Shutter BoysPlantation shutters in Tuscaloosa
Homes in Tuscaloosa
Tuscaloosa's 52,122 homes are a mix: 49% detached houses, 47% apartments or units in buildings of two or more homes and 3% townhouses and other attached houses.
Much of Tuscaloosa is new: 36% of homes were built 2000 or later, and only 42% before 1980. The median home dates from 1988. Most homes are rented: owners live in only 43%.
Of the 10 Alabama cities we have census figures for, Tuscaloosa has the highest share of apartments. In Hoover, 43 miles away, 28% of homes are apartments, fewer than here. Nationally, Tuscaloosa's homes are newer than those in 61% of the 881 US cities we have census figures for.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. Estimates carry margins of error.
Apartments and condos
47% of homes are in buildings of two or more units. Balcony and patio doors suit bypass or bifold panels rather than hinged ones, which need floor space to swing. Check what your HOA or building allows to show from outside before you order: most rules are about the colour seen through the glass.
Shallow openings
36% of homes were built in 2000 or later. Newer windows are often set close to the room side of the wall, and handles, cranks and alarm sensors stick out into the space a louver swings through. Measure the depth to the glass and to anything that sticks out; the designer checks it against the louver size you pick.
Renting?
57% of homes are rented. Shutters screw into the window frame or casing, so ask your landlord before you install; taking them down later leaves only screw holes to fill.
Tuscaloosa weather and your shutters
At Northport 2 S, AL (4 mi away), July averages a high of 92.2°F and January a low of 35.2°F. Average highs reach 85°F from June to September.
About 89 days a year reach 90°F, 47 nights fall to freezing and 58.2 inches of precipitation falls, spread fairly evenly through the year.
Among the Alabama cities we have climate normals for, Tuscaloosa has the second-most hot days.
That's more 90°F days than in 75% of the 881 US cities we have climate normals for.
Daylight runs from 14 h 21 min on the longest day to 9 h 57 min on the shortest, and the midday sun stands 80° above the horizon in June and 33° in December.
Source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, Northport 2 S, AL (temperature) and Tuscaloosa 4.4 SE, AL (precipitation, 4 mi away). Daylight and sun height: calculated from the city’s latitude.
Monthly figures
| Month | Average high | Average low | Precipitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56°F | 35.2°F | 5.5 in |
| Feb | 60.8°F | 38.3°F | 5.9 in |
| Mar | 68.3°F | 44.6°F | 5.5 in |
| Apr | 75.7°F | 51.7°F | 5.2 in |
| May | 83.6°F | 60.1°F | 4.3 in |
| Jun | 89.6°F | 68.1°F | 5.1 in |
| Jul | 92.2°F | 71.2°F | 5.1 in |
| Aug | 91.8°F | 70.6°F | 4.3 in |
| Sep | 87.4°F | 64.5°F | 3.7 in |
| Oct | 77.7°F | 52.7°F | 3.6 in |
| Nov | 66.5°F | 42.1°F | 5 in |
| Dec | 58.3°F | 37.2°F | 5 in |
Summer sun
On the 89 days a year above 90°F, closed louvers keep direct sun off the glass and out of the room. In a window that takes afternoon sun, white and light paint finishes stay cooler to the touch than dark stains.
Humid summers
Hot days and 58.2 inches of precipitation make for heavy summer air. Wood swells when it's humid, so give kitchens, bathrooms and laundry rooms some air: run the fan after a shower and tilt the louvers open so steam doesn't sit behind them.
Fitting them in Tuscaloosa
Shutter Boys shutters are made for you to fit yourself: an inside or outside mount takes a drill, a level and our step-by-step guide. If you'd rather hire someone, a finish carpenter or blinds installer can fit them; ask on your quote and we'll tell you if we know one near you. You arrange and pay the installer directly.
Near Tuscaloosa
- Hoover 43 mi
- Birmingham 47 mi
More about shutters in Tuscaloosa
Each page takes one question further (fitting your windows, room by room, sizes and colours, louvers, or how shutters compare with other choices), using Tuscaloosa’s own figures.
Price your windows
Pick your look once, add every window, and see each one drawn and priced. Send it to us and we reply with your quote.