Vinyl shutters in Sault Ste. Marie: vinyl or wood?

Vinyl is cheaper and waterproof; solid wood can be sanded, repainted and made in any colour. Which suits Sault Ste. Marie's weather and homes, room by room.
Arched window, level 3 moulding, paint stage 2.

Sault Ste. Marie's weather and homes

In Sault Ste. Marie, July averages a high of 24.2 °C and February a low of −14.7 °C, about 5 days a year reach 30 °C, 175 nights fall at or below 0 °C, and 915 mm of precipitation falls in a typical year. That's fewer hot days than 75% of the 160 Canadian cities we have climate figures for.

75% of homes were built in 1980 or earlier, and owners live in 68% 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.

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.

How to measure

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.

Why poplar

Where vinyl does win

In a wet climate, vinyl's real advantage is water: it's waterproof and wood isn't. For a window inside a shower, vinyl is the right product. For every other room, a ventilated painted wood shutter does better.

Bathroom shutters

How the choices compare in Sault Ste. Marie
FeatureSolid poplar (ours)Vinyl / PVCComposite
Sand to fit an uneven openingYesNoUsually not
Repaint laterYesNot recommendedDepends on the coating
ColoursAny paint or stainMostly whitesFactory colours
Shower sprayKeep it awayWaterproofOnly with a waterproof option
Skylights and hot glassDoesn’t soften in heatMakers advise against skylightsAsk the maker

Where our shutters fit

Every Shutter Boys shutter is made from solid American poplar to the measurements you take, then shipped to Sault Ste. Marie 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.

Design your shutters