uPVC vs Composite Doors: Compare and Decide Which Is Best

Your front door is important to get right, but fortunately, when choosing between a UPVC vs composite doors, you can’t go wrong.

If you are questioning whether your current front door ticks every box above, you might need to consider a replacement. When researching popular front doors, you are likely to come across both UPVC doors and composite doors.

What is the difference between uPVC and composite doors?

• Material composition: Composite doors are made from multiple materials (including uPVC, wood, foam, and GRP), while uPVC doors are made from a single plastic material.

• Strength and durability: Composite doors are stronger and more durable compared to uPVC doors.

• Appearance: Composite doors often have a wood grain finish that looks like real timber, whereas uPVC doors have a more basic plastic look.

• Thickness: Composite doors are thicker (around 44mm) than uPVC doors (around 28mm).

• Cost: Composite doors are more expensive due to the materials and construction involved. uPVC doors are generally more budget-friendly.

• Performance: Composite doors offer enhanced strength and durability, while uPVC doors still provide good thermal efficiency and security features.

There are several different materials within a composite door, as the name suggests. In addition to UPVC, there’s also wood, foam, and a GRP (Glass Reinforced Plastic) skin.

The GRP skin, designed with a realistic wood grain finish, gives the door the appearance of timber. However, in terms of performance, it surpasses traditional timber doors in strength and durability. Strength is one of the notable qualities of a composite door.

In contrast to composite doors, UPVC doors are made from a single material, namely plastic. Composite doors have a thicker frame, approximately 44mm compared to the 28mm frame of a UPVC door.

Naturally, there is a price disparity between the two types of doors. Composite doors are higher in price due to the greater number of materials used in their construction.

While UPVC doors are less expensive than composite doors, they still offer numerous benefits, including excellent thermal efficiency and advanced security features.

How secure and durable are UPVC doors compared to composite doors?

UPVC doors offer quality security and durability, but we’d be lying to you if we claimed that they’re as robust as composite doors, because that’s not true.

A composite door’s superior robustness compared to a UPVC door stems from its tough composition and solid core, constituting rugged materials like timber, reinforced plastic and wood. 

This makes a forced entry supremely difficult to pull off, especially as a composite door also contains a host of tamper-proof components. 

UPVC doors are in no way easy to force, kick in or damage though as they have a resilient frame and a broad family of locking mechanisms, including a multipoint system, with security inherent across their design.

Composite and UPVC doors: The pros and cons of each

Security is one of the biggest advantages of buying a composite door, renowned for offering outstanding protection thanks to a robust construction and strong core. It will also hold up over time as it is resistant to things like fading, cracking and warping. 

The thermal and soundproofing qualities of a composite are very good too and if you are an admirer of wood, it accurately mirrors the appearance of a timber door. 

One drawback is that composite doors aren’t as cheap as UPVC doors, which leads us nicely on to the upsides and downsides of this rival solution. 

As well as being less expensive, UPVC doors are extremely easy to maintain, not prone to rot or rust, and the material itself is weather-resistant, assisting with upkeep. Their commendable thermal and sound insulation should also be mentioned. 

• Security: Composite doors offer higher security due to their robust construction and strong core, while uPVC doors are generally less secure in comparison.

• Durability: Composite doors resist fading, cracking, and warping over time. uPVC doors are also durable, resistant to rot and rust, and weather-resistant.

• Thermal and sound insulation: Both door types provide good thermal efficiency and soundproofing performance.

• Appearance: Composite doors closely resemble timber and offer a more traditional, high-end look. uPVC doors have a more plastic-like appearance, which may not appeal to everyone.

• Maintenance: uPVC doors are very easy to maintain. Composite doors are also low-maintenance but built to resist common wear issues longer.

• Cost: uPVC doors are generally more affordable, while composite doors are more expensive due to their construction and materials.

Some may be put off by the plastic-type look of UPVC and that it’s not as secure as a composite door frame. 

The pros and cons of UPVC doors

Instead of just briefly touching upon the benefits and weaknesses of UPVC doors, let’s cover them a bit more extensively for you. 

They’re fantastically priced for what you get, the most affordable of all the available door options, and perform decently from an insulation standpoint, keeping you warm indoors and heating costs down. 

Maintenance of UPVC only entails an occasional clean with soapy water and a soft cloth, enough to preserve the life of it for years. At no point will it corrode, nor will its durability diminish. 

Lastly, it’s highly secure and you have customisation possibilities with UPVC, although they can be quite limited. 

The aesthetic appeal of UPVC isn’t quite on an equal footing as a composite frame and the same can be said for its strength – two of its foremost limitations. 

The pros and cons of composite doors

Now let’s provide a thorough overview of the areas in which composite doors prosper and outline any flaws to be aware of. 

Durability is the most obvious asset to talk about first and an unsurprising one when you factor that a composite frame is made up of glass-reinforced plastic, timber and foam. 

This amalgamation of materials would be why this door type is an excellent insulator and will keep room temperatures firmly stabilised for the duration of the year. 

It mimics wood very believably, which you may like if you appreciate the appearance of timber, and thankfully, it doesn’t need the constant attention that wood calls for. 

Composite styles are very varied, with designs and colours to fit contemporary and traditional residences. 

Cost is the biggest potential stumbling block for buyers as it requires a higher outlay than UPVC or authentic wood doors. 

Maintenance and lifespan of UPVC doors and composite doors

The average lifespan of a UPVC door is 20 to 25 years, while a composite door can endure for around 30 to 35 years. 

Whichever of the two door types you buy, maintenance is really straightforward, and if you follow the cleaning tips we’re about to give, it could well extend their life. 

Cleaning with soap and water every now and again will keep a UPVC frame looking brand-new and the hinges and locks affixed to them just require the odd lubrication. 

Composite frames rarely fade, warp or crack or incur dents and scratches, and can be preserved using a matching preservation routine, necessary only a handful of times each year. 

How should I clean and maintain my composite or UPVC door?

Cleaning and maintaining your composite or UPVC door is a straightforward process. Every four months, you can fill a bucket with warm, soapy water and use a soft cloth to clean the frame surfaces. It is important to avoid using solvent-based cleaners and abrasive materials.

Once a year, you should also clean all the hardware components, such as locks, hinges, handles, and other door furniture, also using warm, soapy water.

Regularly clearing debris from the threshold and drainage holes of the door is also recommended, especially during inclement weather. This helps to keep water out of the seals.

Which door offers the best value for money, UPVC or composite?

Forming an opinion on whether a UPVC or composite door offers the best value for money is very much down to what your priorities are – style, security, budget etc. 

If you can’t afford to spend too extravagantly on a new door, the most affordable option will be a UPVC door, which despite its low price, still offers a good standard of thermal efficiency, is easily maintained and eye-catching enough. 

When your budget isn’t too tight, stretch to a composite door for greater overall long-term value. 

Incredibly robust, immensely elegant and ultra-secure, composite doors have amazing insulating properties and can occupy your entryway for three decades or more, massively elevating kerb appeal and home protection. They too are simple to look after.