How to Make Shutters to Darken a Room

Measure the inside dimensions of your window frame. Add 1 inch to the window’s height and subtract a quarter inch from the width, then divide the measurement in half. Measure and cut two pieces of plywood to these measurements to form the shutter panels.

Measure and cut four 1-by-2 inch boards to the panel’s height. Subtract 4 inches from the panel width and cut six 1-by-2 inch boards to this length.

Lay one of the plywood pieces on a flat surface. Set two of the long boards over the long edges of the plywood. Place three of the shorter boards across the width of the plywood between the long boards.

Space the short boards evenly apart with one across the top, bottom and down the center. Make the corners flush. Insert screws through the boards and into the plywood every 6 to 8 inches to secure the framing to the plywood panel. Make the second panel identical to this one with your remaining cut pieces of wood and plywood.

Sand over the surfaces of the pair of shutters. Hold two hinges to the 1.75-inch width of a long left side on a panel. Let the top half of the hinges extend beyond the 1-by-2-inch board on the front of the shutter. Set the hinges 1 inch away from the top and bottom edges. Secure the hinges' width edge with screws. Repeat with the other hinges on the right side of other shutter panel.

Hold a panel to the wall next to your window with the 1-by-2 inch framing facing the wall. Align the panel’s height to extend beyond the window’s height by half an inch at both the top and bottom. Secure the other half of the hinges to the inside framing of the window with screws. Repeat to hang the other panel along the window. Swing the shutters in front of the window to block out light.