How To Fix Shutter Louvres That Won't Stay Open

Posted on: 18 December 2015

A common problem with plantation window shutters is louvres that will not stay open. Unfortunately, the weight of the tilt rod that's attached to the louvres, combined with the natural forces of gravity, gives the louvres a tendency to rotate downward instead of remaining in the position you've selected. Luckily, you can fix this problem yourself relatively easily with a little know-how and some basic DIY skills. Read on to find out more.

What you'll need

  • flat-bladed screwdriver
  • louvre panel screws
  • drill
  • clamp

You can source everything you need from a good DIY or hardware store. The course of action you'll need to take depends upon the tension mechanism installed on your shutters. 

Tension screws

If your shutters have tension screws, you'll find them recessed on the outside of each stile of the louvre panel. The stile is the vertical part of the shutter's frame into which the louvres are set. In order to pull the louvres closer to the stile and create the friction necessary to keep them in place, all you need to do is to tighten the tension screws by turning them clockwise using a flat-bladed screwdriver.

No tension screws

If your shutter panel does not have tension screws, you'll need to check out the integrity of the actual panel itself.

  1. Start by examining the joints between the stiles and rails. The rails are the horizontal parts of the shutter's frame sited at the bottom and the top of the panel.  If the joints are weak, the panel may come apart and therefore the tension between the louvres and the stiles will be lost.   
  2. You should be able to carry out this repair without having to take the shutters down. To fix this problem, clamp the stiles and rails into their proper position, making sure that the panel is square and that all the louvres operate correctly.   
  3. Next, drill a hole through the outside of the stile adjacent to the rail at the corner of the panel. Keep the hole parallel with the rail and square to the stile. Screw the stile and the rail together. Place a second screw just below the first to make sure that the panel remains securely held together.  
  4. Repeat step #3 on all the corners of the panel.  

If you find that the louvres on your plantation window shutters refuse to remain in the position you want, you can fix them yourself quickly and simply by following the guidelines given above. You can also call in a contractor proficient in shutters to help, too.

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