What should I look for in judging the quality of a Custom Shutter Manufacturer?

Do you make your painted shutters with real basswood?

Basswood is perfect for shutters because of it's natural properties like strength, lack of pitch, beautiful uniform grain and low natural moisture content, which makes it ideal for shutters and blinds. We kiln dry ours to match the climate here in Arizona so you don't have shrinkage.

What Grade?

(Wood is graded by FDA like meat - Grades are: Select and Better, grade 1 common, grade 2 common. Arizona Shutters and Blinds uses Select and Better - it is straighter with fewer if any "blems" or knots. This allows us to make wider and taller panels) We don't use MDF or other engineered wood or sawdust manufactured wood-like product they call wood. On our stain shutters we offer Basswood and Alder because it has the same characteristics that makes Basswood great for our climate. We can match doors and cabinets for a more custom look. We can also match distressing if you so choose.

Do you manufacture your own shutters?

Arizona Shutters and Blinds manufacture theirs in their own factory which you are invited to visit and compare our product with any others you may be looking at. This means your $$stays here in our economy. Our company is American family owned and most of the employees are part of that ownership. Many other shutter companies farm their shutters out and many have them made in China or Mexico and even by prisoners in the Lewis Prison. Our employees are extraordinary carpenters with a gift for design, application, and function.

Can I visit your factory??

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You are always invited to visit our showroom and factory at 21620 N 26th Avenue in Phoenix, AZ 85027. If you call and make an appointment, we can make arrangements to be there and give you a personal tour and what we call "shutters 101" education. We can schedule a free in home quote. Our website has many wonderful ideas for decor and styles, but there is no replacement for seeing the shutters in person. Ask your other quote people if you can see their factory. If they say no -- they probably don't have one.    Call today! 480 948 3600.

What is your warranty?

Arizona Shutters and Blinds warranty is lifetime on workmanship,  labor, warping, splitting, cracking or shrinking with as high as 20 years on the paint finish. Ask about the written warranty we issue with every order.

How many separate coats of paint do you use?

Arizona Shutters and Blinds uses two undercoats and two top coats with intense sanding between each coat.  FEEL THE FINISH!! EVEN OUR "DESERT TEXTURE" finish is very smooth with a beautiful soft grain.  this makes them easier to clean.

Is your paint engineered for this climate with UV inhibitors built in and certified low VOC?

Arizona Shutters and Blinds is!  No fading or yellowing!  And we have a 20 year warranty against paint fade or crazing on our Desert Texture finish.  And we custom match your choice of custom color of paint or stain without a surcharge like others.

Do you use finger joints in the stiles, louvers or frames?

Arizona Shutters and Blinds does not use finger joints on any structurally vital parts like stiles or frames.  We also use tapered louvers for a more custom look and tighter closure. Some major manufacturers use flat louvers. 

What is the thickness of your door panels and rails?

Arizona Shutters and Blinds are 1 1/8" on our entire shutter panel. Some companies use step-down rails. They are more narrow than the stiles and they are very difficult to line up with the stiles. This allows more light to come in around the panel because it isn't as close to the light stop on the frame. We use a 1/2" light stop rather than the standard 1/4" to give you even more blockage against light and heat coming in.

How do you assemble the rails to the stiles?

Arizona Shutters and Blinds shutters uses 1/2" wood dowels (like good furniture builders).

Do you chamfer the edges of the rails and use decorative beading on the stiles?

Arizona Shutters and Blinds shutters chamfers the rails and beautiful decorative beading on every panel both on the inside and outside, giving them more of a "custom shutter" look. this is a step most cheaper shutters don't do because it takes extra time and effort.

Do you have a gift card program for people who give you referrals?

We do!  We reward all friends of Arizona Shutters and Blinds who refer their friends to us, and then choose us to do the custom work for them.  
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Do you have Coupons?

