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Posted by Shutter Medic on 12/6/2012 to
This post is for those of you who feel like they would like to try and repair their damaged louver instead of replacing it. Let's go over some of the more common calls we have received from customers.
Damage such as minor claw or teeth marks from pets can be easily filled with wood putty. If your shutters are white, use a wood putty that is already pigmented white. This will help hide the damage if it is necessary to re-paint the louver. A light sanding of the wood putty will be required prior to painting.
When damage to a louver occurs in the location of the louver staple, more often than not a piece of the louver will be missing where the staple used to be. In this situation, it will be necessary to fill this area with Wood Epoxy Putty. Epoxy Putty can be found at any good hardware store. 
Fill the area that is missing with the putty. Sand and re-paint. It will then be necessary to re-install a louver staple to reconnect the louver to the shutter tilt rod. If your louver contains louver pins, which are located at either end of the louver in the center of the louver, you may want to flip the louver so your repair is located on the back side of panel. Now let’s explain how to install a staple where there wasn't one before when flipping the louver. You will need some Vice Grips and a wire cutter to accomplish this task. Fist cut the shutter staple in half at the crown. Next cut the opposite end of the shutter staple on a slight angle making a chisle point at the end. After this is accomplished, clamp the staple half in a Vice Grip at a 90 degree angle. Mark the location that the staple needs to be installed on the louver. While stabilizing the louver with your free hand, simply push the staple half into the louver at both hole locations for the replacement staple.