Full Height Shutters

How Full Height Compares

Café-style shutters cover only the lower half and leave the top permanently open — brighter, but you cannot close the whole window. Tier-on-tier shutters split the window into two independent panels, so the top and bottom move separately. Full height is the simpler arrangement: one door, one set of louvres (sometimes split visually by a mid-rail). Choose it when you want the option to close everything, and you do not need the top and bottom to behave differently through the day.

Mid-Rail versus a True Split

A mid-rail is a horizontal bar on a single full-height panel. It lines up with a sash meeting rail or a transom, adds strength on a tall window, and lets the louvres above and below tilt in two groups — but the door still opens as one. That is not the same as tier-on-tier, where the top tier swings clear on its own. If you regularly open an upper sash for ventilation, or you want the bottom closed and the top wide open, tier-on-tier is the better design. If you mainly tilt louvres and only open the doors now and then, a mid-rail on full height is usually enough.

Where They Work Best

They suit almost every room: living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms and home offices. On a Lincolnshire sash or a square bay they give a solid, traditional finish; on a modern casement they look sharp in white or a soft grey. For bathrooms and kitchens we use a waterproof composite so steam and splashes are not a worry.

They are also the right starting point for a conservatory with standard rectangular windows — whole-window control of glare and heat in one panel. Shaped gables and arches need a different treatment; we cover those on the shaped shutters page.

Louvre Size

Louvre width changes both the look and how much glass you see when the slats are open. 47mm and 63mm louvres feel traditional and suit narrower sashes. 76mm is the all-rounder we specify most. 89mm and 114mm open up more of the view and suit wider modern windows and bays. On a full-height panel the larger louvres also reduce the number of slats, so a tall window looks calmer rather than busy.

We bring samples to the free visit and hold them against your glass. That is the only reliable way to choose — a photograph never shows how a 76mm louvre sits on your particular sash.

Bays, Sashes and How We Fit Them

On a Lincolnshire sash we usually place the mid-rail on the meeting rail so the shutter follows the window you already have. On a square or splayed bay each face gets its own full-height panel, hinged so the doors do not clash in the corners. That is the arrangement we fit most often in Grimsby, Cleethorpes and Louth terraces — one clean line of shutters around the bay, closing as a set at night.

The process is the same as our other styles: a free home visit with samples, a precise measure, made-to-measure manufacture, and fitting by our own team. If a window is an awkward size or out of square, that is exactly what a bespoke panel is for — we do not force a standard size into a reveal that will not take it.

Full Height Shutter Prices

Because every panel is made to measure, the price follows the window, not a catalogue size. As a guide, expect roughly £250 to £750 per window depending on width, height, material and louvre size. Real wood sits toward the higher end; PVC composite toward the lower. Book a free home visit and we will give you an exact, no-obligation figure.

Frequently Asked: Full Height Shutters

What are full height shutters?

One panel from the sill to the top of the window. The louvres tilt together, and the whole door swings open when you want a clear view. A mid-rail can split the louvres visually without creating two independent panels.

What is the difference between a mid-rail and tier-on-tier?

A mid-rail is a bar on a single full-height door. Tier-on-tier uses two fully independent panels — the most flexible arrangement if you want the top and bottom to open separately.

Which rooms suit full height shutters?

Most of them. They are the default wherever you want the option to close the whole window for privacy, insulation or a clean look — including bedrooms, where café style would leave the top open all night.

How much do full height shutters cost?

As a guide, £250 to £750 per window depending on size, material and louvre size. We price after a free measure so the quote is for your windows, not a typical one.