PVC, WPC and uPVC - what the difference actually is
Three names get used for the same shelf, and they are not the same material. Here is what each one is, and which one your furniture would be made of.
We build in PVC - solid and hollow. Not WPC.
People search all three words for the same thing, so it is worth being exact rather than agreeable.
PVC board - what we use
Rigid plastic, in two forms: hollow, with a honeycomb core, and solid, with none. We keep both. Neither has wood in it in any amount. Kaka, DecorPlast and Realplast board, with a PVC laminate face.
uPVC - the same thing, said differently
uPVC means unplasticised PVC: rigid PVC rather than the soft kind. That is the material our board and profiles are. If you searched for uPVC furniture, this is it.
WPC - wood plastic composite
Wood flour mixed into a polymer and pressed. It is a real material and a good one, but the name says what is in it: there is wood in WPC.
Where each one wins
Water - PVC
A PVC sheet cannot swell, because there is nothing in it to swell. WPC is far better than plywood here, but the wood content still takes on some moisture over years in a wet spot.
Termites - PVC
Same reason. Nothing in a PVC sheet is food. WPC is heavily resistant, not inert.
Stiffness and screw grip - WPC
This is the honest one. WPC is denser and holds a screw harder, so it is the better board for a door shutter or a long unsupported span. We design around it in PVC with ribs and supports, but the raw board is not as stiff.
Weight - PVC
Much lighter. It matters for a tall wardrobe shutter and a loft unit, and it is why fitting is faster.
Outdoors - WPC
For decking, a gate or anything in direct sun and rain, WPC and solid uPVC profile are made for it. We do not fit outdoor work in PVC foam board.
Cost - PVC
For indoor furniture, PVC gets you the same waterproof, termite proof result for less money per square foot.
If what you want is a main door or outdoor decking, WPC is the right material and we will say so rather than sell you ours. For kitchen, wardrobe, TV unit and the rest of the inside of a house, PVC is what we build in and what the 2 year warranty covers. The exact brands we use.
We keep both, and they are graded differently
Neither has wood in it. The difference is what is inside the sheet - and, more usefully, how you check that you are being given the grade you paid for.
Hollow PVC - graded by sheet weight
A honeycomb of ribs and chambers inside. It is sold by what one sheet weighs, from about 5 kg up to 11 kg. Heavier means more material in the same sheet, and that is the whole of the quality difference.
Solid PVC - graded by density
No chambers, solid all the way through. Sold by density, from 45 up to 70. Higher is denser, stiffer and holds a screw harder.
The same laminate goes on both
The finish you see and touch is PVC laminate either way, so two units can look identical and be built from very different boards. That is exactly why the grade is worth asking about.
What low density actually does
This is the one to watch. A low density solid sheet bends under load, and the screws work their way out of it. The furniture looks right on handover and starts sagging and loosening months later.
Two questions that protect you, with anybody. For hollow, ask what the sheet weighs. For solid, ask what the density is. A supplier who knows will answer in one word; a quote that will not name a number is a quote you cannot compare with any other. We put the grade in writing on the estimate for the same reason.
PVC farnichar - amdavad ma
Many people type it this way, so plainly: we make PVC farnichar in Ahmedabad - kitchen, wardrobe, TV unit, mandir - from Rs 600 per square foot for framing and Rs 1,000 for box work, fitted at your home, with a 2 year warranty in writing.
અમે PVC ફર્નિચર બનાવીએ છીએ - રસોડું, કબાટ, ટીવી યુનિટ અને મંદિર. કામ તમારા ઘરે જ થાય છે.
What people ask us
Is WPC better than PVC for furniture?
For a main door, outdoor decking or a long unsupported shelf, yes - WPC is denser and holds a screw harder. For indoor furniture it is the other way round: PVC has no wood in it at all, so nothing can swell and nothing can be eaten, and it costs less per square foot. We build indoor furniture in PVC.
Is uPVC furniture the same as PVC furniture?
Effectively yes. uPVC means unplasticised PVC - the rigid kind, as opposed to the soft kind used in pipes and cables. The board and profiles we build with are rigid PVC, so a search for uPVC furniture lands in the right place.
Do you make WPC furniture in Ahmedabad?
No. We work in PVC board and uPVC profile, and we would rather say that than take a WPC order and fit something else. If WPC is specifically what the job needs - a main door, for instance - we will tell you during the free visit.
Does WPC have wood in it?
Yes. WPC is wood plastic composite - wood flour mixed into a polymer. That is what makes it dense and stiff. PVC foam board has no organic content at all, which is the whole reason it cannot be attacked by termites or swollen by water.
What is the difference between solid PVC and hollow PVC?
Hollow PVC has a honeycomb of ribs and chambers inside and is graded by what one sheet weighs, roughly 5 kg to 11 kg. Solid PVC has no chambers and is graded by density, from 45 to 70. Neither contains any wood. We keep both and pick per piece, because a shutter and a long shelf do not want the same board.
Is solid PVC better than hollow PVC?
Not automatically - the grade matters more than the type. A good hollow sheet beats a low density solid one, and a low density solid sheet is the one real trap here: it bends under load and the screws work out of it over months. Ask what the sheet weighs for hollow, or what the density is for solid, and you can compare two quotes properly.
What density of solid PVC should I ask for?
Solid board runs from 45 to 70 density. Higher is denser, stiffer and grips a screw harder, and it costs more. What matters is that the number is named in your estimate rather than left vague, so that what arrives is what was quoted.
Nikol, Nava Naroda, Ahmedabad
Mahavir Complex, Hari Villa Road
near Honda Showroom, Bapa Sitaram Chowk
Nikol, Nava Naroda, Ahmedabad
Gujarat 382345
Ravi Vasoya