PVC vs aluminium roller shutters: technical comparison 2026

The choice between PVC and aluminium roller shutters seems marginal compared with the window itself. It isn’t. A poorly chosen shutter loses more heat than a single-glazed window, lets draughts through, gives way at the first break-in attempt, or warps after five summers on a south-facing wall. This post is a technical comparison of the materials: weight, thermal and acoustic insulation, strength, anti-burglary security, the shutter box as the weak point of the building envelope, slat profiles and thicknesses, and matching to the window.

Motorisation is a separate subject — if that interests you, there is a dedicated post on motors and home automation for shutters and blinds. Here the focus is entirely on the material.

---

The three materials on the market

PVC

PVC slats have been the most widespread solution in Italian residential building for the last thirty years. PVC is light (average slat weight for an 8-11 mm profile: 1.5-2.5 kg/m²), affordable, does not rust, and insulates naturally thanks to the hollow structure of the slats.

Real limitations: PVC expands with heat — on south-facing exposures with dark colours, a PVC shutter works far harder than an aluminium one and can lose its shape over time. Lower-quality slats tend to yellow. Burglary resistance is low: a standard 9 mm PVC slat can be cut with a kitchen knife in under thirty seconds.

Standard aluminium (hot-extruded, non-insulated)

Extruded aluminium is the second most common material. Stiffer, heavier slats (2.5-4.5 kg/m² at equal thickness), no heat deformation, and mechanical strength far superior to PVC.

Real limitations: aluminium conducts heat. A solid aluminium shutter lowered in winter creates a plane of heat loss between inside and outside, worse than PVC for the same slat geometry. In climate zone E or F, paired with a window with a Uw of 1.1-1.3 W/m²K, it can cancel out part of the gain from low-emissivity glass.

Insulated aluminium (polyurethane-filled)

The premium version: the aluminium slats are filled with hot-injected polyurethane foam. The result is a slat as rigid as aluminium, mechanically robust, but with thermal insulation comparable to PVC and, at some thicknesses, superior to it.

Insulated 14 mm slats: up to Rw≈25 dB (the sound-insulation value of the shutter alone), equivalent thermal conductivity λeff 0.15-0.25 W/mK versus 160 W/mK for bare aluminium. Weight: 4-6 kg/m², which needs to be handled by the motor (20-30 Nm versus 10 Nm for PVC).

---

Comparison table

Feature	Standard PVC	Standard aluminium	Insulated aluminium
Weight (kg/m²)	1.5-2.5	2.5-4.5	4.0-6.0
Thermal insulation	good	poor	good-excellent
Acoustic insulation (14 mm slat)	Rw ~18-20 dB	Rw ~15-18 dB	Rw ~22-26 dB
Resistance to thermal deformation	medium	high	high
Mechanical/anti-burglary strength	low	medium	high
Salt-air resistance	good	good (anodised)	good (anodised)
Estimated durability	20-30 years	30-40 years	30-40 years
Indicative finished price (€/m²)*	45-70	65-95	95-150

*Average prices for north-east Italy, 2026, installation included, excluding shutter box and motorisation. Variables: size, shutter box type, local labour costs.

---

The shutter box: the critical point no quote ever shows

The shutter box is the housing that contains the roller drum when the shutter is raised. In most buildings constructed up to the 2000s it is an uninsulated cavity, open to the wall or to the outside, and exposed to cold air in winter.

Why it is critical: even with a perfectly insulated shutter, if the box itself is not insulated you have a thermal bridge that bypasses the entire performance of the window. Heat flow doesn’t pass through the glass (already insulated) but through the shutter-box cavity, which in some cases alone accounts for 0.3-0.5 W/m²K of equivalent transmittance for the window-plus-shutter assembly.

The subject is covered in detail in the post on thermal insulation and climate zones, but the practical point is this: if you are replacing your shutters, the box needs to be assessed as part of the same job. The options are:

• Box insulated from the inside (an internal lining of the box in polystyrene or foam): €30-60 per window, done in an hour.
• Box insulated during the works (new prefabricated boxes with an integrated insulating panel): higher cost but a definitive solution.
• Removable external box under an external insulation system: if a façade renovation is underway, it is insulated from the outside together with the render/cladding system.

An uninsulated shutter box wipes out any advantage gained by moving from solid aluminium to insulated aluminium.

---

Slats, thicknesses and geometry

Not all “14 mm slats” are equal. The nominal thickness is the vertical dimension of the slat once rolled up; the wall thickness of the profile is a different matter.

For PVC:

• 9 mm slats (light, affordable): wall thickness 1.2-1.5 mm, poor mechanical inertia
• 12 mm slats: wall thickness 1.5-2.0 mm, good balance
• 14 mm slats (rare in PVC): wall thickness 2.0 mm, good strength

For insulated aluminium:

• 10-11 mm slats: entry-level insulated tier
• 14 mm slats: standard for applications with serious thermal/acoustic requirements
• 18-22 mm slats: used in security shutters

The coupling geometry between one slat and the one below (a “hook” profile versus a “labyrinth” profile) affects resistance to vertical forcing and air-tightness. Labyrinth profiles leave no room to insert a crowbar between two adjacent slats.

---

Security and reinforced shutters

“Reinforced” or “security” shutters are a specific category, not an upgraded version of a standard shutter. The distinguishing features:

• Reinforced insulated aluminium slats, 18-22 mm (double-chamber profile)
• Steel lamellae inserted into the slat or in an alternating position
• Anti-lift locking system (a ratchet or mechanical lock preventing the shutter from being raised from the outside)
• Certified resistance to EN 1627: from RC1 (defence against manual attempts without tools) to RC2 (resistant to screwdriver and crowbar attacks for up to 3 minutes)

An RC2 shutter fitted to an RC2 window (with laminated glass and certified hardware) is a serious obstacle. Italian national statistics (ISTAT, 2024) on break-ins show that 62% of burglaries take place through ground-floor openings in under 3 minutes: stopping a burglar for 3+ minutes significantly reduces the likelihood of success.

