Shutter BoysVinyl shutters in Santa Barbara: vinyl or wood?
Santa Barbara's weather and homes
In Santa Barbara, August averages a high of 77.7°F and December a low of 46.1°F, about 5 days a year reach 90°F, 0 nights fall at or below freezing, and 18.9 inches of precipitation falls in a typical year. That's fewer hot days than 95% of the 881 US cities we have climate figures for.
74% of homes were built before 1980, and owners live in 40% of them.
Ventura, 28 miles away, has much the same number of days a year at 90°F or more (2).
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020. Daylight and sun height: calculated from the city’s latitude.
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.
Renting
60% of homes are rented. If you're furnishing a rental you'll leave in a year or two, a cheaper vinyl shutter can make sense; for a home you'll stay in, wood can be repainted when you redecorate.
Vinyl or wood across a whole house in Santa Barbara
Vinyl costs less than wood, and the gap grows across a whole house: the middle detached house has 10 to 15 windows. 60% of Santa Barbara's homes are rented, where the cheaper covering often wins.
The median home here is valued at $1,570,800. In Ventura, 28 miles away, the median is $827,300, lower than here.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024; U.S. EIA, Residential Energy Consumption Survey 2020 (windows). Prices from our price list.
10 to 15 windows in poplar$3,200 to $6,000
Each priced as a 36 × 48 in window, flat moulding, paint stage 1, 3½ in louvers, before tax and shipping. We don't sell vinyl.
Price your own windows| 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 Santa Barbara 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 US dollars.
Need vinyl for a shower window as well? We can supply it alongside your wood shutters. Ask about vinyl
More about shutters in Santa Barbara
Vinyl shutters near Santa Barbara
- Ventura 28 mi
- Oxnard 32 mi
- Camarillo 41 mi
- Thousand Oaks 50 mi
- Santa Maria 55 mi
- Simi Valley 56 mi
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.