What are the pros and cons of vinyl fences?

Question: What are the pros and cons of vinyl fences?

Exploring alternatives to traditional wood fencing...?

Answer: While much fencing designed for privacy or decoration is made of wood, vinyl fences (or "PVC fences") are garnering an increasingly large share of the market.

The pros of vinyl fences are as follows:

• Vinyl fences offer low maintenance -- never paint or stain again.
• At a distance, some high-quality vinyl fences do resemble the traditional wood fence designs for which they are substitutes.
• Vinyl fences don't splinter, making them a child-friendly alternative.

The cons of vinyl fences are as follows:

• Since PVC does expand and contract as temperatures fluctuate, this material becomes more brittle in the cold, making it susceptible to damage.
• Up close, a vinyl fence is a vinyl fence, any resemblance to wood from afar notwithstanding. For the true lover of the look, smell and feel of wood, no substitute will do.
• Another drawback is the price. Vinyl fences are more expensive than their wooden counterparts in terms of upfront cost. However, you may save money in the long run, after maintenance costs for wood are considered.

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