Internal Window Shutter Restoration in Edinburgh
Many Edinburgh tenements, townhouses and villas still have their original folding timber shutters, hidden in the window linings. Too often they are painted shut, screwed closed, missing a leaf or stripped of their hardware. South Edinburgh Joinery restores internal shutters so they open, close and fold away as they were made to, and works alongside our sash window restoration service.
Why restore your shutters
Warmth. Historic Environment Scotland's research on a traditional single-glazed sash and case window found that closing the shutters reduced heat loss through the window by 51% (HES Technical Paper 1). For a period home, working shutters are one of the simplest ways to make a room feel warmer on a winter night.
Privacy and darkness. Closed shutters block light and give privacy without curtains or blinds.
Noise. On busy streets, closed shutters take the edge off traffic noise at night.
Character and value. Original working shutters are a feature buyers notice in Edinburgh's period properties.
Listed buildings. In a listed building, repairing original shutters is usually preferable to removing or replacing them. Removing or altering original features may need listed building consent. Check with the City of Edinburgh Council if your building is listed.
Common shutter problems we fix
- Painted shut: layers of paint fill the joints and hinges so the leaves will not open.
- Screwed or nailed closed: often done by a previous owner to stop rattling.
- Missing leaves: a leaf removed or lost during earlier work.
- Warped or split panels: from damp, heat or age.
- Broken or missing ironmongery: hinges, knobs, and the shutter bar that locks the leaves closed.
- Shutters that will not fold back into the boxes: from paint build-up, settlement or later alterations.
- Boxed-in shutters: hidden behind boards or plasterboard. Many owners do not know they are there until we look.
What restoration involves
- Survey. We check each window: do the leaves move, what is missing, what condition the timber and linings are in.
- Freeing. Paint is carefully cut back from joints and hinges so the leaves can move without splitting the timber.
- Repair. Splits glued, loose joints re-made, damaged sections pieced in with matching timber.
- Making missing leaves. Where a leaf is missing, we make a new one to match the profile and panel pattern of the others.
- Ironmongery. Hinges freed or replaced, and bars, knobs and catches restored or replaced with matching patterns.
- Easing and adjusting. So the leaves fold back flush into the boxes and close neatly across the window.
- Finishing. The finish is agreed in the written quote.
Paint and lead
Older paint layers on period joinery may contain lead. Where paint has to be removed, it needs to be done carefully to avoid dust.
Shutters and sash windows together
Shutters work best with sash windows that are draught-proofed and running well. Many clients have both done as part of the same job. The programme is set out in the written quote. See our sash window restoration page.
Prices
Every window is different. The price depends on the condition of the shutters and the scope of the work. After a home visit we give a fixed written quote for the agreed work.
Where we work
Period homes across Edinburgh, including Marchmont, Bruntsfield, Morningside, the Grange, Merchiston, the New Town, Stockbridge, the West End, Leith and Trinity.
Frequently asked questions
Can painted-shut shutters be saved?
Usually, yes. With care, the paint can be cut back from the joints and hinges so the leaves move again. Split or damaged sections can be repaired.
Do shutters really keep a room warmer?
Historic Environment Scotland's research found closing the shutters on a traditional single-glazed sash and case window reduced heat loss through the window by 51%.
Can you make a missing shutter leaf?
Yes. We make a new leaf to match the profile and panel pattern of the existing ones.
Do I need consent to restore shutters in a listed building?
Like-for-like repair usually does not change the building's character, but removing or replacing original features may need listed building consent. Check with the City of Edinburgh Council if your building is listed.
Can shutters be restored at the same time as my sash windows?
Yes. Doing the sash and the shutters together is often the most efficient way. The programme is set out in the written quote.
How do I know if I have hidden shutters?
Deep window linings with panelled or boarded sides are a sign. We can check at the survey.
Bring your shutters back into use
Send us photos of your windows or book a survey, and we will tell you what can be saved and what it will cost.