March 2020 - McNeill Palm

Best Material for Plantation Window Shutters

April 21, 2023March 23, 2020 by McNeill Palm Team

When you’re considering plantation window shutters in Panama City Beach, FL, there will be many things that will go into the final choice you make before your plantation window shutters are installed in your home. These things include your home’s décor, the sizes of the windows in your home, and where you live.

Plantation window shutters are manufactured with many types of materials. Because southern Florida has a warm, humid climate year-round, the material you choose for your plantation window shutters will be a very important part of your final selection process.

All plantation window shutters have two things in common: they come in panels that can be opened and each panel has very wide louvers which can be operated independently. But the one thing that can differ is what material is used to manufacture the plantation window shutters.

So, what are generally considered the most durable and versatile materials that plantation window shutters can be manufactured in?

One material used to manufacture plantation window shutters is Poly Vinyl Chloride (PVC). This material is very popular with homeowners because of its resistance to heat and to moisture. The only downside to PVC plantation window shutters is that the louvers can’t be decorated because the edges have sealing caps on them.

Another material that is very popular for plantation window shutters is foamed synthetics. Foamed synthetic plantation window shutters are non-toxic, and they are fire-resistant and water-resistant. Aluminum braces are included in these plantation window shutters to keep them from sagging. They are available in many different colors and designs.

What also makes these plantation window shutters a very good choice is that because of the foam, they add more insulation to your windows, and they will help keep your home’s internal temperature more comfortable and will help lower your energy bills.

Medium density fiber (MDF) is another material that is used to manufacture plantation window shutters. Medium density fiber is a glue-sawdust mixture that is pliable enough to be formed into any shape, so they can be an ideal choice for plantation window shutters.

You can choose to have wood, vinyl-wrapped, or painted finishes with MDF plantation window shutters. MDF plantation window shutters have an advantage over standard wood plantation window shutters because they are more water-resistant and warp-resistant.

However, if you choose MDF plantation window shutters in south Florida, it’s advisable to have them vinyl wrapped so they are better able to withstand the higher humidity we experience down here throughout the year.

Plantation window shutters can also be manufactured with composite wood. Composite wood can be manufactured from a single type of wood or from a combination of different types of wood. These plantation window shutters are engineered to be incredibly sturdy and durable, so they are a very good option when you are looking at plantation window shutters as a long-term investment.

They are also a better option than just plain wood because of the longevity that is built into them. Composite wood plantation window shutters are available in different shapes and colors so you can find that perfect fit into your existing décor or to upgrade the style of your home.

Plantation window shutters can also be manufactured in different types of real wood, including alder, cedar, and basswood. Although they are more susceptible to moisture, our window shutters experts can give you advice about how to protect them.

If you’d like learn more about plantation window shutters in Panama City Beach, FL, you can talk with our knowledgeable team at McNeill Palm. You can visit our showroom at 655 Grand Blvd Ste 106D, Miramar Beach, FL 32250, or you can contact us at (850) 613-6228.

Is it Time to Replace Your Vertical Window Blinds?

April 21, 2023March 16, 2020 by McNeill Palm Team

Vertical window blinds in Panama City Beach, FL are probably installed somewhere in your home. Perhaps you have a large picture window that has vertical (also known as venetian) window blinds installed on it. More likely, you have a glass sliding door that has vertical window blinds installed.

While vertical window blinds are a practical and easy window treatment to use on oversized windows and on sliding glass doors, they wear over time. Slats get broken or warped, making them harder to open and close. Perhaps some of the slats are missing, so the window blinds don’t even provide the kind of privacy you bought them for.

While your vertical window blinds have served their purpose for many years, it’s time to think about replacing them with new beautiful and more energy efficient window coverings.

While vertical window blinds were the most practical solution for large windows and sliding glass doors when they were introduced in the late 1960’s, they also have some inherent issues that can make them less and less an attractive window covering option as time goes by.

One issue is that the slats can get stuck or twisted, and make opening or closing the vertical window blinds impossible until you physically reach up and unstick or untwist the offending slat.

Another issue with vertical window blinds is that they make noise when they are closed. If you used vertical window blinds on a sliding glass door or large window where you also have a screen installed, so you can have them open for ventilation, the vertical window blinds will clang together at the slightest breeze or even if someone passes close by them.

