How to Fix Broken Shutter Parts

Plantation shutters are incredibly durable, but that doesn’t mean they’re invincible. Kids roughhousing indoors, pets, or simple accidents can cause minor damage to small parts of wood shutters and faux wood shutters alike. Luckily, most of them are an easy fix. Follow these steps to fix the most common broken shutter parts.

For more details on fixing shutter parts or to get replacement parts (louver pins, magnet casing, or tilt rod staples) sent to you at no cost, call your local Sunburst store at 877-786-2877.

How To Fix A Broken Louver Pin

The louver pins are what keeps the shutter louvers attached to the shutter panel. You’ll know a louver pin is broken if the louver is broken off and dangling from the frame instead of horizontally connected.

First, remove the broken louver pin from both the louver and the side piece (called a “stile”) – a utility knife works great for this, as do needle-nose pliers. Once both are removed, insert the replacement pin base into the hole in the shutter stile (the vertical part), then guide the louver onto the pin, pushing down the spring-loaded pin until it goes into the old pin hole.

Now your louver should have full range of motion with the new louver pin, and should move up our down with the tilt rod and other louvers.

How To Fix A Broken Shutter Magnet

If your shutter doesn’t “snap” shut and stay shut, the problem could be a broken louver magnet. Technically speaking, it’s usually not the magnet itself that’s broken, but rather the plastic housing of the magnet that normally sits on your window frame. If the magnet is attached to the shutter stile while it swings open, you’ve got a broken magnet casing.

Start by unscrewing the broken magnet housing from your frame using a screwdriver. Remove the broken casing and magnet. Our replacement magnet sets come complete (magnet and casing). Fit the new magnet into the same holes using your screwdriver. Be sure to screw the magnet housing in tight enough that it won’t wobble, but don’t push the screws in too far.

How to Fix a Broken Tilt Rod Staple

Replacing a shutter staple might be the hardest one of these, just due to its small size. Even so, it’s still a fairly straightforward job that shouldn’t take more than a few minutes to fix.

You’ll know you need to replace a tilt rod staple if one of your louvers doesn’t tilt with the rest of the louvers when you adjust the tilt rod.

 

To replace a staple, you’ll want a pair of bent needle-nose pliers, as well as some sort of adhesive (wood glue, super glue, or two part epoxy work great). If you need to replace the staple attached to the louver, work from the front of the shutter (the side that faces the interior of your home). If you’re replacing the one attached to the tilt rod, approach from the back of the shutter (the side that faces your window when it’s closed).

First, remove any remains of the broken staple from the shutter. Then coat the legs of the replacement staple in adhesive. Using your needle-nose pliers, guide the new staple through the loop of its partner, and guide its legs into the existing staple holes.

If for some reason the holes are too large for the replacement staple, you can either use a little wood putty to fill the hole before putting the staple in, or forgo a replacement staple for a screw-in eyelet that can easily hook on the other staple.

Note: These steps on fixing parts of your shutter are intended only for Sunburst Shutters products, and may void a warranty if attempted on shutters made by another manufacturer. Your Sunburst rep can assist you with repairs on Sunburst products.

Need More Help With Your Shutter Repair?

If you have any questions about replacing shutter magnets, staples, or louver pins, or if there’s a different type of repair your shutter needs, your local Sunburst store can help. In many cases, a repair may be covered by your shutter warranty, and in any case we’d be happy to walk you through a fix that you’d prefer to do yourself. Get in touch with your local expert by calling 877-786-2877.