Our shutters are made of solid, cellular synthetic derived from natural gas. Another description is foamed PVC. Our material can be sawed, sanded and painted like wood. We like to say that we have all the advantages of wood but none of the disadvantages. Our material will not warp, crack or chip. We specify twice the required UV inhibitors to ensure a long, trouble-free life for our products. To ensure consistent quality, our materials are made in the U.S.A. All of our shutter lines with the exception of the economy Freedom shutters are painted with non-yellowing acrylic paints.

Celuka is a process of extruding vinyl. There are two types of foam material. One is called free foam and the other process is Celuka. Celuka process provides a harder surface than free foam. The harder surface makes the shutter more durable and ding resistant. It also makes the shutter stronger. Celuka costs more to run than free foam, but it is a quality feature PolyDesign feels is worth paying for. We absorb this added cost so our shutters cost you no more than softer free foam shutters.

Wrap shutters are made of MDF (particle board material) wrapped with a polymer or paper coating. In certain environments, these shutters can swell and separate. With some shell covers, painting is not possible and product can yellow in a few years. Wrap shutters suit a certain market because the material to make the shutters is cheap and inexpensive. However, we feel that because of the long-term quality issues and the fact that they are more labor intensive than our shutter line, this product was not an option. Clad shutters are a small segment of the shutter market. These shutters have a vinyl shell wrapped around cheap, low-grade wood profiles. Since the outer shell is a rigid vinyl, painting can be a problem. These shutters are not well accepted mainly because upon close observation, they do not have a quality look comparable to other products on the market. Wood shutters have been around the longest. We manufactured wood shutters ourselves until we became aware of the new technology of cellular synthetics. However, the truth is that there are differences in wood shutters. As quality wood becomes more rare and labor costs continue to rise, wood shutters become less attractive to manufacture. We believe that there will always be a market for wood shutters, but as competition increases, we will see more imports of these products taking advantage of cheap labor overseas. Wood will always have the nature of wood. It will warp or distort. Moisture will affect it. It is not flame-proof and the shutter can come apart over time if not properly assembled.

There is still a limited number of extruders that can extrude quality Celuka foam products in the volume necessary to have a national shutter program. This limited supply is one reason that shutter manufacturers are scrambling to find other materials to make shutters. Second, our materials cost more than comparable wood components. Working with synthetics is different than with wood and some companies cannot make the switch. Our materials cost us more but our labor is much less. This balance allows us to give our customers a superior product at competitive prices.

Yes, our shutters are painted with the latest acrylic coatings. These coatings are non-yellowing and moisture-resistant. Our economy line of Freedom shutters is not painted, but is color-matched synthetic comparable to the hollow vinyl shutters on the market.

The warranty for PolyDesign shutters is through the fabricator that makes your shutters. The shutters are warrantied by these fabricators to be free of manufacturing defects. The paint finish is warrantied for three years though the chance of having any problems in your lifetime are not probable. Due to the quality of the product and the quality of our fabricators, warranty work is never an issue. When buying your shutters, always be aware of the company you are buying them from. A warranty is only as strong as the company backing it.