I don't have plantation shutters but have lots of friends who do, and to me the gaps top and bottom in your photo appear excessively large. Yes, there has a be a tiny bit of a gap but it should be very close to the same size all the way around the window and here, the top and bottom gaps are noticeably larger than at the sides... like maybe the window height wasn't measured correctly to start with. Did you do the measuring of did Lowe's send someone out to do it?

I do think that notching the shutters in order to allow for the locking mechanism of single casement windows is standard operating procedure. But it has to be done right (by somebody who really knows what they're doing) or it can wind up looking awful.

I sell shutters and have a professional installer who does the installation and yes your gaps at the top & bottom are a bit larger than normal.

Sometimes the installer does have to make notches in the frames in order to work around things in the window (latches, security sensors, etc.) I haven't sold shutters on a casement window before so I'm not sure about the "track" needed for the lock. That sounds like a big notch.

Did a sales person come measure or the installer? I find the installer does a better job at measuring because they know what they'll have to work around and so forth.

Yours do look a little big, especially at the top. I found a pic of some of mine, and the gap seems smaller. And what looks like a gap at the top isn't, it is the light from the recessed fixture bouncing off the trim.

Hi
Yes it was a lowes Installer that measured and installed. Could the shutters be uninstalled or do you think I am stuck with these short shutters?

Sure looks like a bad fit to me.

I did a 4300 sf house entirely in wood shutters. Nothing had to be notched. However, all the window cranks had to be replaced with folding or smaller ones so as not to interfere with closing the shutters. These were all custom shutters from a small shop, so the fit was exact. And the price, incidentally, was much lower than that from the well-known big suppliers.

A worthy retreat Photo: Heather Joy Investments Ltd.

We just had plantation shutters installed on a whole wall of windows in our great room. There is not a speck of light coming in around the frames of any of the eight shutters...none whatsoever. They have a frame that is mounted inside the window opening (similar to the pic), and the shutters were installed over that to eliminate any gaps. This was the main reason we purchased these. Something like this could probably be added to your shutter to eliminate that gap

But the sides are not the problem. The issue is the top and bottom.

Just took this (terrible) picture of our Graber shutters in office and I don't see those gaps either.

I can see why you are disappointed considering the price of plantation shutters.

Thanks everyone for the feedback. Is it possible to uninstall shutters? I am going to ask that they replace them.

Red_lover, they installed that frame around all four sides of our shutters, just not on the sides. Sorry for the miscommunication.

Yes, they can be uninstalled. In your case, they need to make a new shutter for you that actually fits your window. And now, in addition to making sure everything else fits, they're going to need to make sure that the hinges on the new shutters align with the hinge-holes that were put into the frame when they installed this poorly fitting shutter. Otherwise you will have extra holes that may not look good unless they are carefully filled, sanded, and painted.

If YOU had measured the window and the company sent you a foundation shutter based on your improper measurements, I think you would be stuck with it - or pay for replacing it out of your pocket. But since Lowe's did the measurement improperly, they need to take responsibility for fixing the problem at their cost.

Lowe's may push back against having to replace the shutter. If so, take it up with Grabar. The manufacturer probably won't be happy that a customer is dissatisfied with their product because of a mistake in measuring made by the distributor (Lowe's).

Let us know how you fare. DH has been wanting to get plantation shutters and we were just looking at Lowe's last weekend at shutters for 16 windows downstairs. No way I will be willing to go thru them if you can't get your problem taken care of.

Yes the shutters can be taken down and fixed. I would call and discuss the issue with them.

Quick update. I shared the above picture with the installer (3rd party Lowes contracted). They initially indicated they would share the picture with Product Specialist at Graber. Also, their initial reaction was that with a hanging strip you do get light gaps like that and asked If I was explained this upon measurement. I was not. All I knew was what I had seen in pictures and on display at Lowes.
Now they are asking that the original installer come back to explain the measurements. I feel like I should involve Lowes (again)and ask for the opinion of someone that does not work for the installer...I would trust them more to be honest. Yes, this is normal or no, the shutters are small.
Anytime I have contacted Lowes though, it has been pushed back out to the installer.... I even sent them the picture and they were not willing to comment.

I guess I expected perfect shutter install job going through big retailer. Definitely disappointed. :-(

Thanks.

This is a really simple fix. Take the shutters out and place a 1/4'' (or however large the gap is minus a couple mm) strip of wood on the top and bottom directly to your window frame to close the gap...

" This is a really simple fix "

I think they had to have come up with a fix or solution after 10 years.