How to Repair a Broken Louver Shutter

Remove the shutter panel from the window. Disconnect the staple holding the damaged louver to the tilt rod by first moving the tilt rod to one side. Cut the middle of the louver staple with wire cutters. Spread the halves of the staple with needle-nose pliers to free the louver from the tilt rod.

Place the shutter panel on a clean flat surface. Take a utility knife and with a downward motion, cut though the nylon pins on the left and right side of the damaged louver. This frees the louver from the shutter stiles, the side frame of the shutter panel.

Remove the louver from the panel. Take your needle-nose pliers and remove the remaining ends of the nylon pins still left in the holes on the right and left stile.

Insert the small end of a nylon shutter pin into the hole on one side of the replacement louver. Insert the wider end of a nylon repair spring-loaded shutter pin into one of the stile holes. If the repair pin does not fit all the way into the stile hole, deepen the hole using a drill equipped with a 1/4-inch drill bit.

Move the tilt rod up or down until the louvers are fully opened. Insert the nylon pin end of the replacement louver into the vacant hole in the stile. Push and hold down the spring-loaded repair pin on the opposite stile. Slide the replacement louver over the pin and move it slightly up and down until you hear the pin pop into the hole of the louver.

Keep the louvers fully opened and move the tilt rod to one side. Position the replacement louver so the two staple holes on the edge of the louver face the tilt rod. Hold a shutter staple at the top corner with your needle-nose pliers and thread the staple through the staple of the tilt rod.

Place a dab of glue on the ends of the staple. Hold the back of the replacement louver as you push the staple firmly into the louver with the pliers. When correctly installed, the staple will stick out the same distance as the staples on the other louvers. Paint if necessary and rehang the shutter panel.