Shutter BoysVinyl shutters in North Charleston: vinyl or wood?
North Charleston's weather and homes
In North Charleston, July averages a high of 91.3°F and January a low of 38.9°F, about 64 days a year reach 90°F, 22 nights fall at or below freezing, and 53.6 inches of precipitation falls in a typical year. That's more hot days than 64% of the 881 US cities we have climate figures for.
32% of homes were built before 1980, and owners live in 50% of them.
Charleston, 8 miles away, has 25 days a year at 90°F or more, fewer than North Charleston's 64.
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.
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.
Heat and vinyl
64 days a year reach 90°F. 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.
Vinyl or wood across a whole house in North Charleston
Vinyl costs less than wood, and the gap grows across a whole house: the middle detached house has 10 to 15 windows. 50% of North Charleston's homes are rented, where the cheaper covering often wins.
The median home here is valued at $302,200. In Charleston, 8 miles away, the median is $509,700, higher 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 North Charleston 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 North Charleston
Vinyl shutters near North Charleston
- Charleston 8 mi
- Summerville 9 mi
- Mount Pleasant 14 mi
- Savannah 91 mi
- Columbia 91 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.