Our shutters are metal and they are looking horribly faded and worn. Would it be better to repaint them or should we just replace them all with something more durable? I am afraid if we just paint them, they are going to look the same in just a few years.
We had wooden shutters and I was forever painting them. We finally gave up and replaced them with vinyl ones that look like wood. We've had them for eight years now, and they still look great. No one realizes they aren't wood.
I have the vinyl shutters that look like wood, too. If it is in your budget to replace all your shutters, I say go for it. If not, paint the shutters and make sure you use a good sealant. Then you can replace them later, if they end up fading again.
We had the shutters on our house repainted one too many times. Before two seasons had passed, the paint cracked and peeled from the heat and cold. I say go for vinyl if you can possibly swing it.
The vinyl ones are fantastic. We need to get some too. Our wooden ones are navy blue (well, they used to be) and have faded horribly.
It seems metal would be pretty durable, hmm...maybe not. They have extremely good exterior paint, for just about everything, nowadays. Try priming them first, it may help with sustainability. Then, at least if the new paint still doesn't last long, you haven't spent a ton of money just for trying it.
