Shutter BoysWood shutters in Cape Breton
Cape Breton homes and weather, for wood
In Cape Breton, July averages a high of 23.4 °C and February a low of −9.9 °C, about 3 days a year reach 30 °C, 159 nights fall at or below 0 °C, and 1,482 mm of precipitation falls in a typical year.
68% of homes were built in 1980 or earlier and 11% in 2001 or later; 74% are detached houses.
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.
A wet climate
1,482 mm of rain a year means humid spells indoors too. Painted wood handles humidity in a ventilated room; what it can't take is water landing on it. Keep wood out of shower spray, and run the bathroom fan.
Older, out-of-square openings
In a city where 68% of homes are decades old, openings are rarely perfectly square. Wood can be lightly sanded to fit at install; vinyl and most coated composites can't.
Dry, heated winters
With 159 freezing nights a year, homes here run the heat for months, and heated air is dry. Wood gives up a little moisture over the winter and takes it back in summer; paint slows that but doesn't stop it. A humidifier set to a moderate level keeps the movement small, and it's kinder to the rest of the house's woodwork too.
| 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 Cape Breton for you to fit. One wood, painted in any colour or stained, with nothing hollow inside.
The designer shows the price of each window as you add it, in Canadian dollars.
Price your windows
Choose Canada in the designer, enter millimetres or inches, and we reply with your quote in Canadian dollars.