There are some specific steps that you should take to breathe new life into the shutters on your home. The first thing that you should do is remove them from the windows and make sure that they lay flat in an area where you have plenty of room to work.
1. You’ll get the best results when you work on each section separately and have them on a large, open surface.
2. When you’re trying to revitalize vinyl shutters that are soiled but not overly faded, you can wet them with a spray bottle of water containing a small amount of gentle dishwashing liquid. Get the cleaner into all the crevices and allow it to sit on the vinyl for a few minutes. If you need to get into tighter places, use a flat-bladed screwdriver with a cloth or towel around the blade.
3. Once you feel that you’ve cleaned all the necessary surfaces, you can hose them down with your garden hose. Hand dry them with a towel or soft cloth. Then let the sun and a breeze do the rest.
Need Paint?
If you’re working with wooden shutters, you’ll want to use a similar process, though you may encounter more issues with paint chipping or peeling. If you have older wood shutters that need to be repainted, you should take the first step mentioned above. Don’t try to work on your exterior shutters while they’re attached.
The best option for wood shutters is to treat them as you would any important wood trim on the exterior of your home. Surface preparation is the key.
1. Using a wire brush, gently remove the flaking and peeling paint. Be careful not to gouge the wood. Once you’ve achieved a smooth surface in this step, use a damp (not wet) cloth to wipe down every surface. If you need to get into tighter spaces, use a screwdriver and towel or cloth as described above.
2. If your shutters have relatively tight slat spacing, you can save time by using a quality spray paint. Of course, you can also brush the paint on if you so choose. Cleaning is important. So is a good prime coat.
3. Allow the shutters to dry thoroughly before determining if they need a second coat.
You Can Paint Vinyl
There are cleaning products designed specifically for use on vinyl so ask your hardware or paint supplier about this product. Or consult with the company supplying the shutters, especially if you have a warranty on them. Be sure that you talk to the supplier if you’re planning to paint your vinyl shutters. You’ll need a specific paint to get good results.
Choose the right primer to get started. If you clean the shutters as described above, allow them to dry thoroughly, and try to slap some paint on them without the correct preparation or prime coat, the paint probably won’t stick very long. Once you’ve given the finish coat a good surface that it can adhere to, you can use a good-quality paint with the confidence that it will last for the long term.
