Home → Doors → Doors FAQs → Composite doors vs wooden doors
The choice between wooden or composite doors in Nottingham is really a choice between the new and the old for your home. Wood is the traditional material used for doors of all kinds, including front doors, whilst composite materials are a much newer innovation.
Many companies, including KLG Rutland, don’t offer any wooden exterior doors at all. If you have a look around our website, you’ll find that all of our front doors are composite and all of our back doors are uPVC.
Why is this the case? If wooden doors have served us all well for so long, why change now? Those are the questions that we’ll look to answer in this comparison between composite doors and wooden doors.
What are composite doors made from?
Before we go any further in this discussion, we should take a step back and look at what composite doors actually are. They are entirely made from inorganic materials. Their surface layer is a glass-reinforced polymer (GRP) – a strong mixture of glass and plastic that can be stained almost any colour.
Beneath the GRP is a core of polyurethane foam, which KLG sources in an environmentally friendly way. The foam is an excellent insulator, helping to regulate the temperature within your home. The central layer of the door is a sheet of ABS plastic. This acts as a reinforcement to the rest of the door, improving its structural integrity and security.
Why are composite doors seen as a good replacement for wood?
Composite doors have largely replaced wooden doors in modern UK manufacturing because they are stronger, more durable and better insulators. On top of those qualities, they can also be manufactured to have an authentic wood-effect finish. As the name suggests, this means that the GRP is moulded in such a way that it looks like it has all the lines and patterns of natural hardwood. Therefore, you get all of the visual appeal of wood, with none of the drawbacks.
Why did wooden doors need to be replaced?
There are some significant drawbacks to wooden doors. As a natural material, wood is prone to degradation. A wooden door – especially an exterior door – requires treatment and maintenance in order to keep it looking and functioning as designed. Varnishing and painting are often required to restore their appearance, especially after periods of bad weather, and they are at risk of warping and cracking as the material naturally expands and contracts.
In comparison, composite doors are much more durable. They don’t lose their colour because the GRP itself is stained, rather than painted, which means the colour is an integral property of the material. They will retain their colour and shape whatever the weather, only needing the occasional wipe down to restore them to their original appearance.
Should I invest in a composite door?
If you know you need a new front door, you can’t go wrong if you choose a composite door. It will look fantastic and give you excellent value over its decades-long lifespan. If you choose a door from KLG Rutland, you can also use our door designer to make sure that it looks exactly how you want it to.
On the other hand, if you’re considering a change from your current wooden door, it’s worth having a look at your options. For all their drawbacks, wooden doors can still last a long time and look good. However, if you’re starting to see signs of wear, degradation or discolouration, it might be the time to think about upgrading to a newer model. Have a closer look at composite doors and see if you could imagine one standing in the entrance of your home.
If you want to get a quote for a composite front door, contact KLG Rutland today.