In this economy, everyone is looking for a great deal.  Our coupons give you 10% off on a job, whether it is for 3,000.00  or 10,000.00  See our Coupon page! Our 10% is a genuine discount. Do you really think someone can give you more with first just marking it up accordingly?
Free Shutter Coupon!

Do you have a list of Customer Reviews?

We are very proud of our customer reviews and work very hard to be worthy of the praise.  From sales, to construction, to finish and installation, our goal is to exact an amazing review which will send all your family and friends to us to do the same for them!  

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Shutters? Blinds? Shades?

Why should you buy shutters rather than other treatments?

Shutters are not just another purchase but are an investment in your home.

Why?

It used to be that shutters were the most expensive window treatment that you could buy. Not any more.  It's a fact that wood shutters last longer and are more versatile than any other window treatment.   The price increases on fabrics over the last few years have made them a better purchase value.  Shutters are simply the finest in window treatments.  Realtors say they increase the selling value of the home and ease of resale.  but - if you take the time to educate yourself, you will find that all shutters are not of the same quality of either materials or workmanship.  Quality and attention detail varies a great deal between manufacturers.

Visit our Showroom Factory.  Visit Arizona Shutters and Blinds, here in the North Phoenix and Scottsdale area because we will educate you on what to look for when you shop for shutters and why ours is the best!  An investment in a showroom is assurance that a company has made a serious commitment to their business.  A showroom is the only way to see what your shutters will look like.  No one pays more attention to all the details than Arizona Shutters and Blinds!

Then, visit the showroom of any competition you are considering.  If you compare our product going out the door, you will find a better finish and higher quality wood and craftsmanship.  We also sell other window treatments and fashions.

Why should you buy WOOD shutters?

There is a look and feel to wood that the faux or polywood shutters simply can't compare to.  The fit and finish where the joints meet are put together before they are painted so the corners are finished much nicer.

Some facts about faux shutters:

• Sell for as much or more than our custom wood shutter.
• Since plastics and poly wood have a static charge, they attract more dust.
• Claims made by faux shutter sellers about not warping or yellowing over time are suspect as well.

You wouldn't go into a nice furniture store and ask to see their best faux wood dining room set!  Leave the plastic on the patio and use the wood in the home.  Shutters are furniture for your window.  We can get the faux products as easily as other people but we have found that the better grades of the synthetic shutters cost more than the cheaper grade ones.  Our wood shutters can be a better value than even the better built synthetic wood shutters.

Let's talk about Grade of Wood...

Back to comparing wood shutters!  The grade of wood is important.  We use the best grade because it is straighter and has fewer knots, blemishes and truly makes a nicer, more "problem free" shutter.  Arizona Blinds and Shutters doesn't use a building method that most others use called "finger jointing".  It is not obvious at first but shows up later in life.

find out where and how they are built.  Arizona Shutters and Blinds is a manufacturer of custom wood shutters.  Our trade name clearly states that we are the Premier Shutter Factory for Arizona.  We build them right here in Phoenix with the finest materials available.

The building process....

First we use "Select and better" grade kiln dried wood (to resist warping and shrinking).  We use Basswood for our painted shutters and your choice of Basswood or Alder for stain shuttters.  We use those woods because they are resistant to warping and shrinking in our climate.  We use "one piece" thicker and wider stiles for strength, as opposed to the finger joint method used by many of our competitors.  We use wood dowel construction for panel strength.  We then "desert texture" the wood to increase longevity and reduce glare and crazing.  Next we utilize hand built construction by people who are trained in woodworking skills.

Our people here at Arizona Shutters and Blinds own a piece of the comapny using old fashioned quality methods, then they finish them using multi-coats of primer and two top coats of paint, which is specifically formulated for our climate.  Between each layer of undercoats and top coats, the wood is sanded repeatedly.    The paint has UV inhibitors in the paint so your shutters won't fade or yellow over time.

All shutters are not made equal!  Come and closely inspect our products that we are building for our clients.  take the time to do your research or risk being disappointed in your final product.  Our technique will give you less warping problems.

For more information, see www.arizonashuttersandblinds.com