effective, and required the fewest cuts. (Poor Lowes man)
Once you’ve figured what cuts you’ll need, take it to the big saw & bat your eyelashes in hopes the
operator won’t hate you for asking him to cut 20 boards.Once home, we worked out a pretty handy, yet time consuming system to get our boards prepped and painted. Jacob sanded any serious knots, or rough patches, and I wiped em down and painted with our black weather proof paint. It took 2 coats to get the right amount of coverage.
 |
| Yes, we used trash cans. Don't judge :)...& yes our garage lacks MAJOR organization |
The next day we put our shutters together and glued the horizontal pieces on with wood glue.
DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT trust this stuff to keep your shutters together. It helps as a first step, but to keep this project fresh for the long-haul, you’re going to need some hardware.
Flip your shutters over once the glue is dry (yes, I was lazy and only painted the front side) and nail your boards together in the places you see an arrow. We actually screwed in some of the boards, but we both agree that nailing is easier. Take note from our mistake :) This part really is crucial. (We didn’t try to get away with only glue just to have our project come crashing down or anything…)
Once you’re done with this step, give yourself a big ol’ pat on the back because guess what, you made a shutter!
Now comes the
Hanging these puppies was not easy!
To start, you’re going to need to put the giant drill bit on your drill, and hold up the shutter where you
would like it on your house. Drill through the shutter, aiming for the mortar, and drill just enough that it makes a mark. Take your shutter down, and drill to the end of your bit into the mortar.
Once this is done, add your Big Daddy screw and drill that puppy into the wall! Repeat on the bottom of the shutter, as well as on all the following shutters.
Once this part is done, you’ll inevitably need a paint touch up or two, so quickly whip that out, then step back to admire your handy work!
Yeah! You built AND hung a shutter! Go you!
How about a little before & after action, eh?
The shutters (& the green grass) make this look like a completely different house, and I am smitten! For some labor & a cost savings of over 500 buckaroos…I call this puppy a major win!
If you’re
DIY on a dime inspiration.
Kayla made this incredible West Elm Inspired Mirror
Sarah blew me away with her gorgeous Wood Bead Chandelier
Rachael made this fun drink station inspired by Pottery Barn…I love!
Andrea is in the Christmas Spirit! She DIY’ed her own CB2 knock-off peace wreath
I’m in love with this Pie Safe that Gracie DIY’ed!
I just love these Anthropology inspired coasters that Shannon made!
I sure hope you’re inspired, friends! I sure couldn’t believe the incredible creativity my bloggy friends have! We certainly had fun making our shutters, and I hope you’ll attempt to bring some DIY Look for Less to your home soon. :)
Until Next Time,
Kylie
Linking up to:
Skip to my Lou/Keeping It Simple Crafts/DIY Showoff/Home Stories A to Z / Uncommon Designs /Sugar and Dots / The Winthrop Chronicles
The Girl Creative / House of Hepworths / The Shabby Creek Cottage
Liz Marie Blog / Tater Tots & Jello / Shabby Nest / Whipper Berry /Funky Junk Interiors / Serenity Now /Classy Clutter / Someday Crafts
Reasons to Skip the Housework / Six Sisters Stuff / Be Different Act Normal/ Life with the Crust cut off/ The Turquoise Home / Ginger Snap Crafts
Wow! The before and after pic of the front of your house is amazing. The shutters add so much character!
ReplyDeleteThey turned out great - and added SO much to your house. Great job!
ReplyDeleteWhat a transformation on the exterior! Great DIY work!
ReplyDeleteSuch a great idea! The shutters are such a great improvement and the black is perfect against your brick!
ReplyDeleteOOOOO I love shutters! I want to add some to our house but thought the price was crazy! So glad you made it look so easy. Your house looks fab with that extra touch :)
ReplyDeleteThese turned out amazing!!! Great job! And I am totally with you on using the garbage cans! Anytime I do a project in the garage, out come the garbage cans :)
ReplyDeleteKylie - you totally transformed the look of your house with these shutters! They are amazing. Great job!!
ReplyDeleteWell-done, Little Miss Shutter-Maker.
ReplyDelete-andi
Great project! They add so much character and curb appeal. I love shutters:)
ReplyDeleteNice job--totally makes your house pop!
ReplyDeleteWow, they look so so good!! I love it! Please come and share if you have a minute at my wowza weekend link party!! http://mylove2create.blogspot.com/2013/11/wowza-weekend-link-party.html
ReplyDeleteThey make such a huge difference in the curb apeal of the house. Great job. I would love to have you link up to my Inspire Me party that goes live on Monday at 2:30 PT. www.astrollthrulife.net Hope to see you there. Hugs, Marty
ReplyDeleteThese are gorgeous!! I think they definitely give your home a much better look! We'll be featuring your shutters over at Someday Crafts tomorrow, so stop by if you get a minute :)
ReplyDeleteWhoa Nellie is right! Yours look great.
ReplyDeleteTami @ Curb Alert!
That turned out great! I love the black against the brick. It really gives your home some curb appeal.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteIt's a nice information about Batten Shutters.I found a great idea from your blog.Great information.You really did a great job on posting.
ReplyDeleteI.love.your.shutters!! When I saw your house, I was alittle amazed! My husband does underground sprinklers, landscaping... and late fall we did a lawn on a house that looks so much like yours, even to the curved sidewalk!! -Great Falls, MT
ReplyDeleteNothing looks better than seeing the project that you yourself built come out looking great! What's more, you guys saved a lot of money, making this an epic win. Choosing the color black helps in making the house look clean, as white shutters tends to be a magnet for dirt. Nice work, guys!
ReplyDeleteGreg Arnett @ SunburstShuttersAZ.com
Well done, Kylie. Those shutters added some character to the exterior of the house. Now, what about some window treatments for the inside? I’m sure you could create one as easy as you DIY-ed those shutters. Thanks for sharing the procedure, by the way!
ReplyDeleteShirley Todd @ Arjay’s Window Fashions
Thank you, Shirley! Yes ma'am...these windows are in need of some major window treatments! Hopefully sooner than later ;)
Deletexo!
Kylie
Great work as usual. I've been stalking your blog anticipating your next build. Funny:)
ReplyDeleteWood router
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Excellent build. Fantastic and simple. I was waiting for something like this and perhaps I will shamelessly copy your design. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Donald!
Deleteyeah , me too ..but i will coppy it. thank u so much
DeleteWe just got done building some of these after I read your blog and are going to hang them this weekend...we only painted the fronts and sides as well, although the guy at the paint store acted like if we didn't paint the backs they wouldn't be thoroughly sealed and may have some weathering issues. Are yours still holding up well after almost three years? Anything you would have done differently?
ReplyDeleteHey, girl! Thanks so much for coming by :) We just moved, but our shutters were still in PERFECT condition 3 years later! No warping, no fading, no wear! But we did have an overhang, so if your shutters are in danger of being wet often, I would seal them all the way through. :)
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ReplyDeleteThese are extremely useful! I bought some blackout blinds and they don't last that long and quite costly! I'd try this for next year's summer.
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