A shutter catch is a pivoting fitting on the facade that holds an opened window shutter in place. The shutter is folded back against the wall, the catch is turned up or across with a single movement and grips behind the edge of the shutter — after which the wind can no longer slam it shut. In Dutch the fitting is called a luikwervel.
Characteristically the shutter stands a few centimetres clear of the wall. That gap is needed because the catch itself takes up space, and because the air movement behind the shutter lets the timber dry.
Types
- Flat plate catch — the simplest form: a wrought iron plate on a pin that you turn a quarter revolution
- Shepherdess head (tête de bergère) — the classic decorative form with a stylised head; widely seen in France and Belgium
- Automatic catch — a sprung version that locks by itself when the shutter is pressed against it
- Hook stay — a related solution where a hook or bar holds the shutter
The traditional material is wrought iron; today also steel, aluminium, brass or plastic, finished in black coating, hot-dip galvanised or painted to match the facade.
Fitting
- Find the position — open the shutter fully against the facade and mark where its edge falls. The catch goes where it will grip that edge, usually about a third of the way up from the bottom
- Fix it — in masonry, drill into the brick (not the joint) and use a sound plug or a resin anchor; in an authentic installation the pin is built into the wall
- Work corrosion-free — use stainless or galvanised fixings. An ordinary steel screw leaves a rust streak down the facade within a few years
- Check the swing — the catch must turn fully without touching the facade or the shutter
Points to watch
- Storm loading — a shutter hanging on one catch with a large wind area can pull the fixing out. On large or heavy shutters use two catches, top and bottom
- Historic buildings — existing ironmongery often has to be retained or reproduced in the same form. Do not simply replace it with a modern pattern
- Maintenance — grease the pivot once a year; a seized catch gets forced and tears out of the wall
- Where you find them — mostly in old town centres and on farmhouses, and more common in Belgium and southern Europe than in the Netherlands
Related terms
- Louvre
- Louvre door
- Window frame
- Facade
Want to learn more about construction terms? Visit our knowledge base at fredsdiyplans.com.