A guide to new doors: uPVC or Composite?

If your front door is looking a bit worse for wear it is important that you have it replaced as soon as possible in order to avoid compromising the security and energy efficiency of your property.

It is unfair to judge people on the appearance of their home, or front door, but unfortunately it does happen and leaving a tired looking front door in place can leave an impression on passers-by that you would rather avoid.

As much as it would be nice to believe that you would never be culpable of making assumptions based solely on someone’s choice of front door, we all do it, so make sure that you are making the right impression with a stunning new door from a leading local Glasgow windows and doors installer.

When it comes to installing new doors, you have a few important decisions to make, with the most important being the type of door you wish to have in place. Composite and uPVC doors Glasgow dominate the new door market at present, and it is easily to see why, with both offering excellent durability, security, and energy efficiency to homeowners. But which one is the best option for you?

Read on to help make your decision, comparing these two door types in a number of important categories.

Appearance

At the end of the day, aesthetics are vitally important when choosing a new door. This will be the first thing you see when you come home for years, or even decades, and the first thing visitors see when they arrive.

Both uPVC and composite doors come in a huge range of different colours, styles, and designs although some argue that composite doors have an edge due to the slightly plasticky appearance of uPVC.

Both door types offer wood grain effect finishes for a more traditional style, but composite doors are far more realistic, and almost indeterminable from solid timber from a distance due to the fact that wood is one of the main materials used in their construction.

If you have a period property and are looking for a new door, uPVC is unlikely to be a good fit, with the material much better suited to use ion modern contemporary homes.

Cost

uPVC doors are cheaper than composite doors. There is no way around this, but this does not necessarily mean they are the most cost-effective long term option.

If you are on a budget, there are certainly uPVC doors available at a great price that will serve you well, but you are forgoing the superior security and energy efficiency that composite doors provide.

Whilst you may pay more for the initial installation when you choose composite doors, the fantastic insulating combination of timber, GRP, PVC, and insulating foam used to construct the door means that it will be far better at keeping heat inside your property and cold air out.

This effect will dramatically improve your home’s energy efficiency and see you pay far less for your energy bills than would otherwise be the case.

You might also find that by upgrading your home’s energy efficiency and improving curb appeal that you are able to secure more for your property if you ever decide to sell. Homebuyers are more aware of energy efficiency now than they have ever been before and will often be willing to pay slightly more to avoid having to make upgrades themselves.

Security

When it comes to security, composite doors really are in a class of their own, with their solid timber core and multi-point locking system making it almost impossible for an intruder to force their way inside.

Whilst uPVC doors can also be fitted with multipoint locking systems, the combination of materials used in a composite doors is unapparelled in terms of strength and durability.

Maintenance

Both uPVC and composite doors will stay in perfect working condition for decades with extremely little maintenance required.

A quick wipe down with a damp cloth every-so-often is all the door maintenance you need to keep your new doors looking fantastic and any repair work that is required will be covered by a manufacturer’s warranty for a good few years after installation.

In order to ensure that the chances of any repairs being required are slim and the quality of your new uPVC or composite door installation is high, make sure to choose a highly experienced local window and door installer.

There are some extremely cheap uPVC door products on the market but unfortunately, these are almost always simply too good to be true, lasting far less time than better quality alternatives and performing terribly when it comes to security and energy efficiency.