Shutter Stile Basics

There are three types of stiles of your shutters: Rabbet, Astragal, and Butt, and two decorative options: Beaded or Plain. What do they mean, what's the difference, and which one is right for your project? Specifying the right stiles are as simple as understanding these choices and knowing when they're used, and how they will influence the look of a home.

What's a Stile?

Not to be confused with style, a stile is the side of a shutter panel that holds the ends of the louvers in place. Every shutter panel has two stiles, one on the left, and one on the right. One stile is attached to the hinges. The other stile is on the free-swinging end of the shutter panel. Exus shutters are made with a standard 2" stile width.

Beaded Versus Plain

Beaded stiles have a decorative groove routed along the length of the stiles on both sides of the shutter panel. The groove is cut along the edge of each stile nearest to the louvers. They have an attractive decorative appeal, and have a more traditional appearance. Plain stiles, on the other hand, do not have this decorative groove, and look more modern, minimal, and austere, especially when paired with hidden tilt or an ideal tilt.

Overlap

When two panels swing together, the stiles on the free-swinging sides will meet. This is where the choice of stile overlap matters. During the daytime, without a light-blocking stile, a vertical sliver of light will shine through between the two panels, whether or not the louvers are completely shut. The two options, rabbet and astragal stiles, solve this problem with two different ways to overlap and baffle the light peeking through.

Rabbet

Rabbet stiles have matching stepped edges that fit together where the two panels meet. (The hinged side of the panel will always be flat.) The overlapping of the rabbet reduces unwanted light penetration between shutter panels. Typically, the right side will overlap the left. With reverse rabbet stiles, the left overlaps the right instead. Rabbet stiles are available for all of our shutter collections, except for Premium Faux.

Astragal

Exus offers astragals for a clean and more finished or polished look that provides light block. The shape is a little different from a rabbet. When two panels meet, the stile of one panel has a strip that overlaps and covers the edge of the other panel's stile. Installers love this because sometimes when you have to tweak a frame, no one will see the gap when dealing with out-of-square windows. Typically, the right side overlaps the left side. Reverse astragal may also be specified, where the left side overlaps the right instead. Astragals are available for all Exus shutter collections.

Butt

Butt stiles are plain and flat, and are the simplest type of stile. The only case where butt stiles are undesirable, is when two panels swing shut across a single opening. That's when astragal or rabbet stiles would be preferable and must be selected. In all other cases, butt stiles are the standard. Single panel shutters will always have butt stiles, and shutter panels that swing shut against posts will also have butt stiles.

For more information about shutter options and details, refer to our comprehensive Shutter Manual. Exus's wide range of options allow for a unique and high-quality custom installation every time.

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