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DIY Wood Shutters – How to Build Rustic Window Covers Using Pallet Wood

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I have wanted wooden shutters for my kitchen windows for a while now, but I don’t want to pay those home store prices for them. Pallet wood shutters seemed like a reasonable substitution, considering pallet wood’s availability and affordability. So, I pulled down those out of style curtains, my hubby took some measurements, and we got started on our DIY wood shutters! 


Supplies needed to DIY your own wood shutters


Step one: pick out your pallet wood!

We aren’t too picky when it comes to pallet wood, so we just choose a pallet and start sawing the pieces off with a reciprocating saw. You can use a variety of other tools for this step as well, such as a pallet buster or a crowbar. However you can separate the pallet is up to you. 

scrap pallet wood that is laying out on top of an old cooler with other junk nearby

Step two: Measure your window

Start by measuring your window frame. Our kitchen window, which is where our shutters will be, is 34.5″ wide and 34″ tall. So, we cut the length of our pallet wood pieces to 33.5″ each.


Step three: Cut your pallet wood

For each shutter, we used six pieces of pallet wood, three pieces per side that would be separated by hinges. Pallet wood slats are approximately 3″ wide. In order to achieve the size we needed, we cut down the width of the middle slat of the inside fold of each shutter to 2.25″. You can see in the picture below how the middle slat of the left three pieces is not as wide as the other two slats on either side of it. 

six cut pieces of pallet wood lined up next to each other with other wood and tools nearby

This is the tool that we used to cut our pallet wood pieces; a portable table saw. 

A Kobalt table saw set out on a gravel driveway

Next, we cut cross sections to attach each set of three slats together. For each half of each shutter, we cut four pieces; two 9″ sections for the outside half and two 8.25″ sections for the inside half.


Step four: Start building your shutters

These pieces were attached approximately 4″ from the top and bottom of all four shutter sections. In the picture below you can see one of the pieces underneath near the bottom of the right half of the shutter. We used a nail gun to attach these pieces. 

six cut pieces of pallet wood lined up next to each other with other wood and tools nearby

After our cross pieces were attached, we scooted the halves together and added two hinges to each shutter. 

the backside of a pallet wood shutter showing the hinges that were attach to it

Here they are after the front cross pieces and back hinges are attached. They are now ready to be sanded and painted. 

two pallet wood shutters sitting in a garage floor with random stuff in the background

Step four: Check your measurements

Before we sanded, we placed them inside the window to make sure they were going to fit and to place our front hinges. 

a set of pallet wood shutters set inside of a window to check the fit

Step five: Attach your hinges to the wall

After we were happy with the fit, we attached the hinges to the inside wall frame, right where our cross pieces were. We then set the shutters back in place, holding them level at the bottom (with screws lol), and attached the remaining side of the hinge to our cross pieces.

someone attaching the hinges of a pallet wood shutter to the wall of a window with a screw driver

Step six: Sand and paint the shutters

Once we did this, we took everything back down, took all of the front hinges off, and sanded and painted the shutters. I used a palm sander and sanded the entire surface and edges of each shutter. You can see the difference in the two below. The one on the left has been sanded. See how nicely it cleans everything up? You don’t want to skip this step. 

two pallet wood shutters sitting next to each other, leaning on a door, one sanded, one not

After sanding, we painted. I used Kilz brand chalk paint in white. The paint brush I used came from Dollar General. You don’t have to use an expensive brush for pallet wood. 

a quart of Kilz chalk paint in white next to a paint brush sitting on top of a pallet wood shutter

The white wash technique that I used was to just not completely coat the surface. You can see where I left parts of the wood exposed. This was on purpose so I could achieve that rustic appeal. 

a closeup of a pallet wood shutter showing how it is being painted with white chalk paint with a brush nearby

Check out these DIY Wood Shutters!

I absolutely LOVE how they turned out! <3 What do you think?? Don’t forget to leave us some comments! 

two white washed pallet wood shutters sanding next to each other on a wooden deck

Step seven: Paint the exposed hinges & handles

One of our last steps was to paint our front hinges and our handles. We decided on black. 

silver hinges being spray painted black


Step eight: Install your shutters

After they were dry, we attached the completed shutters back onto our window frame using the hinges. First, we added the hinges to the window frame.

someone using a screwdriver to add hinges to a window frame

Then we attached the shutters onto the hinges that were attached to the window frame

someone attaching pallet wood shutters to a window frame

Step nine: Add your handles

Last, we attached the handles to the center of each inside slat. 

someone attaching black handles to pallet wood shutters

Check out these gorgeous DIY wood shutters!

pallet wood shutters in a kitchen window

How beautiful are these, y’all?!

pallet wood shutters in a kitchen window

Love this DIY? Pin it to save it!

Click the pic or hover over it to save it to your Pinterest boards. 

DIY Wood Shutters | kitchen shutters made with pallet wood | farmhouse shutters | farmhouse kitchen decor

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial on how to make your own pallet wood shutters! Make sure to join our email family to keep up with us each week! Thanks for visiting! God bless! 


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This Post Has 8 Comments

  1. Lou Roberg

    Oh my gosh!! I love shutters!! Yours are the best I’ve ever seen!! You’re so lucky to have a handy dandy hubby to help you with these wonderful crafts you produce!! So glad I found you. Hope you have a wonderful vacation and visit with your family! Hope to see you soon on a live. Or when you return. Be safe! ❤️

    1. JRandLBriska

      Aww! Ms Lou, you are so sweet! Thank you my friend! We are having a wonderful time! I can’t wait to get back to my regular crafting lives, though! So glad you like the shutters! <3 God bless!

  2. Lynette

    Very very well done!!!

    1. JRandLBriska

      Thank you, Ms Lynette! ☺️

  3. Debbie Stone

    These are just so beautiful and they are the nicest I’ve seen I can see why your in love with them

    1. JRandLBriska

      You are so very sweet, Ms Debbie! Thank you!

  4. Lori Rivera

    These shutters are so pretty, you and the wood guy did an amazing job with these!!

    1. JRandLBriska

      Thank you so much Miss Lori! I love looking at them when I’m in my kitchen. ☺️

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