An Introductory Guide to Vinyl Fencing

Once you’ve decided you need to replace your fence or install one for the first time, there are many materials from which to choose. It can be a challenging decision to make, especially if you don’t understand each material’s benefits. Vinyl fencing is popular among homeowners, businesses, or neighborhood HOAs as it provides the traditional look of wood fencing without the continued hassle of maintenance and repair.

With many different ways to customize this material to fit your needs, we are here to help answer your questions by providing an introductory guide to vinyl fencing.

What are the Advantages of Vinyl Fencing?

The downsides of some fences are solved with a vinyl fence, making it a very popular option. For example, vinyl doesn’t need to be stained or painted, and this material will never rot or rust. On top of this, a vinyl fence won’t warp or twist as is common with wood fences.

Additionally, this high-quality and reliable fence looks the same on both sides, meaning your neighbor won’t be the only one to get the better-looking view. Vinyl will provide an attractive look from outside and inside your property.

Vinyl fences also offer a variety of styles that are not achievable from other materials like wood. Since they don’t require strong chemicals to maintain their appearance, they are safe for pets and children. In general, vinyl fencing is a great option for your fencing needs.

What Styles Can You Get for Vinyl Fencing?

With more styles to choose from than any other type on the market, picking a vinyl fence can sometimes be overwhelming because of the many options available. The styles can be put into four main categories: vinyl picket fence, vinyl post and rail fence, vinyl semi-private fence, and vinyl privacy fence.

We’ll take a look at two of our favorite options, privacy and picket vinyl fencing.

Vinyl Privacy Fence

If you have issues with nosy neighbors or simply want more privacy around your property, you can get all the benefits of vinyl while also benefiting from a typical privacy fence style. With panels that look the same on both sides and require little to no maintenance, this style is the best of both worlds.

You can choose the perfect height for your property, with most starting at 5′ tall and some even going up to 8′ tall. Through interlocking tongue and groove joints, vinyl privacy pickets won’t have any separation meaning complete privacy for your property. This interlocking also provides a much stronger material to hold up against harsh weather conditions like high winds.

If your backyard has a swimming pool, vinyl privacy fences are a great option so that you can enjoy swimming without worrying about any neighbors seeing from their side. This style is also popular for hiding dumpsters to maintain a neat, attractive business or complex.

If privacy is your main concern, a vinyl privacy fence will be the perfect solution for your needs.

Vinyl Picket Fence

If you like the look of a wood picket fence but want the benefits of vinyl, installing a vinyl fence constructed in the traditional picket style is the perfect solution. Traditional picket is fastened to one side of the rail, meaning there will be a “good” side and a “bad” side with this construction, where the good side is the one with the pickets.

If this doesn’t appeal to you, you can choose a different construction style called routed picket fence, where the fence rails have holes routed into them, allowing the pickets to be placed through it. As a result, this fence looks the same on both sides.

This vinyl style will provide excellent security for pets and children if you need a fence with proper containment around your property.

If you love to garden and want a fence that won’t block sunlight from reaching your plants but keeps unwanted critters and animals from reaching them, a vinyl picket fence will do the job perfectly. It also has the added bonus of withstanding high moisture from constant watering, so you don’t have to worry about rot over time.

You can count on this style to dress up your property and give your home that inviting look many desire.

How Do You Maintain a Vinyl Fence?

Vinyl fencing boasts the benefit of being “maintenance free” in the sense that you will not have to paint or stain the vinyl like wood or worry about deterioration from exposure to weather conditions.

One aspect you will need to keep up with for a vinyl fence is cleaning the panels every once in a while. The frequency depends on your property and whether it will get dirty more often.

If your fence is exposed to regular moisture, you don’t have to worry about vinyl fencing wicking or holding water, meaning it will last longer. However, areas with more shade and moisture can lead to mildew or mold. While this won’t harm the fence itself, it will lead to a green color on the panels which is why cleaning is the biggest maintenance aspect of a vinyl fence.

Final Thoughts

If you feel that vinyl fencing is right for you, you may be wondering what to do next. Our expert installers here at Accurate Fence would love to help answer any additional questions you may have and help you make a plan to get your fence installed. We offer a great selection of vinyl fence styles, including privacy and picket fence vinyl.

Whether you know what material and style you want for your fence or still need help deciding, we would love to serve you—contact us today!