White vinyl fencing...

[JerseyJanice]

is the home improvement du jour in my neighborhood.

Last year, it was paving stone driveways and walkways. This year, it's vinyl fencing around some or all of one's property in our NYC suburban area.

Our best friend and our next door neighbor (who spend $10K+ on their new vinyl fences) tell us it's guaranteed for life. Any problems, all they need to do is call the fencing company, and it'll be out with a replacement section.

I don't know; we're not sold. I'm not thrilled with the stark whiteness of it nor am I convinced it won't get nasty looking with time and bird poop. DH is totally not buying the "lifetime" guarantee--thinks the contractors who install it will be in and out of business 100 times during the time you own the fence.

Is it just my neck of the woods or y'all seeing these white vinyl fences all over? What do you think? Are they worth $$$? Or will they look crummy in a few years?

 

[SherryNC]

Get crackin and keep up with em.

 

[Aidensmom]

They are becoming the rage here too.

We have the "old-fashioned" wooden white picket fence around our yard, and to me it looks so much better than the vinyl - it just looks to fake for me. I will admit, the wood takes more upkeep, but I still like it better. (Of course, my opinion is probably tainted by the fact that we chose the wood )

 

[SherryNC]

looks so much better than the vinyl - it just looks to fake for me.

Whoohoo!! It is late because that was really funny.

 

[tiggersmom2]

is the home improvement du jour in my neighborhood.

Last year, it was paving stone driveways and walkways. This year, it's vinyl fencing around some or all of one's property in our NYC suburban area.

Our best friend and our next door neighbor (who spend $10K+ on their new vinyl fences) tell us it's guaranteed for life. Any problems, all they need to do is call the fencing company, and it'll be out with a replacement section.

I don't know; we're not sold. I'm not thrilled with the stark whiteness of it nor am I convinced it won't get nasty looking with time and bird poop. DH is totally not buying the "lifetime" guarantee--thinks the contractors who install it will be in and out of business 100 times during the time you own the fence.

Is it just my neck of the woods or y'all seeing these white vinyl fences all over? What do you think? Are they worth $$$? Or will they look crummy in a few years?

Holy CRAP!!!! This is really weird....I just got a quote on this TODAY! I thought the 3,500.00 price tag was ridiculous and sent the guy on his way!

Man....maybe I should reconsider!

 

[Michie]

We have vinyl, it is required in our addition. With ours, the warrranty is backed by the manufacture, not the fence company.

 

[Pin Wizard]

Vinyl fence? I can't picture it. Vinyl is so overpriced. Absolutely hate my vinyl kitchen floor...it looks terrible! I want my ceramic tile!!! But a fence? I had a white aluminum fence. It was okay for the most part. Easy enough to clean sections that needed it. Be glad you're not getting black! That really shows filth on it. The brilliant powers that be in my former neighborhood decided to spray paint the white chain link fence at an open field black. It was horrible!

 

[JerseyJanice]

Get crackin and keep up with em.

Aidensmom, our current fence--which should last us another couple of years--is cedar. It's low maintenance and blends nicely IMO into its surroundings with moss growing on it and what-not.

I'm surprised at the number of people who are buying into the lifetime guarantee aspect of the vinyl fencing. (When I talk to folks who are installing it, that seems to be their main reason for choosing it.)

I can't help but wonder if they are being had, because this stuff hasn't been out that many years. Not enough IMO to be able to say that this material will look good for many years to come.

Moreover, when it's new, it's so white and stark that I'm not thrilled with the overall look of it

 

[the kabuki]

Really hate the stark white look of these, they're just so bright, don't blend in very well

 

[minmate]

I know people here that have had it for a few years. It is easy to wash and I have actually come to appreciate it. Easier upkeep than a wooden fence. No painting/staining, remains its true color (doesn't wear/weather). Nobody I know has had any problems with it. We installed a wooden fence with a very high quality company with a good reputation and I love it. But we stained it (natural/clear stain) and have to do that almost every year. It takes a good two days to do it and is messy. I don't like the grayish look of weathered fences. Plus, we've had our fence for about four years and we are having to replace parts of it already. The replaced parts (not whole sections, just strips, like on the top or one panel here and there) look a different color even though we've tried to maintain the original color through the staining process. Since the trim on our house is white, I've come to wish we'd have considered the vinyl fencing (originally, I too, thought it was kind of tacky) -- because the replacement sections look the same as the older ones and it's easier to maintain.

