MDF is often seen as a dirty “word” (acronym?), but in the right setting it is truly a great material- think how hardworking your kitchen cabinets are.
Our MDF shutters (or as our supplier would like you to refer to them “engineered wood composite (EWC)”… ok) are the bestselling shutter material world-wide. They come with reinforced wooden stiles and a patented polypropylene coating to ensure maximum damage resistance and structural integrity.
The manufacturing process uses 95% of the tree. It is completely biodegradable, and is sourced from rapid- growth trees, giving it superb eco-friendly credentials.
On average, EWC can be about 10-20% heavier than many common hardwoods. This difference in weight is due to the density of EWC, which is manufactured to be uniformly dense throughout its composition. On many windows, this doesn’t matter, but it does limit usage in larger situations. If you are someone who will like to leave their shutter panels open (as opposed to just adjusting the louvres) you may find you need to assist the close of the panels, as the weight may move the hinges slightly.
Humidity: a little contentious with EWC. You need to consider your own space, rather than general advice. If your windowsill regularly holds condensation, if your bathroom or kitchen holds onto it’s steam longer than you would like, EWC will absorb that humidity over time and swell/ crack. If not, you should be fine, although we will always recommend a polymer shutter over EWC in these cases.
Deep dive aside, Engineered Wood Composite (EWC) shutters (and shutters in general) are great for insulation - keeping your home cooler or warmer, depending on the time of year. Low maintenance, EWC shutters are easy to clean, keeping their looks for decades. EWC is also the best priced material for shutters at all; and until the end of the year, you can upgrade our EWC shutters to the popular invisible tilt control (no rod on show) for free.
Shutters also carry “kerb appeal” and “perceived security”. Kerb appeal: like a great kitchen or bathroom, shutters do not add financial value to a home, but they make it far more appealing to people (or prospective buyers, if you are looking to change homes).
Perceived security: again, shutters (unless you are buying a specific product) do not improve your insurance quote, as they are not classed as a security home improvement; they do make it look difficult to enter stealthily, if your home is been observed by an opportunist thief.
Why not book an appointment and find out more?
