front door: upvc or hardwood?

[elguyan0]

long time reader, first time poster - hello.

i need a replacement front door - the old one is in a right state and is letting through a terrible draught.

front doors are waaay out of my very limited DIY skill set, so i'll be getting a professional in.

i think i know the right answer to this, and i certainly have my preference, but i thought i'd run it past this esteemed panel in case there was something i hadn't considered...

Do i go for a upvc or a wooden front door?

Would a well fitted wooden front door keep out the draghts just as well?

 

[Diyisfun]

There are some good looking upvc doors about, hard to tell the difference from a distance.
I bet someone says yea miles away.

 

[HandyHands]

For security - go for a wooden door every time. Whilst UPVC looks nice (when new), is fairly low maintenance, and is good at keeping out draughts - it's hopeless at keeping out the thieves.

 

[JohnD]

why would anyone want a plastic door, when a superior wooden one costs less?

 

[^woody^]

Plastic door sets have that poxy high cill threshold which you trip over and attracts dirt an all sorts.
And the massive wide frames, and then the wide stiles and stupid rubber seal around the infill panels. Stupid mechanisms, can expand easily to catch the frame, and get damaged just by looking at them, and look artificial.

Apart from that they are OK

 

[atkinson1980]

If you dont mind doing a bit of varnishing every couple of years then go for a wooden one, they do look better. For a maintenence free option then a PVC door would be better.

 

[JohnD]

if you actually like the look of plastic doors you could get a hardwood one fitted and paint it satin white.

 

[scottster]

For security - go for a wooden door every time. Whilst UPVC looks nice (when new), is fairly low maintenance, and is good at keeping out draughts - it's hopeless at keeping out the thieves.

Had to break in through a UPVC front door once (for work). Made a right mess and only succeeded by breaking through the bottom panel. Generally have no problems breaking though wooden doors. Perhaps you could give me some tips via work email address?

 

[^woody^]

Hmmm, here a clue.

The weakest point of a plastic door is the euro lock. Lock picking aside, the quickest (10 seconds) and least damage (one euro cylinder) method involves a hammer and 2" bolster chisel

 

[The-brickie]

That sums it up, tho to be fair the powers that be in fenestration have developed a sheild to protect the cylinder.

For me wooden door all day long BUT not a cheap one (from one of the sheds) that will warp, shrink, twist and bow. Put some thought in to it and get the best you can afford, mortised and tenon construction at the very least. Plastic front doors are rubbish. (And I fit them!)

Wouldn't bother with the composite doors either, IMHO they are worse.