Louvers, Which Way Do They Go?

Published: April 22, 2021

Elegant Black Exterior Louvered Shutters

Did you just purchase or are considering new wooden exterior louvered shutters and are unsure which way the louvers should be facing when hung? The louvered shutter is the oldest shutter style and to this day is still the most popular. In fact when most people hear the term "shutters", louver shutters are what first come to mind. Louvers are horizontal slats that are angled to control the amount of light and air that can pass through. Louvered shutters mounted on functional shutter hinges are one of the few shutter styles that allow light and air to pass through when closed - which makes them ideal for both solar control and home energy efficiency.

Open Shutters

The short answer here is when the shutters are open the louvers should be pointing downwards towards the back. This allows the rain water to fall through the louvers and down behind the shutter to avoid any pooling of water on or around the shutter itself.

Closed Shutters

When the louvered shutters are closed the louvers should be pointing down and outwards away from the window. This is done so that water hitting the shutters drains towards the front away from the shutters and window and not on to the window and window sill.