Posted by Morgan Shaver
on July 01, 2026
Shutter pricing is confusing because the range is so wide — a pair can run $40 or $900. Here's what actually drives the price, and what you should expect to pay for shutters that last.
Exterior Shutter Costs at a Glance
- Vinyl shutters: $40–$120 per pair. Molded plastic, hollow-backed, sold at big box stores. The cheapest option up front — and the one most likely to fade, crack, and look artificial up close.
- Composite / PVC shutters: $150–$400 per pair. More durable than vinyl and paintable, but still a manufactured material with a molded look.
- Real wood shutters (cedar): $100–$400 per pair for quality made-to-order shutters, depending on size and style. Authentic grain, paintable and stainable, repairable rather than disposable.
- Custom architectural / historic shutters: $500–$900+ per pair from specialty millwork shops, typically for historic restorations with custom profiles and hardware.
What Drives the Price
Size: shutter height tracks your window height, and taller shutters cost more — a 36" pair and a 72" pair of the same style can differ by 50% or more. Not sure what size you need? Here's how to measure windows for exterior shutters. Style: simple slat and panel designs cost less than board & batten or braced (X-bar, Z-bar) styles that use more material and joinery. Finish: unfinished shutters cost less; factory-finished colors add $15–$50 per pair but skip a weekend of painting.
What About Installation?
Handymen typically charge $50–$100 per pair to install exterior shutters, more on brick or second-story windows. But installation is genuinely DIY-friendly — a drill, a level, and two hours covers most homes. Our step-by-step installation guide covers wood siding, brick, and stucco.
The Real Math: Cost Per Year, Not Cost Per Pair
Vinyl shutters fade noticeably in 5–7 years of direct sun and can't be meaningfully repainted (paint adheres poorly and voids most warranties). Cedar shutters, refinished once every several years, last decades — and when the color trend changes, you repaint them instead of replacing them. A $150 cedar pair that lasts 20 years costs less per year than a $60 vinyl pair replaced every 6.
Typical Whole-House Budget
Most homes shutter 4–8 street-facing windows. At real-wood prices, that's roughly $500–$1,800 for a full front elevation — one of the cheapest exterior projects per point of curb appeal, compared to new siding, windows, or a front door.
See real pricing on our cedar exterior shutters — handcrafted board & batten, X-bar, Z-bar, and horizontal slat styles, sold in pairs from $109. Comparing designs first? Start with the exterior shutter styles guide.
