Our Shutters

Shutter Jargon

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Applied Moulding: Moulding applied to the shutter's face for decoration or to conceal joinery.

Arch Top: A curved shutter top; not a "true" circle.

Batten: The horizontal piece on a board and batten shutter.

Custom Beading detail on Exterior ShuttersBeading Detail: A decorative, half-rounded edge that parallels the stile profile; usually combined with rabbeting.

Bermuda Shutter: A shutter used primarily in the coastal states for sun shading and storm protection. Bermuda shutters typically open from the bottom to the top.

Bifold: Two shutters that are hinged together, usually with a butt hinge

Bleed Through: Staining of the paint due to tannin acid leaching through the wood onto the surface.

Brick Mould: Decorative moulding often applied around the outside of a window frame.

Bullet Catch: A fastener used for surface mounting a shutter. A shutter hold-back. An anti-rattle device used in conjunction with a conventional shutter dog.

Butt Hinge: Hinge that does not offer a lift-off function; often used in bifold applications.

Capping: A strip of aluminum or copper formed along the top of the shutter to prevent moisture from entering any joints, thereby deteriorating paint.

Casement: The wood or aluminum frame that goes around a window sash.

Circle Top: A rounded top shutter with a radius equal to shutter's width; each shutter top is actually a quarter circle.

Closed Position: The position of a shutter when it is seated in the window frame; the back of the shutter is generally visible from the outside when shutter is in the closed position.

Cottage Style: A two paneled shutter whose top section is slightly smaller than the bottom section, usually proportioned 40%-60%.

Custom Beading detail on Exterior ShuttersCut outs: Decorative silhouettes cut out of the panel of a shutter, offering the ability to further customize pair of shutters; usually crafted into the uppermost panel on each side.

Dowel: A piece of wood formed from long grain that is used to secure a mortise and tenon joint; also referred to as a Peg.

Expansion Shield: An anchoring mechanism for a screw or bolt that is used in masonry applications.

Eye Brow: See Arched Top.

Fine Grain: A preferred quality of wood typically found in old growth timber, resulting in a stable construction with minimum contraction and expanding.

Fixed Louver: Any louvered shutter in which the louvers are stationary and do not move/pivot.

Galvanization: Process of applying a coat of zinc onto the surface of metal to prevent rust and decay.

Hammered Bevel: Hinge that has been hammered on the edges to achieve a rustic, timeless appearance.

Hand-Forged: Process of hand-working steel and other materials through the use of extreme heat, hammering and shaping.

Hook & Staple: A classic form of shutter tie back.

Horns: An extension of stile that continues beyond the bottom rail; commonly found in New England.

Integrated Picture Frame Trim: Timberlane's own special decorative moulding, crafted into paneled shutters using tongue and groove construction to secure the edge of the trim.

Jamb Leaf Pintel: A pintel secured to the inside edge of a window casement, as opposed to the face of a casement; found on standard plate and lag pintels.

Jamb Mount Hinge: Hinge fastened to the inside edge of the casement.

Custom Beading detail on Exterior ShuttersLeaf: One half of a pair of shutters; a single shutter.

Louver Direction: The position of the louvers tilt; historically, louvers tilt toward the house when shutters are opened.

Louver Pitch: The degree of the angle at which the louvers are positioned.

Mortise: A hole bored into the stile joint to accommodate the tenon.

Mouse Hole: A notched hole that accommodates the top of the tilt rod on louvered shutters.

Offset: The distance between the mounting surface of a hinge and surface of the building.

Custom Beading detail on Exterior ShuttersOverlap Rabbeting: A shutter that has the wood on the edge of the stile removed, blocking light when the closed shutters interlock; also referred to as "ship-lap".

Pair Width: The dimension that describes the actual opening width of the window; this measurement is then divided in half, representing the actual width of one shutter (leaf).

Panel Configuration: The design of a shutter as achieved by the placement of rails.

Peg: See Dowel. A mortise and tenon shutter is often described as a "pegged" shutter.

Pintel: The part of the shutter hinge that has a vertical pin welded onto one of many mounts, i.e. plate, lag, jamb, etc.

Rail: Horizontal framing member of a shutter; placement of rail directly affects panel configuration.

Custom Beading detail on Exterior ShuttersReveal: Amount of casement or brick mould that is left visible after a shutter is hung.

Ship-lap: See Overlap Rabbeting; the joining of two interlocking shutters.

Shutter Bolt: A device used for protection when the shutter is in closed position; see Shutter Lock.

Shutter Dog: Piece of hardware that holds the shutter in the open position but also enables additional decorating options.

Shutter Field: The distance between rails in any shutter that contain either louvers or a panel.

Shutter Lock: A device that secures the shutter from inside when shutter is in the closed position; also referred to as Shutter Bolt.

Stile: The vertical framing member of a shutter.

Custom Beading detail on Exterior ShuttersStrap Hinge: A hinge typically secured to the top and bottom of the back of a shutter with a sleeve that fits over a pintel.

Tannin: Natural resin present in cedar and other woods.

Tenon: A projection on the end of a rail made to fit into a mortise, thereby creating a joint.

Tilt-rod: A vertical piece of wood, secured to the louvers, traditionally used for operating louvers.

Window Jamb: The wood that frames a window and is used to secure the window to the rough opening of the building.

Window Seat: The area where the shutter rests in the closed position.

Order Shutters

Contact a Shutter Guru today! Call: 800-250-2221
Try our Virtual Shutter
Builder! Get Started »