Exterior Window Shutter Terminology

Here is a brief list of shutter terms to help you better understand the craft of shuttersmithing – and to help you in the selection of your Exterior Solutions shutters.

Casement: The frame around a window. The casement face is parallel to the window glass.

Capping (aka Flashing): Placed on top of the shutter, capping blocks water from seeping into the wood. We include aluminum capping at no charge with every shutter order, and offer copper capping as an available option for a distinctive look.

Flush: Completely level so as to form an even surface. Head: The free-swiveling component of a tie back that holds a shutter in the open position.

Mortise: A hole cut into a shutter’s stile into which the tenon of a shutter’s rail is inserted to form a mortise & tenon joint. Also, a recessed area cut out of a shutter or window casement.

Mortise & Tenon: A wood construction method consisting of a “tongue”, or tenon, cut on one piece of wood which is inserted into a hole, or mortise, cut into the mating piece of wood to form a strong, secure joint.

Mortise Mount: The method of mounting a hinge to the inside, or jamb, of the window frame. When using this type of surface mount, a mortise is cut into the side of the shutter and the window jamb.

Offset: The space or distance between the mounting surface of a shutter’s hinge and the surface of the house.

Pintle: A hardware piece mounted to the house or window frame that receives a shutter hinge or other pivoting piece of hardware.

Rabbet: A step shaped channel cut into the stile of a shutter that allows shutters to overlap slightly when closed.

Rail: This is the horizontal portion of the shutter frame. The rails have tenons on the ends, which join the mortises that are cut into the stiles. Reveal: The vertical section of a wall that lies between the window frame and the outer wall.

Shim: A piece of wood or metal used to fill in required clearance space for shutter installation.

Shutter Dog (aka Tieback): The British term for hardware attached to the house or window frame used to hold a shutter in the open position.

Shutter Lock: The piece of hardware used to lock a shutter closed from the inside.

Stile: This is the vertical portion of the shutter frame. The stiles have mortises cut into them, which receive the tenons of the rails to complete the sturdy mortise and tenon construction.

Strap Hinge: A type of hinge attached to the top and bottom of a shutter that fits over a pintle. Surface Mount: The method of mounting a hinge to the outside surface of a window frame.

Tenon: A “tongue” cut on one piece of wood which is inserted into a hole, or mortise, cut into the mating piece of wood to form a mortise & tenon joint.

Tieback (aka Shutter Dog): Hardware attached to the house or window frame used to hold a shutter in the open position.

Window Casing: The frame containing a window. Window Frame: The frame around a window, also referred to as the casement.

Window Jamb: The vertical, inside edge of the casement on each side of the window frame that holds the window into the rough opening of the house or building.

Window Sash: A framework that holds the panes of glass of a window to the window frame. Window Sill: A flat, shelf-like protrusion at the bottom of the window. (Great for cooling freshly baked pies!)