UPVC door vs wooden door - which is best?

Struggling to decide between uPVC doors vs wooden doors? Here, we give you all the info you need to help make the best choice for your home.

Your front door is the gateway to your home and helps to make that all-important first impression.

From an aesthetic point of view, choosing a new front door is important, but more than that, it's about durability, cost, and security too.

In this post, we outline the pros and cons of two of the most popular choices: uPVC door vs wooden door, helping you easily compare both options, side-by-side.

What's the difference between a uPVC door and a wooden door?

Before comparing the pros and cons of uPVC and wooden doors, let's outline the key difference between the two.

UPVC doors

UPVC doors have a fully insulated steel frame at their core, which is then covered with Unplasticised Polyvinyl Chloride (uPVC).

Wood doors

Wood doors can be either solid wood or engineered (manufactured) wood:

• Solid wood doors are made from a solid piece of timber (typically oak), milled into shape and dried

• Engineered wood doors consist of multiple layers made by binding or fixing boards, veneers, fibres, or strands of solid wood together with an outer layer of a more expensive wood, or veneer

Advantages of uPVC doors

Given what uPVC doors are made from, what does this offer in terms of the advantages of uPVC doors?

• Affordability: uPVC doors are one of the most cost-effective options - great if you want a new door on a smaller budget

• Maintenance: uPVC doors are very low maintenance - they don't need painting or staining, although they may discolour over time

• Durability: uPVC doors are non-porous and highly resistant to weathering, rot, and corrosion - they won't warp or swell in wet weather either

• Energy efficiency: Modern uPVC doors have an insulating, multi-chamber interior, giving them good insulating properties, helping to keep your home warm, and providing energy savings too

• Security: uPVC doors have a sturdy construction, and many come with multi-point locking systems, offering a high level of security

• Lifespan: Providing you select a good quality uPVC door and it's well-fitted and looked after, it can last up to 35 years

• Aesthetics: uPVC front doors come in a range of colours and styles - you can even opt for a woodgrain effect

Disadvantages of uPVC doors

So while there are many benefits of choosing uPVC, there are a handful of disadvantages of uPVC doors to bear in mind.

• Environmental impact: Even though uPVC is recyclable at the end of its life, it is still a plastic product, and is therefore not environmentally friendly to produce

• Attractiveness: uPVC is a man-made product, and some argue it's not as visually appealing, stylish, or characterful as other types of doors, especially on an older property

• Customisation: Door furniture such as handles, letterboxes, and locks are harder to change once the door is installed

Advantages of wood doors

What are the key advantages of wood doors over uPVC?

• Style: Wood is a natural product - a timber door makes a warm, elegant, and classic entryway to a home, especially on a period property

• Customisation: Wood doors can be customised to suit your home's style, with paint or a stain and whatever hardware you choose

• Lifespan: Solid wood doors can last a lifetime if properly maintained, developing a rich patina with age

• Environmental impact: Wood is a renewable resource - sustainably sourced wooden doors have a lower environmental impact than uPVC

• Durability: Wooden doors can be incredibly durable as long as you choose a quality product and it's properly maintained

• Energy efficiency: Wood has naturally insulative properties, helping to protect your home from the elements

• Security: Their solid construction means that wooden doors are strong and secure

Disadvantages of wood doors

There are three main disadvantages of wood doors to consider. These include:

• Cost: Wood doors are more expensive vs uPVC - not forgetting the ongoing maintenance cost

• Maintenance: For wooden doors to live up to their potential, they need regular maintenance, including staining or painting every 3-5 years to protect them from the elements

• Weathering: Solid wood doors can warp or split with exposure to the elements if they're not properly looked after, however, this is not such a problem with engineered wood doors

Are uPVC doors better than wood?

This depends on your needs and taste.

If cost is a key driver, uPVC is the more affordable option than high-quality wooden doors, with solid wood being more expensive than engineered wood (for more information, check out our door installation cost guide). UPVC is also favoured by those looking for a low maintenance option.

However, if charm and natural beauty are top of your priority list and you're prepared to invest in a door that could last a century or more, a wood door could be well-suited to your needs. Wooden doors are a firm favourite for those living in older-style properties who want to complement their home's traditional style.

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