No matter where you go in the country, one of the most common fences you’ll find—especially in areas where the home sits on a large plot of land—is a 3 rail vinyl fence.
There’s just something pleasing about the openness of this fence, typically constructed of long pieces of wood, usually split lengthwise to form two to four or more rails inserted into holes within the fence posts and held in place by their own weight. Rails are usually 8 or 11 feet long and can be round, half-round or even square or diamond-shaped. Split rails remain popular as they are easy to build and most folks can build these fences almost anywhere, even on hard or rocky ground.
While most homeowners look to building three rail fences made of wood, we’ve seen an increase in the number of homeowners who now prefer placing a three rail vinyl fence on their property. Vinyl materials came about in the mid-20th century; however, it wasn’t until the mid 1980’s when manufacturers realized vinyl fences could be among the most durable of all fencing materials. Fast forward a few decades and now you’ll find many educated homeowners want vinyl as their fencing material of choice.
Why the increase in popularity? Here are a few reasons why homeowners prefer vinyl as part of their split rail fence solution when it comes to split or 3 rail vinyl fence.
3 Rail Vinyl Fence is Stronger
Three rail vinyl fence options are nearly five times as strong as wood fencing; it takes a lot more effort to bring down a split rail vinyl fence than a wooden one. In an area like ours where we can see extreme weather patterns from season to season, homeowners want a fence that can withstand all that Mother Nature has to offer. Whether it’s heavy rains, dense snows or intense heat, vinyl fences can take on all of them and not warp, bend, break or fade. Since vinyl doesn’t absorb moisture, it also won’t blister, rot, or peel. Vinyl fences can take a beating from large animals—if you have horses or large dogs, your animals won’t hurt themselves if they attempt to run through the fence. They also can chew through vinyl as well. .
3 Rail Vinyl Fence is Maintenance Free
With wooden split rail fence, there’s lots of upkeep. You’ll either need to seal the wood after a year or two or you’ll start to see rails slowly disintegrating due to the frequent changes in weather. This means having to periodically replace rails or even posts over time. But once you install wooden split rail fencing, you’ll barely lift a finger to take care of it. Other than the occasional washing with a hose and a sponge, you’ll never have to worry about the fence again!
3 Rail Vinyl Fence is Eco Friendly
Vinyl fencing is non-toxic because it is not treated with harmful or hazardous chemicals. Vinyl fence is made from a combination of crude oil, natural gas and 60% chlorine derived from common salt. This makes vinyl one of the most energy-efficient materials to produce. Additionally, vinyl fence fabrication results in very little carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere so it has a very small carbon footprint compared to most other man made fencing materials. Vinyl is also often made with recycled materials.
3 Rail Vinyl Fence is Cost Effective
When you buy a split rail wooden fence, you can expect to replace it should you stay in your home for more than a dozen years. Over time, even the strongest pieces of wood will start to decay and eventually you’ll replace a majority, if not all of the rails the longer you stay in your home. But split rail vinyl fence lasts a lifetime and comes with a lengthy warranty, meaning you may never have to replace it! Yes, vinyl does cost more than wood but think about this as an investment that will last as long as you live on that property.
Ready for Your 3 Rail Vinyl Fence?
Ready to install a split-rail vinyl fence on your property? Contact us today to get an estimate for your property or use our online chat feature if you have any questions about split rail vinyl fence. Whether you’re looking to build your own or have us work with you to design a custom split rail fence to meet your needs, our experts at Frederick Fence are here to help!
