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For those who hate dealing with
the regular, routine maintenance associated with wood fencing, vinyl
fencing is a solid alternative.
There's nothing worse than having to go out and paint a fence every
few years. Up and down. Up and down. It feels like your arms will
fall off! For those who hate dealing with the regular, routine
maintenance associated with wood fencing, vinyl fencing is a solid
alternative. It has some great
advantages over wood with very few downfalls.
Vinyl fencing is a fairly new creation that was born out of all
things - the PVC pipe industry. That's right. PVC pipe is some
incredible stuff. It's not just for plumbing any more. Everything
from furniture and robots to fences are made from this stuff, and
there's a good reason for it: It's easy to
work with, it holds its appearance and it's simple to maintain.
Vinyl fencing has come a long way since it was first introduced.
Earlier models of the fencing, made from PVC, were prone to break
down after exposure in the sun. Now, specialized coating is used to
protect the material's form, shape and appearance. In fact, the
vinyl fencing made today
stands up better-than-well in the elements, but it did take some
time for manufacturers to figure out a process to make that so.
Vinyl is a bit different than wood when it comes to fencing. It has
its advantages and disadvantages.
Pros:
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Vinyl is strong. It's harder than break or tear than wood and
it's flexible, too. Considering its plastic qualities, it's also
very good at holding its shape.
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Easy maintenance. Vinyl only needs to be washed to maintain its
appearance. There's no need to paint it - ever!
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The color is the same throughout. Wood fencing can have one
color on the surface and another inside. This will make
scratches, dings, dents and especially breaks stand out more.
This isn't the case with vinyl. Vinyl
hides imperfections well.
Cons:
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Movement. Vinyl expands when it's heated. This means it can
move. If it gets extremely hot, it can take on the properties no
one wants to see in their fencing. The good news, however, is
that this only occurs in extreme
temperatures nearing the 200 degrees F range!
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Colors are limited. Because of the heating issues, vinyl fencing
can only be found in light colors. It can, of course, be made to
resemble wood, which is not a bad thing, but you won't find it
in darker, wood colors. And if you do, stay away!
Vinyl
fencing is a great way to go for homeowners or businesses that don't
want to spend a lot of time on maintenance. More expensive than wood
or chain link, the costs can be justified by the fact this fencing
doesn't need
to be painted or treated and it tends to stand up to the test of
time better. It's stronger and more durable and simply only requires
a good cleaning to look brand new again. For many the investment is
well worth the time savings vinyl presents.
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