UPVC Patio Doors
UPVC Patio Doors Designs
What are the options for upvc patio doors & how much do they cost?
UPVC patio doors are a well-liked and frequently fitted home improvement in many properties around the UK. Bringing an abundance of natural light to a room, and offering total ease of access to the outside, there are a number of different options from which to choose.
With so many designs to choose from, we think it will be really helpful to take a look at the key features and costs of the main contenders.
So, let’s start with a quick summary of the most popular types of uPVC patio doors and what you can expect the average prices to be.
Then we will go into more detail about why UPVC is such a great material to use for your patio door and examine each design in greater detail later in the article.
Options for upvc patio doors & how much do they cost?
Door Type | Size Range | Price Range |
---|---|---|
Sliding Door | 2000mm to 4200mm | From £700 to £1500 |
Bifold Door | 2000mm to 4500mm | From £2600 to £4500 |
French Door | 900mm to 2000mm | From £700 to £950 |
As you can see, there is some variation in the prices for uPVC patio doors depending on the style that you prefer, with Bifold designs being the more expensive.
Why is UPVC such a great material to use for your patio door?
If you think about what are (typically) the most important factors to someone wanting to install a set of new patio doors, you could probably come up with a shortlist something like this one:
- How much will they cost?
- Do they look good?
- Are they secure?
- Will they last a long time?
- What about energy efficiency?
So let’s see how UPVC patio doors compare to the shortlisted key features.
1UPVC Patio Doors Prices
Compared to the alternatives, such as doors made from aluminium or hardwood, uPVC patio doors consistently have lower average prices when doing a “like-for-like” comparison.
So, in this area UPVC is a great material to use.
2UPVC Patio Doors visual appeal
Firstly, you can find any type of patio door style in Upvc, French, Sliding, Tilting, Folding, you name it, there is a UPVC version – so you have maximum freedom of design choice.
Secondly, you can personalise the material by use of different colours and finishes. It’s possible to find up to 20 different “foiled) colours and if you have RAL coatings, that number can be as high as 100.
So, in this area UPVC is a great material to use.
3UPVC Patio Door Security
If we look at forced entry prevention, there are quite a few features built-in to make it a difficult as possible for an unwanted visitor to gain access to your home.
UPVC frames are chambered and contain galvanised steel reinforcing for extra strength.
Modern installations have anti-lifting tracks so that the doors cannot be levered out of the frame when closed. With multi-point locking, there are hooks and claws that engage between the door and frame to ensure, once locked, the doors stay firmly shut.
A standard full length glazed UPVC patio door will also have toughened double glazed safety glass which is very difficult to break – you could also fit the option of laminated glass to go one step further.
4UPVC Patio Door Lifespan
As a rigid polymer or vinyl, UPVC is an exceedingly durable material that can take all the bumps and hard knocks that you could expect an entrance door to suffer with ease.
It is also, for all intents and purposes inert, in that it hardly reacts to anything. No excess expansion or contraction due to heat, cold, damp or dryness, and most airborne pollutants have no discernible adverse effect on it (try using aluminium or timber for a house on the coast that is subject to a high salt environment).
With just minor maintenance you can expect decades of trouble free service. So, once again, in this area UPVC is a great material to use.
5UPVC Patio Door Energy Efficiency
To be fair, all modern replacement windows & doors are built with energy efficiency in mind, but UPVC does have one or 2 unique aspects.
The first is the chambering of the frame profiles. This is a kind of honeycomb effect within the profiles which reduces heat transfer and also adds a little extra structural strength.
The second is that UPVC itself is a very poor conductor of heat or cold, so its natural state is that of an insulating material.
These 2 factors combined with the use of high quality double glazing make them some of the most energy efficient types of patio door.
In summary
- How much will they cost? – they are some of the cheapest patio doors.
- Do they look good? – with around 20 colour options and wood-grain effect finishes, they look great.
- Are they secure? – multi-point locks, anti-lift tracks and toughened glass keep you safe.
- Will they last a long time? – you can expect decades of service from UPVC.
- What about energy efficiency? – combining natural insulating properties, chambered frames and double glazed units keeps them highly energy efficient.
That is why UPVC is such a great material to use for your new or replacement patio door.
