Hardwood (basswood)
Same premium painted finish and price as Polycomposite, with real timber character and a 5-year manufacturer guarantee. Best kept to dry rooms.
Tier on Tier Shutters
Two separate panels stacked on the same window: an upper tier and a lower tier, each with its own hinges and louvres, opening fully independently.
The most flexible style we fit, and the one to choose when privacy and light needs in the room change through the day.
The style explained
What is a tier-on-tier shutter?
Tier on tier physically divides the window into an upper panel and a lower panel. Each pair of panels has its own tilt rod, its own hinges, and opens completely separately from the other.
You can throw the bottom open for full light while the top stays closed, fold the top open while the bottom stays closed for privacy, or tilt the louvres on each tier to different angles. It is the most adjustable configuration.
Best for
Tall sash windows, front rooms, and street-facing ground floors
Main benefit
Upper and lower panels open, close, and tilt independently
Cost note
Around 15% more than a standard full-height configuration
Darkness
Lets in a little more light because of the small gap between the two tiers
Where it works best
The rooms and situations this style suits
Tall ground-floor windows
Victorian and Edwardian ground-floor sashes typically have proportions that suit a horizontal divide. The mid-rail aligns naturally with the meeting rail of the sash itself.
Rooms where privacy needs change
Front rooms where you want privacy from the pavement most of the day but want to throw the bottom open in the evening, or vice versa. Tier on tier lets you do both without compromise.
South-facing windows with afternoon glare
Close the upper tier to block direct sun while leaving the lower open for the view. Or tilt the upper louvres at a different angle to the lower for fine-grained light control.
How to choose
When this style is the right answer
Choose tier on tier for true independent control
It is the only louvred style where the upper and lower panels physically open separately, which is useful on tall street-facing windows.
Expect a slightly busier look
The horizontal meeting line is part of the design. It looks right on many sash windows, but full height is cleaner on simpler modern windows.
Allow for the real cost difference
Tier on tier is around 15% more than a standard full-height setup because there are more panels, hinges, and fitting points.
Materials
Available in both our materials
Polycomposite
Same tier-on-tier flexibility, with waterproof reinforced construction, better thermal and noise insulation, and a 10-year manufacturer guarantee.
Common configurations
How tier on tier shutters are typically laid out
- Equal upper and lower
- The mid-rail sits halfway up the window. Visually balanced; suits most Victorian and Edwardian sash windows.
- Upper tier shorter than lower
- Mid-rail aligned with the meeting rail of the original sash. Reads as architecturally correct on traditional sash windows.
- Upper tier taller than lower
- Less common but useful where you want the bottom (privacy) section to feel more proportionate on a tall window.
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Contact Information
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info@shuttersdesign.co.ukAddress
20 Wittering CloseKingston upon ThamesKT2 5GAOpening Hours
Monday - Saturday: 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Sunday: Closed
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Inspiration
See real installations across Surrey
See how fitted shutters change the room: cleaner lines, better privacy, and a more finished look around the window.
Full Height, Living Room
Richmond
Full height shutters fitted to a wide bay. Louvres set to diffuse afternoon light while keeping the room private from the street.
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Service Areas
Areas We Cover
We measure and fit plantation shutters across Surrey and South West London. These are some of the areas we cover most often.
View all 50+ areasFAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Tier-on-tier is two physically separate panels: each tier opens and folds back independently. Split-tilt is a single continuous panel with a hidden mid-rail mechanism that lets the louvres above and below tilt independently, but the panel itself stays as one piece. Tier-on-tier gives more flexibility; split-tilt gives a cleaner architectural line.
Yes, the mid-rail is a structural divider between the upper and lower panels and is visible from both sides. On Victorian sashes the mid-rail typically aligns with the sash meeting rail, so it reads as part of the window rather than an addition.
The default position is halfway up the window. For Victorian and Edwardian sashes we align it with the sash meeting rail, which usually places it slightly above centre. We confirm the right height at the survey based on the actual window proportions.
Both can tilt at the same time, independently. The upper has its own tilt rod (or hidden tilt mechanism), the lower has its own. You can match the angles or set them differently. The same is true of opening: both can fold back at once for full light, or only one.
Yes. Each section of the bay can be configured as tier-on-tier independently. The mid-rail height is kept consistent across the bay sections for a tidy line.
Recommended next
Other styles to consider
If this style is close but not quite right, these are the nearest alternatives.