Can you cut down shutters
by
Mkl
+1
I have wanted to put shutters on either side of my living room window . I finally found an awesome pair at an estate sale. I did not nave a tape measure (or a brain apparently) with me but the shutters were about my height and since the curtains I get are 63 inches these will fit. Long story short they are about a foot too long. Anyway can I remove the bottom of the shutter, remove the unwanted slats, replace the bottom and then cut off the excess sides. They are quite old so I want to handle them gently.
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You should be able to do just that. If you can't get the bottom piece off, you could always try sawing it at the bottom piece, adjusting the length, then proceeding with putting them back together.
Thank you! For some reason I want this look so bad!
WE have done the opposite, adding wood to the bottom of shutters. But I would hesitate to try to de-construct a shutter, just working on it might cause the slats themselves to become destabilised. You say the shutters are a foot too long, couldn't you still use them, distributing the length between the top of the window and the bottom? Or if you want them to rest upon the window sill would they look too odd if you had an extra foot at the top, when they are open it wouldn't show much, nor if they are closed since the window would be hidden. Here are pics of our kitchen window. The shutters are an inch too short top and bottom, have been like that 40 years and it works for me. The upper window is over our tub, we added on to these. Unless you are a very experienced carpenter, I would hesitate to do what you want. p.s. I have learned in my old age to always carry a tape measure with me and if going to the dump, a screw driver to get nice bits off some wooden pieces!
I have a chair rail and a sofa under the window so I cannot keep them long.