 

[Michie]

Really hate the stark white look of these, they're just so bright, don't blend in very well

The trim on our house is white, so the fence somewhat blends in. I have to admit though, the first thing I notice when I pull in the driveway is the fence.

 

[janette]

I don't like it too white and plastic looking. I would consider a composite which seems to be really popular for decking but not so much fences. The girls playhouse is a composite material and it looks the same as when it was installed 4 yrs ago. We need a fence but will go with regular wood due to the cost factor.

 

[luvthatduke]

Lots of people getting them around here.
I have to say I cannot stand the tan vinyl ones,
they look so much worse than the white, IMHO.
We considered getting vinyl because we just don't like
the upkeep of our "redwood" fence (only called that
because DH's parents painted it red!),
& we have old, ugly chainlink going up the 2 sides
like others on our street.
So we get the estimate, have strokes,
& the nice man tells us it's so expensive because
the manufacturers & installers know they won't be back
for a long time, if ever, to replace it.
Vinyl fences are considered "lifetime" fences to the industry
according to this man.
Needless to say, we will not re-mortage our house for a fence,
so I'm trying to find time to re-paint the chainlink,
& we're replacing the wood fence with another wood one *sigh*.

 

[the kabuki]

The trim on our house is white, so the fence somewhat blends in. I have to admit though, the first thing I notice when I pull in the driveway is the fence.

But there's just so much more of the fence than there is of trim

 

[mamajoan]

Miles and Miles of white vinyl fences here in Ca.... I like them. Neat, tidy and clean looking. How they stand up in places where weather is really extreme I tend to wonder. So far all the miles of fences I have seen look very nice. We wanted to put a patio cover on in the vinyl... maybe we can do that at the new house in Illinois...

Costly.. yup... but I bet the price will decrease in the next few years.

 

[poohandwendy]

I don't know; we're not sold. I'm not thrilled with the stark whiteness of it nor am I convinced it won't get nasty looking with time and bird poop. DH is totally not buying the "lifetime" guarantee--thinks the contractors who install it will be in and out of business 100 times during the time you own the fence.

They have been around here for a while and I can tell you, they stay new looking. There is one at an Arabian horse farm...been there for well over 10 years and looks just like it did when they installed it. And I have never seen anyone cleaning it. It would take alot of time because it covers about 100 acres.

I have seen some that look better because they aren't shiny. They are imprinted with a wood grain, so it dulls the stark look a bit. (but they probably will get dirty looking easier)

I thought it was weird the first time I saw it...but it grew on me. I think it is clean looking.

 

[shortbun]

My sister has it. She loves it. I don't like fences period but were I to have one, I think I'd opt for the more natural look.

 

[Patricia]

I wasnt' crazy about them either and when we moved here 10 years ago we opted for the real wood which we stained white. Some neighbors went with the vinyl then and I felt that the cost was insane! Well, fast forward the ten years, including countless hours of re-staining and care. our fence rotted and looked horrible, the neighbors looked like the day it went in. So, we just had the vinyl installed this year. So, that's two fences for us in 10 years, one for the neighbors. Looks like they were the smarter ones. BTW, the 10 year old fence looks like the day it was installed, they are holding up beautifully!

 

[DisneyLovingMama]

Just got our white vinyl fence and love it! It gets cleaned when it rains out. Our guarantee is from the manufacturer who has been in business of making fences for 50+ years. The price tag was a bit to swallow, but now that it's all paid for, it's great.

It makes our yard look larger, which I didn't think would happen and really "finishes" the look of the house.

We got a picket-type of fence on the sides and a six foot privacy fence i the back. Love the privacy fence - especially since the guy behind us has a pool and a really hairy back.

 

[FroggyinArk]

as a master c arpenter and woodworkers.. i gotta say no to vynyl.. will probably not even put sdiding on the house we are planning to build next year