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A popular alternative to wood, vinyl fences are low-maintenance and durable alternatives to wooden fences. Easy to clean, long lasting, and attractive, vinyl fencing is a great option for almost everybody. Here’s everything you need to know about vinyl fences.

What is Vinyl Fencing Made out of?

Vinyl fences are plastic, made specifically with polyvinyl chloride (PVC). This material is combined with special ingredients that make it strong, durable, and resistant to various types of weather and ultraviolet rays. Vinyl fencing is usually made in two different ways: mono-extrusion and co-extrusion. The first process uses PVC that is injected with UV inhibitors. The second process includes two layers of PVC, the first one being the UV coverage layer and the inner layer serving as impact resistance.

We partner with CertainTeed for their BuffTech vinyl fences because they’re built with high-quality materials and offer incredible warranties for customers.

Vinyl Fences vs Wooden fences

• Maintenance: CertainTeed’s vinyl fences may need to be hosed off to rinse off chalk build-up which happens naturally to pigmented surfaces that are exposed to the elements. A simple garden hose does the trick. On the other hand, maintenance duties for anything wooden in the outdoors is a huge responsibility, especially in Portland’s wet climate. Consistent moisture can destroy wood by allowing it to decay over time and warp or split.
• Durability: Our vinyl fences are fitted with a reinforced steel rail that runs along the bottom rail. This means that they are far stronger than traditional wood fencing. In addition, our vinyl fences are about 4 times more flexible than wood, which is crucial for high wind conditions.
• Hazards: Wooden fences, especially ones that are not properly maintained, are a hotbed of potential hazards. From toxic weathering chemicals to splintering and exposed nails, wooden fences can pose a serious threat to small children and pets. On the other hand, vinyl fences have no dangerous chemicals or exposed sharp points.

More Advantages to Vinyl Fencing

There’s a host of customization options at your fingertips with vinyl fences. With more than 15 colors and textures to choose from, you can rest easy that your vinyl fence will match seamlessly with the rest of your yard and home. Here’s a quick rundown of some of CertainTeed’s customization options:

Vinyl fence styles

• Privacy: Want passersby to have zero visibility of your yard? Privacy fences offer peace of mind with enclosed styles that can be as tall as 8 feet high (local fence height regulations may vary).
• Semi-Private: These styles come with a thru-picket “good neighbor” design.
• Contemporary: Modern design with top rail reinforcement
• Classic: Sophisticated look with nod to the past
• Traditional: Timeless picket designs that instantly say “American Dream”
• Post & Rail: Built for containing livestock safely

In addition, there’s an even larger selection of vinyl fence trims to further separate your fence from the rest.

Fence trims for vinyl 

• Victorian accent
• Lattice accent
• Huntington accent
• Concave/convex
• Imperial
• Columbia
• Canterbury
• Manchester
• Yorkshire
• And much more

How to Clean Your Vinyl Fence

Cleaning a Vinyl Fence is pretty straight forward. You should start by washing off loose debris with a garden hose and a soft brush. This will reveal your problem areas that you may need to give more attention to. A household cleaner like Simple Green will work fine with a brush. Apply the cleaning solution and let it sit in for a couple of minutes. Scrub with a soft brush as needed and wipe clean with a cloth.

For more stubborn stains you can use a small amount of bleach water and a brush. When using bleach keep in mind that it is a good idea to test it on a portion of your fence that is not visible to make sure it will not remove the natural fence color. It is also a good idea to make sure you are not harming any vegetation beneath the fence.

Finally, for those really tough spots like tar or paint you can remove them by chipping at it with a plastic tool. With vinyl it is a good idea to keep hard metal away from the fence as it can cause damage and instead use soft scraper that will not mar the material or leave marks.

To keep your fence in top notch condition try to clean it at least once a year, preferably in the spring. This will help extend the life of it as well as help keep that nice and clean look you want. Always test your cleaning solution on a part of the fence that is not clearly visible to make sure it will not damage the material and if you are unsure about something be sure to consult a professional.

Vinyl Fence Installation in Portland, Oregon

Pacific Fence & Wire provides excellent fence installation for both residential and commercial customers. Call us today and speak to one of our fencing professionals about your next project.