Shutter Terms and Definitions

Batts or Cross-Cleats
Horizonal cross-piece on a board and batten shutter.

Beaded:
A beaded detail that is molded into the inside edge of the face of each stile.

Board and Batten:
Traditionally used on barns but ideal for more rustic homes. Authentic tongue and groove look with the front and back of the shutter featuring the same bevelled look as if the shutter were made of individual boards.

Extira: Mositure-resistant composite wood product designed for rot and termite resistance
Read more from the manufacturer of EXTIRA®

Faux Tilt Rod: A false/fake decorative vertical rod on our louvered shutters to give the appearance of operable adjustable louvers.

Flat Panel Shutter:
A solid shutter where the center portion of the shutter is recessed from the stiles (i.e. Memphis style shutter).

Fixed Louvered Shutter:
Positioned the historically accurate way, the louvers are tilted in towards the wall when the shutter is in the open position.

Leaf:
A single shutter or 1/2 pair.

Mousehole:
A notched hole in the rails that accommodated the ends of the tilt rod when the louvers were in the closed position. Now it just adds to the authenitc appearence.

Mullions:
The vertical element between the stiles that acts as a divider. Found in Bahama shutters.

Rabbet:
Along a shutter's side stile, a notch half the thickness of the shutter is milled out. A rabbeted edge is only along the side stile opposite the hinged side of a shutter. When the 2 shutters are closed over the window, the rabbeted edges meet and overlap each other to block light and air from coming through the vertical space between the two shutters.

Radius or Arched Top:
A shutter which has a curved top.

Rails:
The horizontal crosspieces of a shutter (i.e. top rail, bottom rail, center rail).

Raised Panel Shutter:
A solid shutter where the center portion of the shutter panel protrudes outward from the surrounding routed bevel.

Shiplap:
AKA Rabbet. See Rabbet description above.

Shutter Caps:
A metal (most often copper) capping that is placed over the top edge of the shutter to prevent water intrusion and wood rot on the top rail. A cap overlaps the front and back of the shutter by approximately 1/2".

Stiles:
The left and right vertical components of a shutter. Most stiles are flat; some have beading.

Tilt Rod:
Shutters with working louvers have a vertical center rod, or tilt-rod, to adjust the louver angle into the open or closed positions. These are now purely decorative for those who truly desire the more authentic look.

Z-bar:
Diagonal cross bar that connects two battens forming a 'Z' pattern on the board and batten shutter. The opposite mirrored shutter has a backwards Z.