For a fuller comparison, see the complete guide to PVC windows, which also covers the criteria for assessing certified anti-burglary windows as part of the overall assembly.

Cost of installed RC2 security shutters: €180-280/m² versus €45-95/m² for a standard shutter.

---

Wind and salt-air resistance

Wind: shutters have a wind resistance rating expressed in Pa (differential pressure). A standard shutter withstands 400-600 Pa; reinforced versions reach 1,000-1,200 Pa. In areas with strong winds (coasts, mountains, exposed Po Valley plains), it is worth checking this figure on the technical datasheet. Thin PVC gives way before aluminium does.

Salt air: anodised aluminium (20 or 25 micron class) and powder-coated Qualicoat aluminium hold up very well against salt air for decades. PVC is inherently non-corrodible, but the metal side guides (in steel or low-quality aluminium) can rust. For homes within 500 m of the sea: anodised aluminium with aluminium guides, never unprotected steel.

---

Matching to the window

The shutter is part of the window assembly: slats, box, guide seals, hardware. A poorly matched pairing between window quality and shutter quality is a waste.

As a rough guide:

• Entry-level PVC window (Uw 1.6-1.8 W/m²K): a standard PVC shutter is fine, the bottleneck is already the glass.
• Mid-range PVC window (Uw 1.1-1.4 W/m²K): a 14 mm insulated aluminium shutter, so as not to waste the benefit of an insulated box.
• Top-tier PVC or thermal-break aluminium window (Uw 0.9-1.1 W/m²K): insulated shutter mandatory + insulated box. Possible integrated insect screen in the same box, space permitting.
• Class A or NZEB building: prefabricated insulated box + 14 mm slats + thermal-bridge verification with a proper heat-loss calculation.

A good adviser for choosing the right windows assesses the whole assembly, not just the frame profile.

---

Indicative 2026 prices

All prices below refer to supply-and-installation, VAT included, for a standard 120×140 cm window (1.68 m²), north-east Italy market, carried out by third-party installers: these are not LMT rates — LMT supplies the product only, and in Italy does not carry out installation.

Shutter type	Finished price (120×140 window)	Notes
PVC, 9 mm slat, manual	€120-160	Entry-level, no insulation
PVC, 12 mm slat, manual	€150-210	Market standard
Extruded aluminium 10 mm, manual	€180-250	No insulation
Insulated aluminium 14 mm, manual	€250-360	Standard for mid-range renovations
Insulated aluminium 14 mm + 20 Nm motor	€450-600	Motorised, home-automation hub excluded
RC2 security shutter, 18 mm aluminium	€350-520	Includes anti-lift system
Prefabricated insulated box (extra)	€80-160	In addition to the shutter

Significant deviations from these figures (e.g. a motorised insulated shutter at €200) usually indicate uncertified components or undeclared labour.

---

When NOT to choose insulated aluminium

Insulated aluminium is by far the best technical solution, but it doesn’t always make sense:

• A small box that can’t accommodate it: 14-18 mm slats roll up into a larger coil; measure the box cavity before deciding.
• A building with far greater heat loss elsewhere (uninsulated walls, cold roof): the return on investment for insulated shutters is marginal.
• Limited budget with the window as priority: better to spend on triple glazing or RC2 hardware on the window than on an insulated shutter paired with standard double glazing.
• Upper floor with no external access: anti-burglary resistance matters less on upper floors that are hard to reach.

---

FAQ

Do PVC shutters last as long as aluminium ones?

Good-quality PVC lasts 20-30 years under normal conditions. Aluminium lasts longer, 30-40 years, and degrades less on hot, south-facing exposures. In areas with summer temperatures frequently above 35°C, aluminium has fewer long-term deformation issues.

Does insulated aluminium really insulate better than PVC?

For 14 mm slats, yes: the expanded polyurethane filling has a thermal conductivity (~0.04 W/mK) far lower than bare aluminium (160 W/mK) and comparable to or better than PVC (~0.16-0.20 W/mK). The real-world gain, however, depends heavily on the shutter box: without insulating the box, the advantage shrinks drastically.

Can a shutter contribute to acoustic insulation?

Yes, but with realistic expectations. A lowered insulated shutter adds 3-6 dB to the window’s sound insulation. Not much on its own, but combined with asymmetric laminated glass (e.g. 44.2) and perimeter seals, it can bring the whole assembly to worthwhile levels for anyone sleeping on a busy street.

Is it better to motorise at the time of replacement or do it later?

Motorising at the time of replacement is always more cost-effective: cable routing is far easier while the box is open, the motor can be chosen with the correct Nm for the slat type selected, and labour costs are spread across the whole job. Leaving it for later means opening the box again and re-running the cables. For more detail on motorisation, see the dedicated post.

Do security shutters need RC2 certification?

It isn’t a legal requirement for residential buildings, except where specific insurance policy conditions apply. EN 1627 RC2 certification guarantees that the product has been laboratory-tested. Without a certificate, declared performance figures cannot be verified objectively — a risk that applies to many low-end products.

Can I combine security roller shutters with shutters?

Yes, some configurations fit both: external shutters (for blackout and solar shading) and a security roller shutter on the internal box. This is a solution used mainly in villas with high security requirements, where the shutter handles appearance and comfort while the reinforced roller shutter provides the anti-burglary barrier.

---

The comparison between materials is only the first step: the box dimensions, the existing window, the climate zone and the overall budget determine which solution makes sense in your specific case. Request a quote and we’ll assess the whole assembly — shutter, box and window — in a single site visit.