Interior Door Cladding: A Guide to Renewing Doors with PVC Foil

Interior doors are on show in every room; scratched, faded or dated doors make even the best-kept space look tired. Interior door cladding with PVC foil is the most popular choice for door renewal because it offers the warm look of wood with easier care and at a better cost.

What is interior door cladding?

Interior door cladding means covering a door leaf, frame and architraves made from MDF with a decorative surface. PVC foil is the most common type: using membrane pressing, it wraps the face, edges and profiles of the leaf in one piece. For more detail, see: What is PVC foil?

Advantages of PVC foil doors

• A wide choice of patterns: There is an option for every style, from wood patterns such as walnut and oak to white, anthracite and stone-look solid colours.
• Easy cleaning: The non-porous surface is cleaned with a damp cloth and never needs polishing or painting.
• Consistent look: Because every door is produced in the same pattern and tone, you get a consistent look throughout the home.
• Good value: It is far more economical than solid wood doors while offering a similar warmth.

Plan the leaf, frame and architrave together

Replacing only the leaf and keeping the old frame often leaves a difference in colour and texture. The cleanest result comes from producing the leaf, frame and architraves in the same pattern. If the frame is swollen by moisture or damaged, renewing it is also necessary for the door to close properly.

Do not confuse it with self-adhesive film

There are also decorative films that are stuck onto the door on site. They can offer a short-term fix, but they may lift at edges and corners over time and wear quickly around the handle. The PVC foil used in membrane pressing, by contrast, is applied in a workshop with heat, pressure and a special adhesive; because it wraps the edges seamlessly, it is far more durable.

If you are curious how it is done, read our article on membrane pressing.

How to choose a door pattern

• Harmony with the floor: Rather than trying to match the parquet exactly, choosing a tone lighter or darker looks more balanced.
• The light in the space: In corridors with little light, light oak or white tones create a sense of space; in large, bright living rooms, dark walnut makes a strong impression.
• Unity with furniture: Choosing the same pattern for doors and built-in wardrobes gives the home a calm, orderly look.

Explore wood-pattern door foils

Frequently asked questions

Can a PVC foil door be used in a bathroom?

Yes; the foil surface is water-resistant. Even so, keeping the bottom edge of the door from getting wet repeatedly and ventilating the bathroom well will extend the door’s life.

Can a scratched door surface be repaired?

Small scratches can be hidden with colour touch-up pens. For deeper damage, the lasting solution is to re-wrap the leaf in the same pattern.

For door pattern samples and any questions, contact us.