Just like with windows, the common dilemma with shutters is whether to install aluminum or PVC. Is price the only factor to consider? Which shutters have a longer lifespan, provide better insulation, and offer more effective sun protection?
Whether you’ve decided to install new aluminum or PVC windows with shutters or are adding shutters to existing wooden joinery, the question remains: which material to choose? Wooden shutters were once very popular, but they’re rarely offered by manufacturers today because, apart from aesthetics, wood doesn’t have any advantages compared to other materials.
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It warps, has significant mass, poor mechanical properties, doesn’t withstand moisture well, and requires maintenance. Nowadays, aluminum or PVC shutters are the most popular. These two materials currently dominate sales, and in the following paragraphs, we’ll highlight all their pros and cons.
Prices can vary significantly. With installation, the price for PVC shutters ranges from 25 to 40 euros (100 eur aprox. 107 dollars) per square meter, while aluminum shutters with installation cost approximately 40 to 60 euros per square meter.
Comparison of Aluminum and PVC Shutters
Similar to windows, PVC represents a more affordable option compared to aluminum. However, the price of PVC isn’t its only advantage. These shutters aren’t susceptible to corrosion and provide adequate thermal and sound insulation. Shutters are typically purchased to regulate the amount of light passing through the window, protecting the apartment from excessive sunlight. Another common reason is protection from unwanted views.
Most people forget about other significant advantages of installing shutters, such as protecting windows from the sun and precipitation, as well as improving thermal and sound insulation. In busy streets, lowering shutters reduces the level of noise reaching the apartment and enhances thermal insulation. In this regard, PVC shutters are excellent, though not quite on par with aluminum.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Some of the drawbacks of PVC shutters include their inferior mechanical properties compared to aluminum. PVC lacks the strength of aluminum, especially at high temperatures when exposed to direct sunlight. Therefore, PVC isn’t suitable for overly large windows; it may not effectively cover large surfaces as it can bend.
Thus, PVC shutters are most suitable for smaller windows, while large windows are best covered in segments. Additionally, due to its mechanical properties, PVC may not have the durability of aluminum, which becomes evident after many years of use.
Aluminum shutters are definitely, all things considered, the better choice, albeit with a not insignificant price difference. If price isn’t a barrier, aluminum shutters are undoubtedly the superior option. They are made of hollow aluminum slats filled with polyurethane foam.
This filling contributes to improved sound and thermal insulation, and the noise produced when raising and lowering them is less clunky compared to hollow aluminum slats. Aluminum thus provides strength, robustness, and longevity, and thanks to the polyurethane filling, aluminum shutters provide better protection from intense sunlight than those made of PVC.
Conclusion
Aluminum, being lightweight, is suitable for covering large surfaces without putting excessive strain on the mechanism with cords or motorized operation if installed. Moreover, aluminum shutters are more suitable for large windows because their rigidity doesn’t change when heated by the sun, thus avoiding stiffness reduction and warping. Another advantage of aluminum shutters is the option to add optional anti-burglary features due to their mechanical durability.
In conclusion, when all factors are considered, aluminum shutters are the better choice if price isn’t a barrier. PVC shutters are more affordable, have some drawbacks compared to aluminum, but are still a decent option. In fact, besides choosing the material, it may be equally important to select who will install these shutters, as the quality may depend on it just as much.
A reliable company with years of installation experience or an experienced craftsman may provide on-site advice to help choose the best, most cost-effective, and longest-lasting solution.
Foto: Freepik