3025-A Trotters Pkwy
Alpharetta, GA 30004
(770) 569-2505
There are several types of wood used in the plantation shutter industry. The popularity of these woods varies region to region. For instance, incense cedar, basswood, and even saguaro cactus wood are used in the Southwest. There, the window openings tend to be larger, calling for a lighter wood to maintain structural integrity once the shutters are installed. The woods used must also hold up to the intense sun, dry heat and lack of shade. In the North and Southeast, basswood and poplar are widely used. Cottonwood which is a species of poplar is also used. Even though it has some distinct characteristics, such as a strong, musty fragrance, those who use it just call it poplar, which can be confusing. While there are many woods that are suitable for plantation shutters, these are the most cost effective and sustainable.
The market in Atlanta was predominately a basswood market until the 1990's. Poplar has been used in the industry here now for many years and has a proven track record to be a good and reliable source for the environmental conditions here. Cypress does well in ocean climates such as Savannah. We offer a wide choice of woods, but most people choose poplar for painted shutters and then basswood for stains. Of course some companies promote one wood over the other. If you get confused, we can help you educate you, not sell you. You can choose either basswood or poplar at the same price. Of coarse we also carry woods such as maple, but at a higher price point because the wood is more expensive.
The trick to remember is not all grades of wood are equal. A practice in the industry is to substitute a cheaper grade of the wood. A company may tell you they use basswood and promote it as superior, but then use the #1 common grade which is cheaper for them, but has more knots, imperfections, and curvature. It may also not be properly pre-treated to prevent any further movement in the wood which can later translate into warping. We promote and actually use North American/kiln dried woods. Chances are if you receive a low estimate, you are not getting the proper grade of wood.
Additionally, there are suppliers out there in the industry selling companies, designers and builders imported, untested woods and marketing them as basswood, both in ready-to-assemble components and ready-to-install form. How do we know? Because they approached us. What this means is that there are people telling you they use basswood and have no clue that they are really giving their customers an unknown type of imported wood instead. Or maybe they do? At Elite Shutters of Georgia, you get the wood you order!
Here's another tip: if you receive a delivery time of six to eight weeks or more, there is a good chance the product is arriving via cargo ship from the pacific rim, either in component form to be assembled and painted here, or already manufactured and ready to install. We quote delivery time three to five weeks from the order date.
