Materials Decision Guide

Hardwood and Polycomposite both have a premium painted finish. On Plan & Save they are the same price; on Express, Hardwood is priced higher than Polycomposite.

The real difference is construction. Hardwood is real basswood. Polycomposite is a waterproof reinforced composite with better thermal and noise insulation. That makes Polycomposite the more practical premium product in many homes.

Hardwood remains useful when the customer specifically wants real timber character in a dry room. It should not be treated as the default upgrade; it is simply the right answer for a different priority.

The room is humid, busy, or harder-working: bathrooms, kitchens, utility rooms, and conservatories are where waterproof Polycomposite is the clear recommendation.

You want the most practical premium product: Polycomposite has a reinforced core, wipes clean easily, and gives better thermal and noise insulation than Hardwood.

You want the longer material guarantee: Polycomposite carries a 10-year manufacturer guarantee against defects. Hardwood carries a 5-year guarantee.

If the room is cold, exposed, noisy, or heavily used, Polycomposite is normally the better recommendation. The reinforced core gives better thermal and noise insulation than Hardwood while keeping the same premium painted finish.

This is especially useful on bay windows, street-facing bedrooms, conservatories, and family rooms where the shutters are doing more than dressing the window. They are helping the room feel calmer, more private, and easier to live with.

Real timber character is the priority. Hardwood is still a good product in dry rooms when the feel of basswood matters more than waterproofing, reinforcement, or insulation.

The room is a dry living room, bedroom, study, or formal reception space. In wet or condensation-prone rooms, Polycomposite is the right material.

You prefer the idea of real basswood. The finish quality is comparable with Polycomposite; the difference is the core material, Express price, and performance in harder-working rooms.

A typical four-bedroom installation might use Polycomposite in the family bathroom, en-suites, kitchen, and conservatory, then Hardwood in selected dry rooms where real timber character is part of the brief.

If you are unsure, bring physical samples of both to the room they would go in. We bring samples to every survey so the decision happens in your actual light rather than in a brochure.