Shutter BoysVinyl shutters in Brownsville: vinyl or wood?
Brownsville's weather and homes
In Brownsville, August averages a high of 94.3°F and January a low of 50.5°F, about 135 days a year reach 90°F, 0 nights fall at or below freezing, and 28.7 inches of precipitation falls in a typical year. That's more hot days than 96% of the 881 US cities we have climate figures for.
29% of homes were built before 1980, and owners live in 62% of them.
Harlingen, 19 miles away, has 151 days a year at 90°F or more, more than Brownsville's 135.
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.
Heat and vinyl
135 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 Brownsville
Vinyl costs less than wood, and the gap grows across a whole house: the middle detached house has 10 to 15 windows. 38% of Brownsville's homes are rented, where the cheaper covering often wins.
The median home here is valued at $139,900. Values in Harlingen, 19 miles away, are close: $140,600.
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 Brownsville 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 Brownsville
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.