DIY Louvered Cedar Shutters

Measure the height and width of the window for the louvered shutters. For this project, the window measures 32 inches wide and 56 inches high.

Cut six pieces of 14-by-2-by-2 inch cedar for the top, bottom and crossbar pieces of the shutters and four pieces of 56-by-2-by-2 inch cedar for the sidepieces with a circular saw. Cut 100 15-by-1-by-1/2 inch cedar pieces for the cross-slats for the shutters. Sand the wood and edges with medium-grit sandpaper.

Use a drill to make two 1/2-by-1/2 inch holes in the side of each of the sidepieces. Place the holes 1 inch from either end of the sidepiece. Place a third hole in the same side of each sidepiece as the first two. Position the third hole 28 inches from either end of the sidepieces. Place a 1/2-by-1/2 inch hole in both ends of the two top, bottom and crossbar pieces. Center the holes in the 2-by-2 inch ends.

Set a miter saw at a 60-degree-angle. Cut 50 1-inch wide and 1/2-inch deep holes at a 60-degree angle. Place the mitered cuts in the same side of the pieces that you drilled the 1/2-inch holes. Space the cuts every 1 inch but skip the first and last 2 inches of the piece and 1 inch on either side of the middle hole.

Fill the holes in two of the sidepieces with wood glue. Also fill the 60-degree angle cuts with wood glue. Insert a 1-by-1/2 inch dowel rod into each of the 1/2-inch holes and one cross-slat into each of the 60-degree angle cuts.

Add wood glue into the holes on the end of a crossbar, top and bottom piece and insert them into the dowel rods on the sidepieces.

Fill the holes and 60-degree angle cuts with wood glue on the two remaining sidepieces. Press the two sidepieces onto the other top, bottom, crossbar and cross-slats. Wait for the glue to dry overnight