The Advantages and Disadvantages of Wooden Doors

Wooden doors have been consistently popular with property owners in the UK. Many people want a front door that is attractive and unique, as it’s one of the first elements of your home that people will see. Using wood is an easy way to achieve this.

Wooden doors have lots of benefits, but they’re not suitable for every homeowner and their property. To help you decide if you should fit one in your property, we’ve made a list of their advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages

Long-lasting

One advantage to wooden doors is that they can last a really long time, often longer than composite doors and certainly longer than uPVC doors. Provided it’s well cared for, a wooden door could last 100 years or more.

Attractive

Whether you find a door attractive obviously depends on your taste. But lots of people agree that wood is one of the most attractive materials you can use. Wooden doors look good on modern properties and even better on older buildings, and can often be well worth the investment.

Easy to customise

Another great benefit to wooden doors is that they’re easy to customise. There are several different types of wood to choice from, including pine, cedar and oak. You can paint or stain them the colour of your choice, and redo this whenever you like if you change your mind. You can also fit wooden doors with a range of different styles of letter box, knockers and numbers. Wooden doors can be made to measure, so if you’ve got an irregular-shaped doorway it’s not a problem.

Environmentally-friendly

Property owners also choose to buy wooden doors because they are environmentally-friendly. They can be recycled and, as they’re made of a natural material, they biodegrade easily.

Wooden doors are also relatively environmentally-friendly as they have good thermal efficiency. This will help to keep your home cosy and avoid using excessive amounts of energy to heat your home.

Disadvantages

High maintenance

The main downside to wooden doors is that they’re high maintenance. If you paint or varnish them this will need re-applying every so often as it will eventually fade or peel off. You’ll also need to seal and reseal your wooden door to prevent it from cracking, absorbing water and rotting. A swollen or rotten door may not fit in your door frame and could compromise your home security.

So wooden doors have multiple benefits that can make one a great addition to your home. But if you don’t like the idea of having something high maintenance, then take a look at our information on uPVC and composite doors.

Price

From around £200

Not including installation

Installation time

1 day or less


Advantages and disadvantages
  • Long-lasting
  • Attractive
  • Easy to customise
  • Environmentally-friendly
  • High maintenance