Wrap shutters are made
of MDF (particle board material) wrapped with a polymer
or paper coating. In certain environments, these
shutters can swell and separate. With some shell covers,
painting is not possible and product can yellow in a few
years.
Wrap shutters suit a
certain market because the material to make the shutters
is cheap and inexpensive. However, we feel that because
of the long-term quality issues and the fact that they
are more labor intensive than our shutter line, this
product was not an option.
Clad shutters are a
small segment of the shutter market. These shutters have
a vinyl shell wrapped around cheap, low-grade wood
profiles. Since the outer shell is a rigid vinyl,
painting can be a problem. These shutters are not well
accepted mainly because upon close observation, they do
not have a quality look comparable to other products on
the market.
Wood shutters have been
around the longest. We manufactured wood shutters
ourselves until we became aware of the new technology of
cellular synthetics.
However, the truth is
that there are differences in wood shutters. As quality
wood becomes more rare and labor costs continue to rise,
wood shutters become less attractive to manufacture. We
believe that there will always be a market for wood
shutters, but as competition increases, we will see more
imports of these products taking advantage of cheap
labor overseas.
Wood will always have
the nature of wood. It will warp or distort. Moisture
will affect it. It is not flame-proof and the shutter
can come apart over time if not properly assembled.