Should You Varnish or Paint Your Wooden Shutters in Tustin?

When you get wooden shutters in Tustin, you’ll likely hear that they need protection. Varnishing or painting can be excellent options, but which one is right for you? This is going to depend on the length of time you want the shutters to be protected for, and whether you want the natural wood to be on show or not.

There are pros and cons to varnishing and painting. Here’s what you need to consider when choosing the right option for your needs.

Painting Will Last Longer as Protection

Paint tends to last longer on wooden shutters in Tustin compared to varnish. You’ll get longer lasting protection, meaning that you can do less maintenance on your shutters over their lifetime. Yes, they will still need some maintenance over the years, especially if you want them to last decades!

Paint will last between seven and 10 years, while varnish only lasts a couple of years on average. After that, the wood will be exposed to the sun again, requiring extra layers of protection.

If you have exterior shutters, the varnish and paint will last less time. You’ll want to make sure you get weather-resistant options as there is a lot of debris around.

Varnish Tends to Be Better for Exterior Shutters

While it doesn’t last as long as paint for interior wooden shutters in Tustin, varnish can end up lasting longer for exterior ones. There is still regular maintenance needed, but you’ll find that the oil in the varnish offers better durability than the resin in paint.

You’ll not just find that the varnish lasts longer. It will also offer more protection against the debris that flies around, especially during the worst of the storms. The oil is better against dry temperatures and harsh snow and rain, protecting the inner layers of the wood.

Paint Can Offer Better UV Protection Inside the Home

When it comes to interior wooden shutters in Tustin, you’ll want to look at paint options for better UV protection. As the UV rays hit the glass, they will cause a greenhouse effect. This leads to more heat, and it causes shutters to warp. With the paint, you’ll find that the wood doesn’t suffer as much from the rising temperatures, leading to less warping.

This can also be a benefit outside, but you need to weight the pros and cons of the protection against the elements and debris. You can always try paint and see how it goes and then switch to varnish when it comes to replacing the paint in a few years. Just make sure you sand down to get to the wood.

Of course, paint also adds more color than varnish. If you want the natural look on your wooden shutters in Tustin, you’ll want to stick to varnish, as it helps the natural coloring stand out. With paint, you will need to choose a color that is closest to the natural wood color to create that look. However, this is going to be a personal choice, as you can always get away from the natural colors with paint, if you want.