Made to Measure
Right here in the UK
Right here in the UK
At the lowest prices
by 1st class post
Installing Full Height shutters is simple thanks to our step-by-step guide below. We’ll walk you through each step, making sure you get the perfect, polished finish.
To avoid any damage in transit, we usually try to streamline our packaging where possible. This means in some cases, where the shutter is small enough (e.g. 1 panel size), that you only receive one box with the shutter already mounted within the frame. In this case, you’ll need to disassemble the shutter and remove the cover strips before you begin.
To avoid any damage in transit, we usually try to streamline our packaging where possible. This means in some cases, where the shutter is small enough (e.g. 1 panel size), that you only receive one box with the shutter already mounted within the frame. In this case, you’ll need to disassemble the shutter and remove the cover strips before you begin.
Upon arrival, please open your order & lay all the contents on the floor to ensure you have everything listed. Each frame is labelled, so make sure to position them in their correct locations. If you’re worried you have not received the full kit, call us on 0333 321 4050.
If your frame arrived pre-assembled with the panels attached, you’ll need to take it apart to remove the cover strips. Do this by carefully pulling the corners apart, by pushing and pulling in an upwards direction. Each corner is joined in a specific direction using Hoffmann keys.
L / Z Frames: Connect the frames using the Hoffman key provided while everything is laid out on the floor and slide each corner together.
T Posts: Some shutters require a T-Post for additional support. If your shutter includes one, now is the time to attach it. If one hasn’t been provided, then skip to step 2.
This should be done while the frame is still on the floor and you’re lining up the panels. We recommend using a packer to make sure the gap between the panels and the T-Post are equal at either side of the T-Post.
Once you’re happy with the placement, screw the t-post into the top and bottom.
Please Note: If the t-post is not straight, this may impact how well the panels close and can cause the shutter to have an uneven gap at the top to the bottom.
This should be done while the frame is still on the floor and you’re lining up the panels. We recommend using a packer to make sure the gap between the panels and the T-Post are equal at either side of the T-Post. Once you’re happy with the placement, screw the t-post into the top and bottom.
Lift the frame into position and centre it within the width of the recess. We recommend using a spirit level here to check the frame is levelled.
Please Note: If you have a particularly larger shutter, you may find it useful to have an extra person to assist you at this point.
With the frame now positioned within the recess, you can start marking where the shutter will be fixed into the wall using the predrilled holes as a guide. We recommend starting with the holes at the top left and right.
Using a pencil, or a screw (to slightly indent), mark the wall through each hole. You may want someone to hold the frame to keep it stable while you do this.
Once all fixing points are marked, remove the frame from the recess.
Using a power drill, start drilling each of the fixing points you just made. Once done, insert your wall plugs.
With all your holes drilled, lift your frame back into position keeping any packers in place and align the holes carefully.
Using the longer screws provided, secure the left and right sides of the frame in place.
At this point, you should only screw these halfway into the wall as this will hold your frame in place while still allowing you to make any adjustments.
With the frame held in place with your screws, you can now check that everything is square and level using a sprit level.
Once you’re happy with the positioning, you can then tighten the screws and fix the frame in place.
Once you’ve double checked your frame is still square and level, it’s time to mount your panels. These will be labelled so you know which is which. It’s important that panels hinged directly onto the frame are fitted first.
For example, if your shutter contains 4 panels, 01 and 02 are the two on the left and 03 and 04 are the two on the right. In this case panel 01 and 04 would be fitted first as they are hinged to the frame. Then you would proceed with panels 02 and 03.
Starting with panel 01, secure the panel into place by sliding the hinge pin into each hinge. Then repeat with your other panels.
Please Note: you can check your panels are the right way up by looking for the stamp on the bottom. This shows the order reference, shutter number, and panel number (in this exact order). For example, 1234567-01-02. This shows it’s shutter 01 and panel 02.
If you find the panels are not quite level when closed, then you can make small adjustments to the height of the panels within the frame. Simply loosen the top and bottom hinge screws slightly (while holding the weight of the panel(s), and as they are fitted into oblong screw holes, this will allow you to raise the panel(s).
If the panel(s) needs to be raised in the centre of the shutter, you can use hinge packers to increase the depth of the bottom hinges which will raise the bottom of the panel. To do this, loosen the hinge and slide a packer behind it, then retighten the screws.
When the position of the panel(s) is at the desired level, use the smaller screws in the pack supplied and screw through the circular screw hole. This will lock the position of the hinge in place.
Important to Note: Shutters do not operate like doors. While a door will always remain completely level when opening/closing, shutter panels can drop slightly which means you may need to lift them slightly to bring them back into the frame when closing them. This is more noticeable when the panels are wide or if you have 2 panels hinged together.
Using decorator caulk or silicone, you can seal the gaps between the frame and the window recess. If you’re using Z frames, you may also need to seal gaps between the mitred corner frames and the back side where the frame of your shutter meets the wall. Please DO NOT caulk the tension screw holes on the panels as these can be used to retention the slats when required.
Please Note: We recommend using silicone to seal gaps if your fitting shutters in a moisture prone area such as bathrooms.
Expert Tip: You can use wet wipes for a smoother finish when applying caulk, as they’re ideal for quickly removing excess sealant and cleaning up any mistakes before it dries. We don’t recommend using fast setting caulk as this will make it difficult to correct any mistakes.
With your shutter screwed in place, you can now re-attach your cover strips to neatly conceal any screws. These should be pressed firmly into place, meeting the chamfered edges at a 45-degree angle.
Once finished, ensure your panels stay closed for 24-48hrs to allow your caulk to set fully. You may tilt the louvres open/closed as required.
Please Note: when putting the cover strips in place, we recommend supporting the weight of the panels to ensure the caulk doesn’t move.
