The Truth About “All Poly” Plantation Shutters

Why do some companies insist all-poly shutters are the only choice for coastal homes?

Hybrid Shutters in an Oceanfront home in Ocean Isle Beach

Some companies only sell ONE type of shutter. What kind of shutter do they sell? Yup. You guessed it! THEY ONLY SELL ALL POLY.

We get it... If all you offer is all-poly, that's naturally the solution you're going to recommend. And one of the most common arguments we hear is that wood shutters will warp, crack or split in our hot, humid coastal climate. If you're a hammer, everything starts to look like a nail.

But take a look around your home. What are your cabinet doors made of? What about your dining table, bed or chairs? Chances are, there's plenty of real wood inside your coastal home.

So if our coastal humidity automatically makes wood unsuitable for plantation shutters, why doesn't the same rule apply to all the other wood products in your home?

The answer is that humidity isn't the whole story. The type of wood, its moisture content, how it's dried and prepared, how the shutter is constructed, and how it's finished all matter. Properly manufactured wood shutters can perform as well as any other material in our coastal environment.

That's why we think homeowners deserve to hear more than one side of the material question before deciding what's right for their home.

Here's another question you should ask any company selling all-poly shutters: How many paint colors do you offer?

And then ask one more: Where are the shutter components actually manufactured?

There's an important difference between manufacturing shutters and assembling shutters from pre-finished components manufactured in Asia. A limited selection of factory colors doesn't necessarily tell you where a shutter was made—but it's a good reason to ask more questions.

Ask where the components are manufactured. Ask where they're painted. Ask where they're cut to size. Ask what work is actually performed at the company's “factory.”

You deserve to know what you're buying and where it came from.

Here's how we'd answer those same questions.

At Carolina Custom Shutters, we don't believe there's one shutter material that's right for every home. That's why we offer three different material options: solid wood, hybrid and all-poly.

There are situations where we recommend all-poly. There are situations where we recommend hybrid. And there are situations where solid wood is the better choice. Because we offer all three, we can help you choose based on your home, your priorities and your budget—not based on the only product we happen to sell.

We can also paint or stain your shutters in virtually any color because we finish the shutters we manufacture ourselves. You're not limited to a small selection of pre-finished colors.

We've been in the shutter business since 1991 and have been manufacturing shutters in High Point, North Carolina—the heart of North Carolina's furniture industry—since 1997. We've also been serving homeowners in Brunswick County throughout that time.

Want to see how our shutters actually hold up in our coastal environment?

I've had our hybrid shutters—with wood frames and poly louvers—in my own home on the island in Sunset Beach since 2016.

That's 10 years of hot, humid coastal summers.

Don't just take my word for it. Give me a call. You're welcome to come see them for yourself and decide for yourself how they've held up.

After 10 years, the wood components haven't warped, cracked or split from our coastal humidity.

Hybrid shutters in the home of the owner of Carolina Custom Shutters. Installed in 2016. Photographed in 2026.

Want truly personal service?

I personally sell and install every job. That's right—the person who meets with you, measures your windows and helps you choose your shutters is the same person who comes back to install them.

That means there's no salesperson making promises and then handing your job off to someone else. I'm accountable for your project from beginning to end.

And we don't ask you to pay until your shutters are installed to your satisfaction.

My goal during your consultation isn't to sell you the only type of shutter I offer. It's to help you choose the shutter that's right for your home.

If that's solid wood, I'll tell you. If it's hybrid, I'll tell you. And if all-poly is the best choice for your situation, I'll tell you that too.

Considering all-poly shutters? Ask questions. Compare your options. Then choose the material that's right for your home—not simply the only material a company happens to sell.

The truth about all-poly shutters? They're a great choice for some homes—but they're not the only choice.

At Carolina Custom Shutters, we offer solid wood, hybrid and all-poly shutters so we can help you choose what's right for your home—not what's right for our product line.

Don't let anyone tell you there's only one right choice. Ask questions. Compare the materials. Then decide what's right for your home.

Explore our complete overview of custom plantation shutters in Brunswick County, NC.