Plantation Shutters are an expensive window treatment that after a decade or so will need to

be repainted. A professional that truly knows what they are doing will charge big bucks to paint them for you.

If this is the route you want to take and the money part of the equation is secondary, then do it. But, and I emphasize

BUT, make sure they do know what they are doing! House painters will often take this job

on for some extra cash thinking it's just like painting a wall, but it's not, and you will

end up with a bunch of shutters that are painted shut and are forever ruined.

Get references from the person or company you are thinking of using , and look at the work they have done.

It's just not worth the chance of flushing 1000's of dollars worth of shutters down the toilet. Enough said.

Now let's get back to the focus of this article. If you follow the steps I will outline in this

article, you can save yourself a good chunk of change by painting your shutters yourself with

a result as good as the pro's that use expensive equipment and facilities.

The actual painting of the shutters with the technique I describe will not take long at all. What will

take some time is the first key to painting shutters. The 6 P's, (Proper Prior Preparation Prevents Poor Performance).

The first key to a successful shutter paint job is preparing the surface of the shutter.

Before painting anything you will want to prepare the surface of your

plantation shutters. In most cases the shutters will need to be cleaned.

Surfaces that contain dust, dirt, or grease will increase the chances that your

paint will not stick. I recommend using a Liquid Sander which can be purchased

at your local hardware store. Liquid Sander cleans and degreases the surface of

the shutters. The Liquid Sander also chemically sands the surface of the

shutters. This is important because paint has a hard time adhering to very

shiny or slick surfaces. Using Liquid Sander is a whole lot easier and faster than

using sandpaper and elbow grease.

After cleaning and de-glossing, and before painting, I recommend priming.

Applying a water based paint on top of oil based paint, or vice-a-versa is

asking for trouble. This is why I recommend first applying a water based primer

after using the Liquid Sander and before painting your plantation shutters. A

water based primer is designed to stick to what is already on your shutters, and

create a surface that your paint will readily adhere to (note: use a primer

color closest to the color you will be painting).

The next step is where most people make the mistake and ruin their shutters. I DO NOT

recommend using a brush to paint your plantation shutters. If you look at your

shutters you will notice that there are very small gaps between the louvers and

the frame. No matter how careful you are, applying a latex or oil based house

paint with a brush WILL fill these gaps. When the paint dries in-between these

gaps your shutter will no longer operate smoothly or at all. Now that I

have your attention please read on.

Although limited with color selection, the best method for the average

homeowner is to apply the primer and paint using a spray can. What you say? The same spray can

my son paints his bicycle with? Well yes, that is exactly

what I said. With the right technique you can get the same results as the pros do that use

those very expensive HVLP (High Volume Low Pressure) spray systems. As for spray can color

I suggest using some shade of white. White goes with just about anything, and if down the road

your should change the color of your walls or decor, well it will go with it. As for the

technique you should use when spraying your shutter check out

drshutter.com.

Their website explains the process on how to use the spray can properly, hanging the shutter for

spraying, and how to spray all those hard to reach places on the shutter.

Considering the money you will save, and the results you will attain, this is

definitely a do-it-yourselfer project that will feel good in the wallet and make

your shutters look like new again.