If your home is oceanside, you need to keep in mind the unique threats it receives from the ocean when choosing your shutters. Ideally, your shutters should provide a decorative touch, while also protecting your home from the elements. Here are the features to consider:

1. Marine protective paint or coating

Near the coast, your home is exposed to salt spray as well as salty air. The salt can build up on your shutters, causing corrosion. To avoid that, if you buy wood shutters, make sure that they are coated in a marine protective coating, or paint them yourself with paint designed to resist the elements and sea salt in particular.

2. Galvanized hardware

In addition to having shutters that resist salt corrosion, you also need hardware that can stand up to the task. Opt for galvanized stainless steel hardware. It is made with a special coating designed to resist oxidation and salt damage. As a result, you don't have to worry about changing your hardware or about rust spreading to your shutters.

3. Flat style

The design of your shutters also affects how much salt is likely to build up on them and how easy they are to clean. Ideally, you should opt for flat panel shutters. They feature a relatively flat surface that is easy for water to run off. If the water runs off before it evaporates, it isn't as likely to leave salt behind.

In contrast, while plantation shutters look beautiful, they have a lot of crevices where salt may build up, and they can be harder to clean than flat panel shutters.

4. Functional design

When adding shutters to your home, you can opt for decorative or functional designs. If you live in a coastal area, you should opt for functional shutters rather than shutters that just sit decoratively on either side of your windows. You should install shutters that can close over your windows, and in particular, you want shutters that are strong enough to protect your windows during cyclones.

5. Automatic controls

At times, storms can blow in quickly on the coast, and if you want to be able to close all of your windows easily and quickly, you may want automatic shutters. These motorised shutters come in a range of styles, making it easy to choose the style you want. For example, you can buy both motorised swinging shutters and automatic roller shutters.