How To Make Louvers

In this set of free woodworking plans, learn how to build louvers into doors or window shutters, including a router jig for consistent reproduction. Plantation shutters are simple indoor shutters that block sunlight and provide a decorative touch to windows. Composed of several horizontal slats, or 'louvers,' a central 'tilt bar' that controls the movement of the louvers, two vertical stiles and two horizontal rails.

Plantation shutters vary in size, shape and functionality. The steps below will teach you how to build plantation shutters. For an alternative method of making louvered doors, download Gary Nichols' PDF on Making Fixed Louvers with the Festool Domino.

Gary's method has inspired a number of other carpenters and craftsmen, such as Brice Burrell, who made a shutter with fixed louvers with the Festool Domino. To make louver doors, you will need to cut the rails, stiles, and slats to your specific measurements. Learn how to build louvered wood shutters using only hand tools in this step.

In this video, I take you through my full DIY louvered shutter build - see common mistakes I made (and how to avoid them). Plus I show a custom jig I built f. I placed louvers with large knot-holes in places where the hole would not be a problem, e.g.

under a soffit. I followed your suggestion of making a "V" groove on each side of the louver but elected to make three of them as I thought the design looked better. This turned out to be the most time consuming operation of the project.

It's hard to imagine a more straightforward way to make the cuts required for louvered doors or shutters. Like all other FMT templates, the Louver Door Guides (left and right, $49.95 per pair) snap into the FMT Jig. Designed for use with a 1/4-in.

straight bit, the guides create 1/4-in. by 1-1/4. This article provides step-by-step instructions on how to build louvers into doors or window shutters, including a router jig for consistent reproduction.

Whether you prefer a traditional louvered design or a more contemporary board-and-batten style, this article provides helpful tips and step. A louvered panel serves a dual function. It offers excellent privacy to a room or closet but still allows the air to flow easily in and out.

The louvers are slats that are set at an angle within the frame of the panel. The pieces of the frame connect with mortise and tenon joints.