A straight comparison of Hardwood and Polycomposite shutters, including price, finish, waterproofing, insulation, guarantees, and room suitability.
Hardwood and Polycomposite shutters are the same price and have the same premium painted finish. The real difference is not cost or quality. The difference is what you need the material to do in the room.
This article supports the shorter comparison on our shutter range page, where you can also compare guarantees, louvre sizes, styles, and lead-time options.
What is the main difference?
Hardwood shutters are made from real basswood. Polycomposite shutters use a waterproof reinforced composite construction with a premium painted finish. That construction makes Polycomposite the better practical choice for humid, busy, cold, or harder-working rooms.
Are they different prices?
No. For Shutters Design, Hardwood and Polycomposite are the same price. We do not recommend Polycomposite because it is cheaper, and we do not recommend Hardwood because it is more expensive. The recommendation is based on use, room conditions, and what the customer values.
When should you choose Polycomposite?
Bathrooms, kitchens, utility rooms, and conservatories.
Rooms where waterproofing, reinforcement, and easy wiping down matter.
Cold or noisy rooms where better thermal and noise insulation is useful.
Family rooms and high-use spaces where the shutters need to be practical.
When should you choose Hardwood?
Choose Hardwood when real timber character is the main reason for the purchase and the room is dry. Basswood has a natural material quality that some homeowners prefer, especially in period rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms, and more traditional interiors.
Which material gives better insulation?
Polycomposite gives better thermal and noise insulation than Hardwood. That does not mean Hardwood performs badly; it means Polycomposite is the stronger practical product when warmth, quiet, and stability are part of the brief. Read more in our thermal insulation shutters guide.
The short version
Choose Polycomposite for the most practical premium material: waterproof, reinforced, low maintenance, and better insulated. Choose Hardwood when the specific appeal of real basswood matters more than those practical benefits and the room is dry.
