We offer shutters made from quality hardwoods, yellow poplar and elm. Poplar wood shutters have a more subtle, softer wood grain while elm shutters, very similar to oak, have a more dramatic sweeping, deep grain...

We like to offer our shutter customers as much choice as possible and inline with our philosophy offer 2 high quality hardwood options. Yellow poplar and elm are both equally as good in terms of quality but have different grain detail which, especially for shutters with a stained finish, create quite different effects.

Where possible we use materials that are sustainably sourced. Unlike other shutters that you see advertised, our product is uniquely designed and made for The California Company. We are among the UK’s most established plantation shutter companies and have tried and tested different woods to establish which offer the best strength, long term durability and visual appearance.

Poplar shutters constitute the majority of our sales. This is due to the fact that most customers purchase a painted finish and poplar has a smooth grain, leaving a great finish when painted. While the cost of poplar has increased in recent years, we have retained use of this hardwood as it is in our experience the strongest, most durable material to use in shutter construction. We do not change the material the shutters are made from, just to purchase the cheapest wood on the market, which other companies are known to do.

As with all options we offer our customers, wood choice comes down to personal choice. There is no difference in terms of quality or durability, it’s simply an aesthetic preference. Elm has a deeper grain, and the stain soaks into these deep ridges, with the effect that you darken colour shades, irrespective of which stain you have chosen. Elm shutters look stunning, if your room decor ties in. Poplar has a lighter grain and the effect of colour variations within the stains are not as dramatic.

Our best advice would be to order a sample of the colour you are interested in, in the different woods. This will give you a much clearer idea in which wood your shutters will look best. Either way, we guarantee they will stunning!

Proceed to the Shutters Slats advice page.