Can I paint my window shutters?

[Deeks66]

We have electric shutters on all the windows on our house, if I painted them black to match the aesthetic of the house exterior would that affect temperatures in the house? I don't have a photo of the shutters down sorry.

 

[EricL]

Hello @Deeks66 

Thanks for sharing your question about painting your window shutters. According to studies made about heat absorption dark colours tend to absorb more radiated heat from sunlight while lighter colours reflect it. Therefore, painting your shutters black or a dark colour will make it absorb more heat. 

In regards to painting them, I suggest having a look at this discussion - Spray painted screen door by @homeinmelbourne. The techniques used can be applied to your window shutters.

The general steps are to clean the shutters with soap and detergent. Use an etching primer on the surface before applying the topcoat. If you are doing a fair number of windows, it might be worth investing in an airless spray gun.

Here are some discussions about painting garage doors which might be helpful:

• Painting roller garage door by @Ella91
   
• What paint for metal garage door? by @David555
   
• How to paint the garage door? by @terrywang 
   

Please remember to wear personal personal protection such as gloves, goggles and a mask when working on your project.

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric