Custom Hurricane Shutters

Common Non-Standard Opening Ty Custom Impact Glass — Often th Custom Polycarbonate Panels Accordion Shutters for Oversiz Skylight Hurricane Protection Finding the Right Contractor f FAQ

Quick summary

Arched windows, circular windows, eyebrow windows, skylights, odd angles, oversize openings — every one of these is a hurricane protection challenge. Standard off-the-shelf shutters won't work. But custom solutions exist for virtually every shape, and knowing your options before talking to a contractor puts you in a much stronger position.

Common Non-Standard Opening Types

Opening Type	Challenge	Best Solution
Arched / Round-top windows	Standard rectangular shutters don't cover the arch	Custom impact glass or custom polycarbonate panel
Circular / Porthole windows	No standard shutter fits	Custom impact glass replacement or custom polycarbonate disk
Eyebrow / Transom windows	Too narrow for standard products	Custom polycarbonate panel or impact glass
Oversized openings (over 10 ft wide)	Standard accordion panels have size limits	Multi-section accordion or motorized roll-down with structural header
Skylights	Horizontal orientation, no standard protection	Impact-rated skylight replacement or polycarbonate cover
Angled / sloped windows	Standard tracks don't work at angles	Custom fabricated panel system or impact glass
Sliding glass doors (oversized)	Width exceeds standard door ratings	Multi-panel accordion or motorized system with structural engineering

Custom Impact Glass — Often the Best Answer

For most non-standard window shapes, replacing the window with a custom-fabricated impact glass unit is the cleanest solution. Impact glass can be fabricated in virtually any shape — arched, circular, angled, or trapezoidal — by manufacturers who specialize in architectural glass.

The advantages:

No visible hardware — the protection is invisible
No deployment required
Custom shapes carry the same FL approval or NOA as standard sizes when properly engineered
One-time installation — no ongoing storage or operational requirements

The cost premium for custom impact glass over standard sizes is typically 30–60% depending on shape complexity. A custom arched impact window might run $800–$2,000 versus $400–$800 for a comparable standard window.

Custom Polycarbonate Panels

For non-standard openings where impact glass replacement is too expensive or structurally impractical, custom-fabricated polycarbonate panels offer a middle path.

Polycarbonate can be cut and shaped to fit virtually any opening profile. For arched windows, the panel is typically fabricated as a flat rectangular panel that covers the full arch opening including the arch itself — mounted to the wall surface rather than fitting into the window frame.

Key considerations:

The mounting system must be engineered for your wall substrate and wind zone
The product must carry FL approval for the specific installation method — a custom panel fabricated from approved polycarbonate sheet still needs an approved mounting system
Some preservation boards accept clear polycarbonate panels on historic homes because they are transparent and removable
Custom polycarbonate panels run $22–$40 per square foot fabricated and installed

Accordion Shutters for Oversized Openings

Standard accordion shutters have maximum width limitations set by their product approval — typically 12–16 feet for a single-panel system. For wider openings like 20-foot sliding glass walls or large picture windows, solutions include:

Multi-section accordion systems — two or more accordion panels that meet at a center post. The center post must be structural and engineered for the wind load.
Motorized roll-down — roll-down shutters have larger approved size ranges than accordion systems and can cover openings up to 20–24 feet wide in a single panel with appropriate structural headers.
Impact glass wall systems — for high-end homes, entire glass wall systems are available in impact-rated configurations. These require structural engineering and are a permanent architectural feature.

Oversized opening protection almost always requires a structural engineer's input and a custom product approval submission — budget for this in your project timeline and cost.

Skylight Hurricane Protection

Skylights are among the most vulnerable openings in a coastal home during a hurricane — they face upward wind load, are difficult to cover with standard shutters, and a failed skylight creates an immediate water intrusion emergency.

Options:

Replace with impact-rated skylight — the permanent solution. Impact skylights are available from Velux, Sun-Tek, and other manufacturers with FL and NOA approvals. Cost typically runs $800–$3,000 per unit installed depending on size.
Polycarbonate cover panel — a removable polycarbonate sheet engineered to cover the skylight opening, mounted to the roof deck with approved fasteners before storms. Less expensive but requires deployment and roof access.
Interior storm cover — some products mount from inside, covering the interior face of the skylight. These provide some debris protection but are not typically rated to the same standard as exterior protection.

Any skylight protection installed as a permanent improvement requires a permit. Polycarbonate covers mounted to a roof also require permits in most coastal counties — the fasteners penetrate the roof membrane.

Finding the Right Contractor for Custom Work

Custom shutter fabrication and non-standard opening protection requires contractors with specific capabilities:

Ask specifically whether they fabricate custom panels in-house or subcontract to a fabricator — in-house fabrication typically means faster turnaround and better quality control
Ask for examples of similar non-standard openings they have protected — photos and product approval numbers
Verify their license covers the specific scope — a window contractor's license may not cover structural mounting systems
For HVHZ work, verify NOA approval for the specific custom configuration — not just the base product

Use our verify contractor tool to check any contractor's license before committing to custom work.

The scenarios below are illustrative composites based on documented market patterns, FEMA post-storm data, and OIR wind mitigation discount schedules. They represent realistic outcomes, not specific individuals.

Palm Beach — The Arched Window That Required Custom Glass

Elizabeth's Palm Beach home had four arched Palladian windows on the front facade — architectural features from the original 1928 construction that gave the home much of its character. Standard rectangular storm panels couldn't cover the arches. Accordion shutters couldn't be mounted without track systems that would have required removing the decorative stonework surrounding each window.

