Shutter BoysVinyl shutters in Norfolk: vinyl or wood?
Norfolk's weather and homes
In Norfolk, July averages a high of 88.7°F and January a low of 34°F, about 42 days a year reach 90°F, 32 nights fall at or below freezing, and 45.7 inches of precipitation falls in a typical year. That's more hot days than 50% of the 881 US cities we have climate figures for.
67% of homes were built before 1980, and owners live in 46% of them.
Portsmouth, 7 miles away, has much the same number of days a year at 90°F or more (42).
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.
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.
Vinyl or wood across a whole house in Norfolk
Vinyl costs less than wood, and the gap grows across a whole house: the middle detached house has 10 to 15 windows. 54% of Norfolk's homes are rented, where the cheaper covering often wins.
The median home here is valued at $289,900. In Portsmouth, 7 miles away, the median is $246,900, 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 Norfolk 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 Norfolk
Vinyl shutters near Norfolk
- Portsmouth 7 mi
- Hampton 9 mi
- Virginia Beach 16 mi
- Chesapeake 17 mi
- Newport News 19 mi
- Suffolk 27 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.