Firstly, to answer a question we always get – Are PVC and Vinyl fences the same thing?
Yes and no.
They are used interchangeably because they are basically the same thing but PVC is a product which is used in the manufacturing of vinyl fences (more info about the manufacturing and environmental safety of PVC/Vinyl fences is in a section below.)
The look and style that a PVC/Vinyl fence can bring to a home is that of being clean and modern, almost polished and certainly fresh look which won’t warp, rot and get eaten by pets and insects.
Many people love the fact that maintenance is also easy with a little bit of TLC in the form of a hose down every now and again when you see a build up of dirt or grime.
Due to vinyl not rotting or becoming brittle over time, this type of fence will last a very long time with very little aftercare with the fresh look not diminishing for a good couple decades and some people having never had to replace theirs at all.
They make great swimming pool fences due to not needing stained and the chemicals in the pool when splashed won’t affect it either.
Due to its longevity, a PVC/Vinyl fence also comes with a manufacturers warranty, for 20 years or even lifetime (except for hurricanes and acts of a similar nature.)
As a PVC/vinyl fence is the most durable type, they can stand up to a lot of abuse that the weather and life throws at them such as impacts from lawn mowers that might damage a wooden fence.
A vinyl fence won’t sag, lean, swell or contract with changes in temperature either.
As temperatures change over winter months, PVC/Vinyl fences, unlike wood, don’t expand and contract so they can be installed year round (if the ground isn’t frozen.)
The overall install time is quicker too because vinyl is lighter and easier to work with.
Whatever you can think of, we can install for you.
So if you want full privacy, semi-private, horizontal, vertical, board on board and with different decorations, such as lattice, our artistic fence professionals will do a great job of matching your vinyl fence with the properties of your home.
Picket fencing is the style most seen around the front of homes (mostly in wood.)
You can have them in vinyl/PVC as well.
You can see completely through it, plus they are usually 3 feet tall so it is more for making your home have curb appeal as opposed to getting any sort of privacy or security.
These are tongue and groove so the boards fit together tightly and are perfect as privacy fences as you cannot see through them.
They are also difficult to climb over (depending on height) as there are no foot holds.
You can have decoration at the top such as lattices like the pool fence picture below.
As you can see, these fences are semi private as they can be seen through but the person has to pretty much be right at the fence making an effort to see through.
Saying that, they do come in different spacings depending on your requirements.
Typically these have been made from wood but nowadays you can get the classic post and rail style in vinyl/PVC.
These are great for livestock and animals but also for marking property boundary lines and they are more durable than wood.
These are perfect for around pools as the chlorine and sun won’t affect it.
They make great safety barriers so children and pets don’t get into the pool area and will adhere to the necessary pool safety standards and regulations.
This type of vinyl fence mimics the look and feel of a classical wood fence by texturing the vinyl so they have a natural wood look and texture.
PVC/vinyl will also outlast a wood fence.
PVC (polyvinyl chloride) is a compound used in the manufacture of vinyl fences.
It uses petroleum and salt (which is sodium chloride.)
Heating Petroleum or natural gas creates ethylene (this process is called “cracking”.)
While the heating is going on, the salt (which is in sea water) has an electric current put through it (called electrolysis) which extracts the chlorine from the salt.
The chlorine and ethylene is then combined to make ethylene dichloride.
This is then put through an additional cracking process which gives vinyl chloride monomer gas (VCM.)
The VCM molecules are then combined with one another which provides vinyl resin which is a fine white, powdery, flour-like, substance. This process is called “polymerization.”
This vinyl resin has modifiers added to it for the different properties needed for fences in processes called mono extrusion or co-extrusion (explained below.)
These are:
Monoextrusion and Co-extrusion.
Monoextrusion is a method which involves pushing the vinyl resin through a barrel (which is heated) and passed through a die (basically a shaped hole) then cooled and cut into the desired lengths for the fence.
Co-extrusion is a more advanced method which takes the monoextrusion process to another level. This process feeds two streams of vinyl into a single die. This allows the manufacturer to selectively feed different additives into the product.
The additives are added to the outer layer and inner layer separately.
The outer layer gets added UV protection from the sun and the inner layer gets impact modifiers mentioned above for added strength and flexibility.
Because the additives are added only to the parts that need it in the co-exclusion process, you get less wastage instead of all additives to both layers.
This also helps with costs as the UV inhibitors are expensive and so only adding them to the outer layer instead of throughout the product, cuts down on costs.
However, the equipment needed for co-exclusion is more expensive than the equipment needed for mono exclusion.
A word of caution is that cheaper produced vinyl will have a thinner outer layer of so scratches can show the inner layer which isn’t colored.
High quality vinyl will have a thicker layer so a dent or scratch will not show the different color below.
Injection Molding
Sometimes, if the fence is a distinctive shape, the fence is produced using injection moulding which takes the heated vinyl and puts it into a hollow, 3D mood, usually for the pickets and post caps of the fence.
These, along with the co-extruded parts are then assembled to make the fence.
The whole process of manufacturing vinyl is tightly controlled and there is virtually no industrial waste at the end of the process.
These days, nearly every manufacturing company uses co-extrusion because it is the most efficient way of producing vinyl fences and so gives the most value to the customer.
PVC/Vinyl fences have no toxins that can seep into the soil or pollute the air and so they are generally regarded as being relatively environmentally friendly.
The PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) makes the fence strong and durable because vinyl is made with rock, gas and salt so PVC and other chemicals are added for durability because just using vinyl would not stand up to any weather.
These other chemicals are not dangerous to humans either, different manufacturers use different chemicals to extend the lifetime of the fence, to make it more durable and to stand up to more excess weather conditions for use in strong weather condition areas like southeast texas.
One word of caution is that if PVC vinyl is heated over 240 degrees Fahrenheit, a chemical called dioxin, that can be harmful to humans, may be released.
Some of the vinyl you would find in the big box stores, for example, use really low grade vinyl, so you have to be wary of what vinyl you use.
Vinyl fencing can be regarded as being environmentally friendly as you do not need to use chemicals that stop rot, they don’t release any chemicals into the soil and they also last a very long time, IF high quality vinyl is used.
Advantages of PVC/Vinyl Fencing:
Disadvantages of PVC/Vinyl Fencing:
If you have a question that isn’t covered here, we have a more comprehensive FAQ page and we are also more than happy to help answer all your questions at our office – (409) 215-2469
We are a lead generation company and we only work with the very best fence installation companies. To that end, when you submit the form below for a quote, you will be contacted by up to 3 fence companies who will quote your project for you.
This means that you get the best service as, if one quote seems too high and the others are closer together, you are in a position to make a good decision as opposed to only receiving one quote and still having to do some more research or even find out later the company over charged you.
Our Fence Company in Beaumont Texas uses only the very best of materials moulded by the very best of craftsmen.