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For some people, picking a new door is a little bit of a guessing game. What do you base your purchase on?
- The appearance of a door?
- Its security features?
- Its energy efficiency?
- How it feels to open?
- Its maintenance requirements?
Every customer we work with has a different outlook for their brand-new door. Whatever the reason you are looking for a new door, we want to ensure that you weigh up all the options. Not every customer will choose a door based on its material for example, but the material of your door should actually be a key factor in your decision making.
In this blog we’re going to focus on composite and uPVC front doors. You will be able to find out what both materials are, what they offer and why you should choose them. From this, you will be able to base your choice on the security, energy and cost benefits to suit you, your home and your budget.
Composite door vs uPVC door
Before the battle commences, let’s take a moment to look at both door materials individually.
Composite
Composite doors are not made from a single material. The structure of a composite door is typically uPVC, steel, glass and wood. With the combination of these materials, they’re then glued and pressed together. Each composite door manufacturer however offers something different in the makeup of their composite doors. So you may hear or see different materials or processes mentioned.
uPVC
The more familiar of the two, uPVC doors are manufactured from a single plastic known as unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (uPVC). That’s not to say that uPVC doors are solely constructed from plastic, because they’re not (or at least they shouldn’t be). Our uPVC doors are fitted with a reinforced frame and panel and boast a multi-point locking mechanism.
The key differences between the two
Identifying the differences between uPVC and composite will help you to decide on which door material is best suited to you. There are many factors to consider when choosing a new door, so do weigh up your options with our differences below.
Price
One is much cheaper than the other. Can you guess which one?
I’ll assume you guessed uPVC being the cheaper option, in which case, you are CORRECT!
uPVC doors are more affordable than composite doors, but composite doors should be seen as great value for money. Because they’re of a very high quality, they have a much longer life span – around thirty-five years!
Maintenance
Both set of doors are very easy to maintain, but uPVC definitely requires much less maintenance. uPVC doors can be left for long periods without any upkeep, but we still recommend that you clean it regularly and don’t use damaging chemicals on your uPVC door.
Composites are also low-maintenance. It’s worth giving them a wipe over now and again to keep up their appearance, as well as oil the hinges to keep it looking and working as new.
Security & Durability
uPVC doors are extremely secure, but composite doors offer a greater level of security between the two. uPVC doors are reinforced to be stronger, whereas a composite door’s structure is super-strong in its own right.
Composites have a glass-reinforced plastic with a solid or high-density foam filled core. Using tough materials, a bespoke outer frame and a modern locking system, it makes breaking through a composite door extremely difficult for intruders.
Composites typically replicate the appearance of a traditional wood door, but unlike timber doors, composites do not warp in the same way; because they’re made from a mix of materials.
Choice
You will have many options to choose from with both our uPVC and composite doors. Our uPVC doors offer many different colours, including timber alternative effects, but it’s the composite door offering that is greater. You will be able to choose from a range of colours, styles and glass options.
Look and feel
Continuing from choice, composite doors allow you to be flexible with your door design. You will be able to tailor your door to meet the character of your property. You will have traditional and contemporary styles to suit you and your home. uPVC has many different colours available but may not necessarily be the best choice for a traditional or period property.
What to take away from this blog
So, who wins for you – uPVC or Composite?
It’s difficult to pin down a winner because the right choice for a customer depends on many aspects – budget, preference and requirements being just three of them.
The biggest distinction between the two is their price. Composite doors are a lot more expensive than uPVC, but composite doors are also a much better quality of door. But that’s not to say that uPVC doors are not any good, because they are. They’ve come a long way to become one of the most common door choices in the UK!
Still undecided?
Why not drop by our showroom and check out our doors – you can find us at 23-27 Dartmouth Avenue in Woking. That way you can explore all your options and see the doors in person before deciding!
