Home Improvement Ideas Home Exteriors Curb Appeal Ideas, Makeovers and Photos How to Build Custom Cedar Shutters Lend classic appeal to characterless windows with house shutters using this easy-to-customize DIY project that you can do with just a few basic tools. By Caitlin Sole Caitlin Sole Instagram Caitlin Sole is the senior home editor at BHG. She is a writer and editor with nearly a decade of interior design expertise. She has vast experience with digital media, including SEO, photo shoot production, video production, eCommerce content, print collaboration, and custom sales content. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on September 18, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email 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. More Easy Ways to Boost Curb Appeal What You Need Tape measure1×4 cedar boards1×6 cedar boards1×2 cedar boardsCompound miter sawHammer drillKreg K4 Master System1 1/4-inch coarse Kreg screwsHand sander and 120-grit sandpaperBrad nailerPaintable caulkOil-base primerExterior paintMasonry bit3/16×1 3/4-inch masonry screwsLevel 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. Before and After Home Exteriors 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. Our Favorite Exterior Color Schemes 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. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit