# How best to miter and join Z-Frame Plantation Shutter frame



## isaacp (Oct 27, 2016)

I've built a few shutters using the Rockwell jig. I figured, how hard could it be, there's a jig right 

I've built 5, and have been doing outside mounts with simple frames. I wanted to prefinish (paint) all the shutters and frames before hanging, but I ended up face nailing through the frames for mounting. This leaves ugly touch up marks, or lots of taping and spraying the frames in place.

My wife has since decided she wants inside mount shutters, with a nice moulding around the outside. These are called Z-Frames, and are great for unsquare windows. This lets me mount the frame cleanly by screwing into the side of the window casing. I have medium texture drywall with 1/2" rounded corners, no sill.

How would you join the corners of the ZFrame? Glue and nail through the ends? Staple the moulding on the back?


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## bilyo (May 20, 2015)

Your bottom photo sample, from the grain pattern, looks like the two sides are each cut from one piece of lumber and put together with a miter joint at the corner. If that is the case and you are installing the resulting frame with screws into possibly out-of-square windows, you might end up with some stress on the miter joint. I think you should reinforce the vertical leg of the miter joint with a biscuit or spline. Glue and screws would also work. I would also put a biscuit in the face frame moulding.

If I were making these "z-frames" from scratch, I would use 3 different components: something like a 3/4×3/4 for the toe, 1×3 for the vertical, and a pre-cut moulding extended across the top and glued to the vertical (in your drawing, extend the moulding bottom line horizontally across the vertical member and erase the thin vertical line). Now you can use a simple butt joint with biscuit, spline, or screws for the vertical member. Then attach the toe piece, again with simple butt joint at the corner or a miter. Once the vertical and toe are glued up, you can then apply the moulding face frame with mitered corners. Again, I would use a biscuit in the miter.

Hope that is clear and helpful.


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