Vertical window blinds also break easily. All it takes is someone to brush by them or tug on them a little too hard and the slats can break or the vane snaps and then they don’t rotate or open they way they are supposed to.

If you’ve had your vertical window blinds up for several years, you’ll notice that they show a lot of wear and tear. Because most vertical window blinds are made with vinyl, it’s easy for visible dirt to build up over time.

So, now you’ve decided to replace your vertical window blinds. What window treatments work as well or better than they do?

Plantation window shutters are a better alternative than vertical window blinds for windows that are oversized. With their timeless trendiness and their availability in many types of materials and colors, plantation window shutters give you a lot of benefits that vertical window blinds don’t. They are durable, so they won’t move when you have the windows open for ventilation.

Additionally, plantation window shutters add an extra layer of insulation to windows, so they will keep the internal temperature of your rooms more consistently comfortable.

Another great option to replace vertical window blinds on large windows is cellular shades. Cellular window shades update any décor and they can be manufactured with different variations of light filtering, so you can choose the one that works best in the room where you are going to install them.

A fantastic alternative to vertical window blinds for sliding glass doors is sliding panels. These are track window blinds that are easy to use and come in a large variety of fabric choices.

If you’d like to learn more about window blinds in Panama City Beach, FL, you can speak with our experienced staff at McNeill Palm. You can come to our showroom at 655 Grand Blvd Ste 106D, Miramar Beach, FL 32250, or you can call us at (850) 613-6228.

Window Coverings for Privacy

April 21, 2023March 9, 2020 by McNeill Palm Team

When you’re looking for a window covering in Panama City Beach, FL that enhances the privacy of your home, there are many options that are available that both coordinate well with your interior décor and protect you, your family, and your possessions from view by people passing by outside. Window coverings can also give you privacy by helping block outside noises.

But some windows seem as though they may be harder to make private with window coverings because they are not rectangular windows. These include windows with arches or octagon-shaped windows. However, window coverings for privacy can be custom-made and custom-fitted for these kinds of windows as well.

While many window coverings provide privacy, there are some things that you’ll need to consider as you look for window coverings that not only enhance your home’s style, but also give you the privacy and noise control you want.

Bathrooms, of course, are probably the rooms in the house where privacy is a must. However, when you choose window coverings for the bathrooms in your home, you’ll want to choose window coverings that can stand up to the high moisture content of bathrooms. Shades are always a popular choice, but if they are made out of fabric, they can cause mold and mildew to form and grow.

You should also avoid real wood window coverings in the bathroom as well. Wood is living, so it easily absorbs moisture from the bathroom. This can cause the wood to expand or warp, and it can also cause mold and mildew to grow and flourish.

Your best choices for privacy and noise control in the bathroom, then, are window coverings that are made from non-wood and non-fabric materials. Many people like the stylishness and practicality of window shutters, since they can be closed to provide complete privacy or they can be opened to allow the maximum amount of natural light in from the outside.

Window shutters are manufactured with many non-wood and non-fabric materials, so you have a lot of choices that will work well in your bathrooms.

Bedrooms are another area of your home where absolutely privacy is a must. Faux wood plantation shutters are always an excellent choice – both in bedrooms and throughout your home – because they can be fully opened and fully closed to maximize light or privacy. You can also keep them close and simply open or close the wide louvers for either allowing natural light to come in or ensuring privacy.

Another popular choice for privacy in bedrooms is cellular – honeycomb – blinds that are room-darkening. These ensure that you have complete privacy, and they also provide excellent outside noise control. Additionally, cellular blinds also add insulation to the window, so they make any room they are installed in more energy efficient.

Room-darkening roller shades are also an excellent choice to add privacy and noise control to your home. Roller shades can be raised when you want to allow natural light in from the outside, but when they are lowered, they provide total privacy.

Window coverings that don’t give you privacy include sheer curtains. Sheer curtains are great for letting light into a room and giving rooms a sense of airiness. But they must have another window covering with them that provides privacy (usually this window covering is either drapes or curtains.

If you’d like learn more about privacy window coverings in Panama City Beach, FL, you can talk with our knowledgeable team at McNeill Palm. You can visit our showroom at 655 Grand Blvd Ste 106D, Miramar Beach, FL 32250, or you can contact us at (850) 613-6228.