The short answer
Use PVC foil-finished interior door when the decorative surface is PVC foil wrapped or laminated over the specified substrate. Use melamine-faced interior door when the decorative face is a melamine-based surface applied to the stated substrate.
“Paint-free door” is not a precise international product category. It describes the absence of a site-applied or conventional painted finish, but it does not identify what the finished surface actually is. For an export catalog, name the actual surface system.
Always state surface + substrate + core + edge + frame. A finish name by itself is not a complete product.
Why the construction still matters
Two doors with similar oak imagery may use different face substrates, infill, lock reinforcement, edge details, frames and bonding processes. These variables influence weight, flatness, durability, hardware preparation, appearance and price.
PVC foil quotations should define
- Foil supplier or approved code, thickness direction, texture, gloss and grain
- Wrapping or lamination route and edge treatment
- Face substrate, leaf thickness, core and lock-block reinforcement
- Frame material, jamb width, architrave and seal
Melamine quotations should define
- Decorative face type, texture, color and grain direction
- Face substrate and pressing or bonding route
- Edge band or edge construction
- Core, reinforcement, frame and hardware preparation
Practical buyer comparison
| Question | PVC foil-finished | Melamine-faced |
|---|---|---|
| Visual route | Wrapped decorative PVC foil, including wood and solid directions | Decorative melamine face on a defined substrate |
| Edge appearance | Can support wrapped profiles; exact edge route needs approval | Often depends strongly on edge band or edge construction |
| Main risk | Foil, bonding and edge inconsistency if the baseline is vague | Face/substrate substitution or unclear surface description |
| Best comparison tool | Physical finish board plus complete sample door | Physical face board plus complete sample door |
| Typical channel | Housing, apartment, hospitality and distribution | Residential, hotel and commercial interiors |
No surface system is automatically “better” in every market. The correct choice depends on buyer expectations, price position, style, production route and the complete door construction.
RFQ checklist
- Destination country and buyer channel
- Reference image, model and finish direction
- Door or opening size and wall thickness
- Leaf thickness, expected core and weight direction
- Frame, architrave and edge requirement
- Hardware set and factory machining
- Quantity, size mix and packaging requirement
- Destination port, Incoterm and timing
Need a side-by-side quotation?
Send your reference image, target market, quantity and price level. LANDO will structure the missing questions before sourcing.