Style and Strength: A Guide to Decorative & Rated Bahama Shutters

Few architectural elements capture the spirit of coastal living quite like the **Bahama shutter**. With their top-hinged design and louvered slats, they provide cooling shade, gentle breezes, and a touch of tropical elegance that is perfectly at home in the seaside communities of the Carolinas. But for the modern homeowner, true style must be backed by substance.

That’s where the critical distinction between “decorative” and “hurricane-rated” comes in. At American Hurricane Shutters, we are passionate about providing homeowners with shutters that are not only beautiful but are also engineered to be life-saving. This guide explores our elite line of decorative Bahama shutters, focusing on the premium, rated options that offer the ultimate fusion of style and strength.

More Than Just a Pretty Face: The Engineering of Rated Bahama Shutters

A purely decorative Bahama shutter might look the part, but it’s not designed to withstand a hurricane. A true, rated Bahama shutter is a high-performance safety system. The difference is in the details:

• Robust Materials: We use heavy-duty, extruded aluminum frames and solid, reinforced louvers that won’t bend or break under impact.
• Heavy-Duty Hardware: The continuous top hinge and telescoping support arms are over-engineered to handle extreme wind loads, with secure locking points to fasten the shutter in place during a storm.
• Lab-Tested Certification: Every rated shutter we sell has passed rigorous laboratory testing for high-velocity impacts and cyclic wind pressure, earning it a certification that ensures it’s ready for the worst weather.

Choosing Your Style: Fixed Blade vs. Articulating Blade

We offer two distinct types of hurricane-rated Bahama shutters, allowing you to choose the perfect balance of function and cost for your home.

Fixed Blade Rated Bahama Shutters: Classic Strength

Our **ASSA Bertha HV Fixed Blade Bahama Shutters** are the workhorses of decorative protection. The louvers are fixed at an optimal angle, typically 45 degrees, to provide consistent shade and privacy while maximizing the shutter’s structural integrity.

• Key Benefit: Maximum strength and simplicity. With no moving parts, these shutters are incredibly robust and durable.
• Cost: The investment for this classic, rated style is approximately $56 per square foot.
• Best For: Homeowners who want the timeless Bahama look combined with proven, no-fuss storm protection.

Articulating Blade Rated Bahama Shutters: The Pinnacle of Control

For those who desire the ultimate in flexibility and luxury, we offer the premium **Town & Country Rated UltraView and Fullview Articulating Blade Bahama Shutters**. These sophisticated systems allow you to adjust the angle of the louvers.

• Key Benefit: Complete control over your environment. Open the blades fully for an unobstructed (“UltraView”) view, close them for complete privacy and storm security, or angle them precisely to control sunlight and airflow throughout the day.
• Cost: As a premium, mechanically complex system, the investment is approximately $64 per square foot.
• Best For: Homeowners who want to actively manage their home’s light and privacy, and who desire the absolute best in both form and function.

A World of Color: Customizing Your Shutters

A shutter is only as beautiful as its finish. All our Bahama shutter systems are finished with a durable, AAMA 2604 compliant powder coating. This finish is designed to resist fading, chipping, and corrosion from the harsh coastal sun and salt air. We offer a vast palette of standard and custom colors, allowing you to perfectly match your home’s trim, siding, or unique style.

For Purely Decorative Needs

We understand that sometimes, storm protection isn’t the primary goal. For homes further inland or for purely aesthetic applications, we also offer high-quality, **non-rated decorative Bahama and Colonial shutters**. These are built to the same aesthetic standards but without the heavy-duty engineering, at a more accessible price point of around $50 per square foot.

admin

See Full Bio