Since I needed to match existing shutters, I decided to order the shutters primed. Big mistake. The "primer" that was on them I believe was simply white urethane paint. I was expecting a typical flat primer that would simply require finish painting, but it was glossy and the latex paint would shrink up and not adhere to the surface. Based on info from the mfr after the fact, I had to thoroughly sand all surfaces to get my 100 percent high end acrylic latex paint to adhere. A ton of work. I have kicked myself over and over after hours spent prepping and painting for not paying the $400+ to have color matching and get the factory finish. I am worried that over time I may find out how badly my paint has actually adhered. The shutters themselves are of high quality, but they shouldn't offer them as "primed".

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.