How to Build Custom Cedar Shutters

Lend classic appeal to characterless windows with house shutters. These cedar shutters are an easy-to-customize DIY project you can do with a modest budget and a few basic tools.

Give your home streetside appeal with shutters you can build and paint yourself. The shutters are simple to make and completely customizable. Just combine various cedar boards up to six inches wide until you achieve the desired width. Then, paint your favorite shade. We'll show you how to create your own house shutters in just a few easy steps.

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What You Need

Tape measure
1×4 cedar boards
1×6 cedar boards
1×2 cedar boards
Compound miter saw
Hammer drill
Kreg K4 Master System
1 1/4-inch coarse Kreg screws
Hand sander and 120-grit sandpaper
Brad nailer
Paintable caulk
Oil-base primer
Exterior paint
Masonry bit
3/16×1 3/4-inch masonry screws
Level

Step 1: Measure and Cut

Gather materials. Measure the height and width of your window. For a classic look, the shutter width should be about half the window width. (We used one 1×4 and two 1×6s to make a 14 1/2-inch-wide shutter for our 28-inch-wide window.) Cut the 1×4 and 1×6 boards to the height of your window using a compound miter saw.

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Step 2: Join Boards Together

Using the Kreg K4 Master System, drill pocket holes every 6–8 inches across one long side of each 1×6 plank. Edge-join the 1×6 boards to either side of the 1×4 using 1 1/4-inch Kreg screw.

Step 3: Attach Middle Rail

Cut the 1×2 boards to the height of the shutter for the vertical rails. Attach them using a brad nailer. Measure the distance between the two rails, and cut three horizontal rails. Attach the middle rail. Caulk all joints.

Step 4: Prime and Paint

Prime and paint the shutter and the unattached top and bottom rails. Let dry.

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Step 5: Mark and Drill

Mark the shutter placement alongside the window. Drill pilot holes near the top and bottom edges of the shutter. Using the hammer drill, make a pilot hole in the house.

Step 6: Hang Shutters

Hang the shutter using masonry screws. Check that it's level before securing the bottom. Attach the top and bottom rails, covering the screwheads. Repeat to make more shutters.