I of course can't comment on how these hold up to elements, but I was shocked at the weight. The four shutters (two pairs) weighed close to 175 lbs. they were delivered on a pallet, and were expertly packaged and shipped. They look great so far, and I will be painting them this weekend which will afford a detailed look. Being composite, i was expecting something featherlight that would hopefully stand the elements. With the density of these, i am confident they will hold up way better than the previous wood shutters did, with southern exposure and no overhang to protect from rain. I bought aluminum caps from another vendor, since Larson didn't offer them. It may be overkill, but I like the idea of not having rain and snow soaking into the top edge. However, the mounting system includes a heavy plastic piece that overlaps the top so I probably have wasted my money on the caps.