Elizabeth worked with a glass company specializing in custom fabrication. The solution: custom-fabricated impact glass units matching the exact arch profile of each window, installed as replacements for the original single-pane glass. The frames were custom-made to match the original profile. Miami-Dade NOA approval was obtained for the custom configuration through the manufacturer's engineering department.

Cost: $4,200 per arched window — $16,800 for all four. The original single-pane glass had no storm protection and no insurance value. The custom impact units satisfied both the Palm Beach Architectural Commission's historic preservation requirements and the county's HVHZ protection requirements. 'There is no off-the-shelf solution for a 1928 Palladian arch,' Elizabeth said. 'But there is a custom one. It just takes time and money to specify correctly.'

What this means for your home: Non-standard window shapes almost always require custom fabrication — the question is which custom approach fits your budget, your code requirements, and your aesthetic needs. Impact glass fabrication can match virtually any profile and satisfies both protection and preservation requirements in most historic districts. Get engineering sign-off on the NOA or FL approval for the specific custom configuration before committing — custom products require custom approval documentation, not just the base product's approval.

Fort Lauderdale — The 22-Foot Sliding Glass Wall

When Carol and her husband renovated their Fort Lauderdale waterfront home in 2020, they replaced the rear wall with a 22-foot-wide sliding glass wall system. It transformed the space. It also created a protection problem: no standard accordion or roll-down shutter product had a single-panel product approval for a 22-foot span.

Their shutter contractor proposed a three-section accordion system — three 7.3-foot sections meeting at two center posts. The posts were structural, engineered to transfer wind load to the slab. The product approval was issued for the specific multi-section configuration. Miami-Dade NOA approval required an additional engineering certification for the custom post design.

Total installation cost for the rear wall system: $28,400. Carol had budgeted $18,000 based on a per-square-foot estimate from a contractor who hadn't accounted for the structural post requirements. 'The square footage estimate was right,' she said. 'The structural engineering for the posts was what blew the budget. Nobody mentioned that until we were already committed to the glass wall design.'

What this means for your home: Large opening widths — anything over 16 feet — typically exceed standard product approval parameters and require either multi-section systems with structural posts or motorized roll-downs with engineered headers. Both options add structural engineering costs to the installation. Before finalizing any large opening design in new construction or renovation, get a written shutter cost estimate that specifically addresses the structural requirements for the span — not just the square footage cost.

Key Biscayne — The Skylight That Had to Be Replaced

Richard's Key Biscayne home had four skylights installed in 2008. When he sought to add hurricane protection in 2021 as part of a broader opening protection project, his shutter contractor assessed the skylights and found they were standard non-impact units — equivalent to any other unprotected opening in the HVHZ.

The contractor proposed removable polycarbonate covers mounted to the roof deck around each skylight — a viable solution, but one that required roof penetrations for the mounting anchors. Richard's roofing contractor flagged that the anchor penetrations would void the remaining warranty on his 2018 roof replacement.

Richard replaced all four skylights with Velux impact-rated units carrying Miami-Dade NOA approval — $3,400 per unit installed, $13,600 total. The replacement eliminated the roof penetration issue, qualified for wind mitigation credit, and removed the deployment requirement. 'I was trying to add protection to the skylights,' he said. 'Replacing them was the only approach that didn't create a new problem while solving the old one.'

What this means for your home: Skylights are often the last opening addressed in a hurricane protection project and the hardest to solve with add-on protection. Polycarbonate covers require roof penetrations that may conflict with roofing warranties. For HVHZ properties, replacing non-impact skylights with NOA-approved impact units is frequently the cleanest solution — it eliminates the deployment requirement, satisfies the building code, and avoids roof penetration complications. Get a roofing contractor's input before committing to any skylight cover mounting approach.

Sources: Palm Beach Architectural Commission historic window records; Miami-Dade BCCO custom NOA certification process; Fort Lauderdale building permit records for large opening systems; Velux impact skylight product approval documentation.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Can any opening be protected with hurricane shutters?

Virtually any opening can be protected with the right custom solution — the question is cost and practicality. Very small openings (under 12 inches in any dimension) are often handled with impact glass replacement rather than shutters. Very large openings require structural engineering beyond standard shutter product approvals. An experienced contractor can evaluate any opening and recommend the most practical and cost-effective solution.

My arched window is original to my 1920s home. Can I protect it without replacing it?

A custom polycarbonate panel mounted to the wall surface over the entire arch opening is typically the best solution for preserving an original arched window while providing storm protection. The panel covers the opening without altering the window itself. For historic properties, verify with your local preservation board that this approach is acceptable before proceeding.

How much more do custom shutters cost than standard ones?

Custom fabrication adds 25–75% to standard product costs depending on complexity. A simple non-standard rectangular size might add 20–30%. A complex arched or angled shape requiring custom tooling might add 50–100%. Get a detailed quote that separates the custom fabrication cost from the standard installation cost so you understand where the premium is coming from.

☣️ Public Health Warning — After Any Hurricane

Waste bags at the curb spread E. coli, Leptospirosis, and Norovirus across entire neighborhoods through rainwater runoff, animal vectors, and children near debris piles. Double-bag all waste. Label it BIOHAZARD. Keep all children and pets away from every curb pile on your street — not just your own.

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