Wooden Shutters Repair Essex

Shutters can be a fantastic investment to make your home look a little more rustic. There are plenty of great wood selections available and you’d be surprised at just how simple they are to install.

However, with all projects in the home, it’s also crucial that you learn how to maintain your shutters in the event they break, become damaged or develop faults.

It can get pretty expensive hiring a contractor each time to deal with problems, which is why we’ve decided to put together a simple guide that will help you repair your shutters with ease.

Rotting Wooden Blinds

Rotting is a common issue caused by a fungus that decays wood. The fungus loves damp conditions and can quickly spread if not taken care of.

Wood rots can occur wherever there is moisture such as bathrooms or even kitchens. If they’re not dealt with quickly then they can easily spread through your shutters and effectively render them useless.

If you deal with the issue quickly then the fungus doesn’t have time to spread and you can prevent a costly disaster.

The best solution would be to remove the damaged wood. Once it starts rotting there’s no saving it and the only thing you can do is replace the damaged section of your shutter.

Chip away at it with a chisel or even a screwdriver, making sure that all of the rot has been completely removed. Once done, you can use auto body filler to fill in the gaps.

As you can imagine, this is much easier to pull off when you detect the rot early because it won’t have spread as far. You can also use special treatments to help prevent wood rot from happening.

This is a complicated process but it can be done on your own. If you feel like it’s too much work or too detailed, then a quick call to a local professional and they’ll easily be able to help you.

To avoid this happening in the first place, make sure you only install your blinds in areas that are free of moisture. If the area is getting damp, then try to use a dehumidifier or cut the source of moisture (for instance, if you keep a kettle near the shutters and use it on a regular basis) to ensure that your blinds do not suffer from wood rotting.

Dislodged Louvre 

Even if your shutters are installed correctly by a professional service, the louvres in your shutters can eventually slip out after some wear and tear or usage. This is a fairly common problem and isn’t a sign of a low-quality blind or a poor installation job.

However, it can look unpleasing to the eye and appear as if the job wasn’t done correctly. Not only will it look out of place, but it can also let cold in from the outside and could potentially reduce the amount of light in the home depending on how the louvre has been dislodged.

The best solution is to simply repair it yourself. The louvres on your shutters or blinds are held in place with pins which are usually small spring-loaded plastic parts. You can use a flathead screwdriver to hold the pin firmly in place while you reinsert the louvre.

If the pin itself is missing then there’s a good chance it has dropped out somewhere onto the floor. However, if you can’t find it then you may want to contact the service that installed your shutters / blinds and ask for a replacement.

This is a simple replacement job that can easily be handled by anyone with even a tiny bit of DIY knowledge. It’s a fast fix and you can do it yourself provided you find the louvres or if you’re able to find a replacement.

There’s no need to contact a professional unless you’re unable to secure a replacement pin.

Louvres Automatically Closing

If you have solid shutters then this isn’t a problem. However, if you have louvres on your shutters then you might experience them automatically closing. This is often due to the louvre tension and can easily be fixed on your own without the need of a professional.

This problem often happens due to the weight of the shutter tilt rod and gravity pulling the louvres down. The louvres want to tilt and close, which is why they are automatically shutting. A set of tension screws are used to prevent the louvres from opening and they can easily be adjusted if they keep automatically closing.

The solution for this is simple. Simply take a screwdriver and use it to tighten the tension screws. They can be found on the outside of your shutter panels. Once the screws have been tightened, the louvres should no longer automatically close and will remain open instead.

This is another simple fix for a common issue. There’s no need to call an expert and all you need is a simple screwdriver.

Loud Rattling Shutters

Another common issue with shutters is rattling. If your shutters are making loud rustling noises then the first place to look would be the magnets. Small magnets are mounted in the frame to prevent the entire shutter from moving around too much. However, they’re usually encased in plastic and can come loose over time.

The fix is simple; you can replace the magnet frame. You’ll need to purchase a replacement (you can often find these in hardware stores or by contacting the service that helped you install your shutters) and then use a screwdriver to remove the old magnet frame and replace it with a newer one.

This should prevent the shutters from rattling again. If they continue to rattle, then you may want to double check that the magnet casing has been screwed on tightly.

If you need any help with your shutters, make sure you get in touch with us today for a free consultation and advice.