Shutter BoysVinyl shutters in Medicine Hat: vinyl or wood?
Medicine Hat's weather and homes
In Medicine Hat, July averages a high of 27.7 °C and January a low of −14.1 °C, about 26 days a year reach 30 °C, 176 nights fall at or below 0 °C, and 331 mm of precipitation falls in a typical year. That's more hot days than 97% of the 160 Canadian cities we have climate figures for.
48% of homes were built in 1980 or earlier, and owners live in 71% of them.
Sources: Statistics Canada, 2021 Census of Population; Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020. Daylight and sun height: calculated from the city’s latitude.
Heat and vinyl
26 days a year reach 30 °C. Vinyl makers are careful about heat: Hunter Douglas advises against its vinyl shutters in skylights, where it says the frame and louvers may warp. On a hot, sunny glass wall here, solid wood is the safer choice.
Dry winters
Here's a fair point for vinyl: it doesn't take on or give off moisture, so dry heated winters don't move it. Wood moves a little with the seasons; paint and a sensible indoor humidity keep it small.
Uneven openings
In older homes, openings are rarely square. Wood can be lightly sanded to fit at install; vinyl can't be sanded at all.
| Feature | Solid poplar (ours) | Vinyl / PVC | Composite |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sand to fit an uneven opening | Yes | No | Usually not |
| Repaint later | Yes | Not recommended | Depends on the coating |
| Colours | Any paint or stain | Mostly whites | Factory colours |
| Shower spray | Keep it away | Waterproof | Only with a waterproof option |
| Skylights and hot glass | Doesn’t soften in heat | Makers advise against skylights | Ask the maker |
Where our shutters fit
Every Shutter Boys shutter is made from solid American poplar to the measurements you take, then shipped to Medicine Hat for you to fit. We make solid poplar only, because it is the better shutter in every room that stays dry.
The designer shows the price of each window as you add it, in Canadian dollars.
Need vinyl for a shower window as well? We can supply it alongside your wood shutters. Ask about vinyl
Price your windows
Choose Canada in the designer, enter millimetres or inches, and we reply with your quote in Canadian dollars.