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Tools for Shutter Repair


Click Here for Diagram of Plantation Shutters & Vinyl Shutters

  • Astragal: A strip shaped like a "T" that helps to eliminate light gaps between left and right pane when no rabbet stile exists (see rabbet stile).
  • Button Plug: A plastic plug used to cover hole where tension screws are located.
  • Café style shutters: Panels that cover the lower portion of the window.
  • Divider Rail: A rail that adds strength to tall panels and divides them into two sections in which louvers operate independently of each other.
  • Double Hung: Two independently operated panels, one mounted on top of the others
        • Frame: Used to support and or increase the window depth clearance allowing louvers on back side of panel to clear obstructions.
  • Hang Strip: is a strip that extends the length of the shutter unit hinged to the outside panel. The strip is screwed to the wall or window jamb
  • Hidden tilt bar: Tilt bar is “hidden" behind shutter panel and attached to the side of the louvers.
  • Hoffman Keys: Shaped like a butterfly, they are fasterners used in connecting miter corners of frames
  • Louvers: The movable blades within a shutter panel that control light and privacy. Popular sizes are: 2.5", 3.5", 4.5" wide. Louvers are connected to a tilt rod that coordinate the louver rotation for control of light, privacy and ventilation.
  • Mortise: A cavity cut into the wood.
  • Mortised Hinges: Hinges that require a mortise for proper installation (see mortise).
  • Mouse Hole: A cavity in the rail in which the tilt rod rests.
  • Non-Mortised Hinges: Hinges that do not require a mortise for proper installation.
  • Panel: A shutter panel consists of at least two stiles, two rails, one tilt rod, and any number of louvers.
  • Rabbet Stile: A profile cut into the stile wich allows them to overlap. Prevent light from penetrating between the panels.
  • Rail: The horizontal top and bottom members of a shutter panel. Also called Divider Rail, utilized to provide additional strength to a panel and allow separate operation of the lovers above & below the divider rail.
  • Repair Pins: Spring loaded louver pins designed to retract flush for the purpose of inserting a louver into an existing shutter panel.
  • Stile-Louver Clearance:Space between inside of a stile and louver end. Well constructed panels generally have 1/32" clearance
  • Stiles:Vertical (Left & Right) member of the shutter panel to which the louvers are attached. The Rabbeted Stile, with a cut or groove a long the edge of the stile between panels, allows them to form a joint to reduce light penetration.
  • Sunburst: Radial louvered shutters, designed for Palladian openings.
  • Tension Screw: A screw used to adjust the tension of louvers. They are recessed into outer edge of stile often covered with a button plug.
  • Tilt Rod: A vertical bar located on the front of the panels attached to louvers. Used to adjust the position of louvers.
  • T-Post: A vertical post used to support different sections of shutters in wide windows.
Track: Metal hardware used to support panels from overhead in Bypass and Bifold installations.

MOUNTING & MEASURE TERMINOLOGY:

Inside mount: A shutter mounted inside of a window opening.

Outside mount: A shutter panel mounted outside of the window case.

Sill: Bottom horizontal member of window opening.

Window Depth: The distance from the surface of the wall to the closest part of the window

Fraction Decimal Millimeter
1/8 0.125 3.175
1/4 0.25 6.35
3/8 0.375 9.525
1/2 0.5 12.7
5/8 0.625 15.875
3/4 0.75 19.05
7/8 0.875 22.225
1 1 25.4

HINGE TERMINOLOGY:

BUTT HINGE
A hinge made of two matching leaves, one recessed into the shutter panel and the other into the jamb so that they are in contact with the panel.
GAUGE
The thickness of a hinge leaf.

LEAF
The portion of a hinge extending laterally from the knuckle and which usually revolves around a pin.

LEAF WIDTH
The dimension from the center of the pin to the outer edge of the leaf.

HINGE WIDTH (same as open width)
The overall dimension of the leaves measured perpendicular to, or across, the pin.

PIN
Rod running the length of the hinge. The pin holds the leaves of the hinge together.
LOOSE PIN
Removable hinge pin allowing for separation of
hinge leaves. Allows for removal of shutter panel without having to remove hinges.

KNUCKLE LENGTH
The nominal or typical dimension of the knuckle measured parallel to the pin.

HINGE LENGTH
The length of the leaves measured parallel to the pin.

PITCH
The dimension from a point on the knuckle to the same point on an adjacent knuckle on the same leaf.

PAINT CLEARANCE
The minimum dimension between the outer face of the knuckle and the opposing edge of the cutout over the hinge's entire range of pivotal movement.

END PLAY
The amount of axial movement between the leaves.
KNUCKLE
The hollow circular part at the joint of a hinge through which a pin is passed. The knuckle is often called a loop, joint, node or curl.