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Residential landscape fencing has traditionally been made of natural wood. Wood fencing is a pretty easy material for DIYers to handle because it is straightforward to cut and install, easily accessible, and fairly economical.
It can be fitted to just about any landscape style and is a relatively easy material to work with. For many years, most homeowners have preferred wood because of its aesthetic beauty.
PVC (polyvinyl chloride) plastic has become more popular in the landscaping markets in recent years. PVC is a petroleum-based substance with a wide range of purposes, including landscape-fencing materials.
PVC is a plastic that is extensively utilized in fencing materials. It is made from the same plastic that is used in white plastic plumbing pipes. PVC fencing components, as well as preassembled panels in a limited variety of colors, are now available at some home centers.
PVC fences used to be simple white plastic panels with glossy surfaces, which didn’t look particularly natural, but now they come in a variety of colors, including brown wood tones. PVC fencing may now be textured to seem like wood.
PVC may now be used to build almost any type of fencing. Ranch-style rails, and tall solid-panel privacy fences are all options.
A side-by-side comparison of PVC and traditional wood can help you decide if PVC is the best fence material for you. Read more here to learn about most popular types of lumber for wood fences.
Landscape fences are a perfect example of how aesthetics is in the eye of the beholder. The warm colors of real wood are more appealing to most people than PVC plastic fence.
Wood is a versatile material that may be left to weather naturally or stained or painted in whatever color you like. A wood fence can be specially designed to match your landscape, and it is easily adaptable to uneven work sites.
Vinyl, on the other hand, looks best when it attempts to replicate the appearance of a typical white-painted fence, but even still, the artificial appearance is difficult to overcome. Older vinyl fences, as well as low-cost new products, have a glossy surface that appears unnatural.
The glossiness of PVC fences may fade over time, leaving a chalky coating that dulls the appearance of the fence. Because PVC fence panels in bulk have a limited variety of alternatives, you may be disappointed to discover that your fence looks just like dozens of others in your neighborhood. When using mass-produced PVC panels, achieving a unique look might be difficult.
A wood-composite fence is an alternative if you want a better-looking fence with some of the benefits of vinyl. These fence products are extremely durable and reliable, as they are made from the same blend of wood fibers and plastic resins as synthetic decking.
Wood-composite fencing, on the other hand, is expensive; prepare to pay at least twice more than you would for a PVC or wood fence.
PVC, unlike wood, does not need to be coated. White PVC fencing, with the exception of dirt and moss, will remain white year after year.
This can, of course, be a disadvantage: once you’ve placed your PVC fence, you’re stuck with its appearance and color for the rest of its service life. If you want to change the look of your PVC, you can’t just paint it a different color like you can with wood.
Manufacturers are continuously removing several of PVC’s drawbacks by adding more colors and textures to their products. Add-ons like lattice and shaped post caps make PVC fences a bit more aesthetically pleasing than they once were.
PVC fence is expected to improve in design in the same way that synthetic decking material has become a more premium option over time.
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When a professional fence contractor installs a wood or vinyl fence, it usually looks much nicer. Digging post holes and placing posts for any sort of fence is a challenging job.
Fence posts should commonly be buried to at least one-third of their length, even deeper in some cold environments. Following that, the posts must be concreted. When you multiply this task by 20 fence posts, it’s easy to see why so many homeowners hire a fencing contractor.
Vinyl fencing, on the other hand, is a little better to handle than wood fencing because the posts and panels are significantly lighter than wood posts and panels. Many PVC fence systems are designed to be simple to install, with notched posts for rails and matching panel brackets.
As with any large project, working slowly and in discrete stages will make the work easier. You don’t want to rush this because it will be harder to maintain, and your posts may end up in less desirable places.
Keep in mind that both wood and vinyl fencing typically require local building permits in Everett. When it comes to installation standards, most cities treat vinyl and wood fences similarly.
Vinyl fence panels used to be significantly more expensive than wood fence panels for DIY project, but as vinyl fencing panels have become more easily accessible, the price gap has decreased significantly.
The preassembled fencing panel kits at major big-box home improvement centers as of 2018 range in price from:
One noted advantage of PVC fencing is that it does not rot and does not require sealing, staining, or painting. Vinyl fence is low-maintenance, which is why many ranchers and farmers use them for large-scale installations. When you have a lot of fencing to maintain, simplicity takes priority above appearance and other factors.
For several seasons, properly sealed wood will resist rot, but it will need to be re-sealed at some point. Some fence woods, such as cedar, have a natural excess oil that makes them more resistant to rot than others. Regardless of whether you seal or paint, all woods benefit from some form of surface treatment. Vinyl fences are the way to choose if the only thing you care about is preventing fence rot.
Keep in mind that vinyl fences get dirty easily. Many homeowners consider this to be the absolute worst aspect of a vinyl fence. The majority of vinyl fence owners agree that having a pressure washer is critical.
Vinyl fences should be power washed at least once a year to remove dirt, fungus, mildew, and moss that collect on the lower portion due to rain. Wood fences get dirty, too, but the textures and hues of wood hide dirt considerably better than the gleaming white surfaces of PVC fencing.
Also keep in mind that when problems emerge with vinyl fences, restoration usually involves replacing complete panels rather than repairing individual sections. If your fence is built of wood, it will be easier to repair any cracks that occur. Wood filler can be used to repair a wood fence, and it can be a DIY project.
In recent years, PVC plastic fence has advanced, with more colors and even textured surfaces becoming available in Everett. Furthermore, the cost difference between PVC and real wood has narrowed, with prices currently being equivalent.
Despite the fact that PVC is extremely durable and resistant to decay, it still needs to be cleaned on a regular basis. Even the finest PVC fencing will eventually fall short of the beauty of natural wood or wood-composite fencing. When you want a long-lasting fence that won’t decay or require painting or staining, PVC is a fantastic solution. Read our guide to estimate how much it costs to install a wood fence in Everett.
