SHUTTER ANATOMY

The anatomy of an heirloom.

The more you understand the basic vocabulary of shutters, the more you can appreciate the intricacies of how a Timberlane shutter is made. And why you should never settle for anything less.

1) Shutter Capping:

Prevents water from collecting on the top of the shutter and seeping down into the wood. Ours is of decorative, durable copper.

2) Overlap rabbeting:

Also known as "ship-lap," this feature provides an added degree of historical detail and makes the shutter fully functional, as the shutters overlap when closed.

3) Stile:

The upright, vertical sections of a shutter. Stiles have rectangular openings (mortises) into which the tenons of the rails fit.

4) Rail:

The horizontal cross pieces of the shutter which determine a shutter's panel configuration, its look and its character. Each rail ends in a tenon that fits into an opening in the stile.

5) Decorative Cut Out:

A distinctive design cut into a panel to create an artful effect. Timberlane offers 100 standard templates, or you can design your own.

6) Beading Detail:

A decorative touch incised down the back of the rabbeted stile to add character to the shutter.

7) Tilt-Rod:

Used to move working louvers open or closed, the rod is primarily decorative on most shutters today.

8) Mouse Hole:

The notch that houses the bottom of the tilt-rod when in a resting position.

9) Panel Configurations:

The placement of rails determines panel configuration and thus, the look and character of the shutter.