Shutter BoysPlantation shutters in Seattle
Homes in Seattle
Apartments outnumber houses in Seattle: 57% of its 393,918 homes are in buildings of two or more units. Detached houses make up 37% and townhouses and other attached houses 6%.
Much of Seattle is new: 33% of homes were built 2000 or later, and only 53% before 1980. The median home dates from 1976. Most homes are rented: owners live in only 44%.
Of the 9 Washington cities we have census figures for, Seattle has the third-highest share of older homes and the highest share of apartments. In Bellevue, 9 miles away, 48% of homes are apartments, fewer than here. Nationally, Seattle's homes are older than those in 57% of the 375 US cities we have census figures for.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. Estimates carry margins of error.
Apartments and condos
57% of homes are in buildings of two or more units. Balcony and patio doors suit bypass or bifold panels rather than hinged ones, which need floor space to swing. Check what your HOA or building allows to show from outside before you order: most rules are about the colour seen through the glass.
Plaster walls and deep casings
30% of homes date from before 1950, when walls were plaster on lath and windows sat in deep wood casings. Plaster cracks if you drive screws carelessly: drill a pilot hole, use fixings made for plaster, and fix into the casing or the framing behind it. A deep casing is good news for an inside mount; measure its depth before you choose a louver size.
Out-of-square openings
With 53% of homes built before 1980, many openings have had decades to settle. Measure each one's width at the top, middle and bottom, and both diagonals. If the diagonals differ by more than about ¼ inch, add a mounting frame in the designer, or choose an outside mount so the shutter covers the uneven edges.
Shallow openings
33% of homes were built in 2000 or later. Newer windows are often set close to the room side of the wall, and handles, cranks and alarm sensors stick out into the space a louver swings through. Measure the depth to the glass and to anything that sticks out; the designer checks it against the louver size you pick.
Seattle weather and your shutters
At Seattle Sand PT WSFO, WA (6 mi away), August averages a high of 77°F and February a low of 37°F. No month averages a high above 85°F or a low below freezing.
About 2 days a year reach 90°F, 25 nights fall to freezing and 38.7 inches of precipitation falls, most of it around November and least in July.
Source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, Seattle Sand PT WSFO, WA (temperature) and Mercer Island 1.5 NW, WA (precipitation, 5 mi away).
Monthly figures
| Month | Average high | Average low | Precipitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 47.4°F | 37.2°F | 5.6 in |
| Feb | 49.8°F | 37°F | 3.7 in |
| Mar | 53.9°F | 39.2°F | 3.8 in |
| Apr | 58.8°F | 42.8°F | 3 in |
| May | 65.3°F | 48.3°F | 2.2 in |
| Jun | 70.2°F | 52.7°F | 1.7 in |
| Jul | 76.5°F | 56.5°F | 0.8 in |
| Aug | 77°F | 57.1°F | 1.1 in |
| Sep | 71.3°F | 53.2°F | 1.8 in |
| Oct | 60.5°F | 46.7°F | 3.6 in |
| Nov | 51.9°F | 40.9°F | 5.9 in |
| Dec | 46.5°F | 37°F | 5.5 in |
Fitting them in Seattle
Shutter Boys shutters are made for you to fit yourself: an inside or outside mount takes a drill, a level and our step-by-step guide. If you'd rather hire someone, a finish carpenter or blinds installer can fit them; ask on your quote and we'll tell you if we know one near you. You arrange and pay the installer directly.
Near Seattle
- Kent 17 mi
Price your windows
Add each window, pick your options and send it to us. We check the sizes and reply with your quote.