Guide
Shutter jargon, in plain English.
Louvres, stiles, T-posts: shutters come with their own words. Here is what they mean, so you can read any quote with confidence.
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- Louvres
- The slats that tilt to let light in or keep it out.
- Panel
- One hinged section of shutter: two stiles and the rails, with a set of louvres between them.
- Stile
- The upright pieces down each side of a panel. The louvres pivot between them.
- Rail
- The flat pieces across the top and bottom of a panel.
- Mid-rail
- A rail across the middle of a tall panel. It adds strength and can line up with a bar on the window.
- Split tilt
- Where the louvres above and below a mid-rail tilt separately, so you can tilt the top louvres open and keep the bottom ones closed.
- Tilt rod
- The slim rod that tilts all the louvres in a panel together. It can sit in the centre or off to one side.
- Hidden tilt
- The tilt rod sits at the back of the panel, out of sight from the room.
- Invisible tilt
- No rod at all: a mechanism inside the side of the panel links the louvres.
- Frame
- What the panels hang in. It is fixed to the window opening or the wall and keeps the panels square. Two common shapes are the L-frame (sits inside the opening) and the Z-frame (overlaps the edge of it).
- T-post
- An upright post in the frame between pairs of panels, on wider windows. It gives the panels something to close against.
- Corner post
- The post where two shutters meet at the corner of a bay. Sometimes called a bay post.
- Tier-on-tier
- Two sets of panels, one above the other, that open separately.
- Café style
- Shutters covering only the lower part of the window.
- Full height
- Panels running the full height of the window.
- Tracked
- Panels that hang in a track and slide and fold to the side, for doors and wide openings.
- Recess and reveals
- The recess is the window opening in the wall. The reveals are its inside faces, the sides and top, between the wall face and the window frame.
- Window board
- The shelf at the bottom of the window inside. Often called the windowsill.
- Meeting rail
- On a sash window, the bar where the top and bottom sashes meet.
- Tension screw
- A screw in the side of the panel. A small turn with a screwdriver stiffens louvres that feel loose.
Questions
Jargon: your questions
What does T-post mean on a shutter quote?
A T-post is an upright post in the frame, between pairs of panels on a wider window. It gives the panels something to close against and keeps them straight. Matt will explain where your windows need one at the visit.
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Also worth a lookSee the samples in your own home
Book a free home visit. We measure every window, bring samples to see and touch, and email you a fixed written quote. Made to measure and fitted in roughly 4 to 6 weeks from confirmation of your order.