WHY PVC...?
BECAUSE YOU'RE
SMART!
(407)341.2720
|
|
|
Home
Page | Wood Fencing
| Vinyl
Fencing | Aluminum
Fencing
| Custom
Fencing |Customer
Testimonials | Owner's
Philosophy | A
Comprehensive Guide: Wood Fencing | Orlando Custom Fence Blog
| Portfolio
PVC Fencing
Vinyl Fence
If you think a vinyl fence
is just a fence, you're setting yourself up for failure. It is a very technical
purchase. So when
considering a vinyl fence, for your Orlando home, there are a few things
one must consider. Otherwise, that brand new vinyl fence will become a broken
and moldy mess: A mess that will require full replace within 10
years.
Best
advise, don't fall prey to generic answers which
provide a sense of false security. Dig deeper, and be precise
with those question.
Here
is why: All vinyl fences systems are not created equal. Should you
choose to ignore the fact, you will end up setting yourself up for
failure. Don't
make that mistake. Ask yourself the most important question one
should ask themselves when considering a Vinyl
fence in Central Florida. Ask yourself: What
questions should, I ask?
Below is some basic
information which should guide you in the right direction.
There are four basic
types of vinyl type fences: plastic, refurbished,
monoextruded, and double/co-extruded. One of these is a good choice, and
the other three should be avoided.
- Plastic
fencing is very brittle and usually has a coat of polyurethane. This
type of fencing is typically yellowish in nature and will only last
about five years before it has to be replaced.
- Refurbished fencing
is just recycled plastic and vinyl melted down, put into fence form,
and coated with polyurethane. This type of fence system typically
has a gray core, is coated with a thin layer of vinyl, is hollow,
and will only last for about ten years before it needs to be
replaced. Beware--there are several fence companies that use
refurbished materials in the central Florida area.
- Monoextruded
is vinyl extracted from plastic, put into fence form, and coated
with polyurethane. Normally, you would find this type of vinyl
at Home Depot or Lowe's. Understand that this is an economy
version of vinyl, and is constructed as such. The problems with
these types of fencing systems are that they are brittle in nature,
the walls are thin, and the clear coat wears off within 3-5 years.
Most of these fencing systems only carry a limited lifetime
warranty. What good is a vinyl fence if it becomes broken, moldy and
green?
CO-Extruded
Vinyl (PVC) is the way to go. Below is a list of the benefits of
PVC fencing.
- PVC (polyvinyl
chloride) contains crude oil, natural gas, toners, stabilizers,
impact modifiers, chlorides, and TiO2 (Titanium dioxide)
for UV resistance which prevent the vinyl from changing to a yellowish
colors.
- Our PVC is co-extruded and made in the United States of America. In
addition, the PVC contains no post industrial waste or
regrind.
- PVC is
environmentally friendly because it has no air or ground pollutants,
and the production of PVC uses less fossil fuel than does wood or
aluminum production.
- PVC doesn't crack,
chip, peel, or rot.
- PVC will stand up
against moisture, wind, changing climate conditions, extreme
temperatures (-65\BAF to 120\BAF), and fire. It has a high flash
melting point of 900\BAF, which doesn't really ignite, so it is
"self-extinguishing."
- By request, the posts have
aluminum stiffener inserts to withstand greater wind speeds. It is
four times more flexible and five times stronger than wood. This is
why PVC in the long run is not as expensive as wood; yes, initially
you pay more for PVC than for wood, but it is a one-time payment.
- There are no
materials needed to maintain a PVC fence, unlike a wood fence which
must be sealed every year or two.
- PVC is designed to
last a lifetime and it comes with a non-prorated lifetime
transferable warranty.
The UV inhibitors are the most expensive ingredient for PVC. Therefore,
those companies that use another systems make a larger company profit
while offering poorer quality. Be careful!!!! It is not always
easy to recognize the different types of PVC. Always ask questions, and
when in doubt, call us. In the meantime here are a list of question
below that will assisting you making a well informed decision.
MESSAGE FROM THE
OWNER: Don't
make a mistake and end up with a Popsicle stick experiment in your back
yard. The best advice would be to ask the following questions and
get some explanations:
-
What type of Vinyl
Fencing System is the company using?
-
Plastic,
refurbished, monoextruded, or Co-extruded?
-
What are the protective chemicals used in the product.
-
Titanium Dioxide.
-
UV Ray
-
Solar Guard
-
Solar Flex
-
Are the chemicals mixed throughout or isolated to the cap stock.
-
What is the mixture ratio
-
Avoid
vinyl from the Home Improvement Stores.
-
Remember--Co-extruded is the best.
-
Avoid
fencing systems with screws (they will rust).
-
What manufacturer is the company using?
-
Make
sure they are using the same manufacturer for everything. If
not, this will cancel out warrantees.
-
Make sure the rails bring using on vinyl privacy fence are
what is known as pocket rails. A lot of company have moved to using
what is known as a skived rail. The process of taking a rail
from used to create a three rail horse fence and ripping the top out
and stuffing it with picket. The runner will warp and bow.
-
Ask
to see an itemized breakdown list.
-
What is the wall
thickness of the PVC?
-
Wall thickness is
very important. There are a lot of new vinyl fabricators popping up.
Make sure you ask.
-
Watch
out for the economy version of vinyl, because its wall thickness is
usually less than the thickness of a credit card.
- Gate Post and
Post
-
All
gate posts need to have 5" x 5" x 10' aluminum inserts to
prevent sagging of gates. Understand that vinyl expands and
contracts as the temperature changes.
-
All
fence posts need to be 5" x 5" x 9'. Make sure you ask
because it is standard practice for a company to buy 16' posts and
cut them in half. It is cheaper to do this, but should we receive
high winds, say goodbye to your investment.
- Make
sure the company is using a 9' post and 60 lbs of concrete per
post. The reason is that the manufacturer suggests that this
combination will stand up to a 90 mph wind load pressure.
Don't become a victim.
-
Installation
Method.
-
All vinyl fence being installed in the State of Florida should be
six foot on center: from the center of one post to the center of the
next post.
-
Eight foot on center section are
a no, no. The have a tendency to warp, bow, and have issues
with wind. Company that use them in residential setting often minus
out the horizontal aluminum stiffeners, don't use long enough posts,
and concrete. It a price point scam.
-
Do they pay their people
by the hour or by the foot?
-
PVC can either turn
out very pretty or become a big eyesore. Whomever installs your
fence needs to have experience.
-
Avoid
companies that pay by the hour. Nine times out of ten, the people
installing have limited skill sets, and the companies have a high
turnover rate.
-
Companies
that pay by the foot generally keep the best workers in Orlando.
-
Don't forget to ask how long
they think it will take. General rule is 125-150 linear
feet of fence a day.
-
Be warned, most vinyl fence
company take a wham, bam, and pay me know man approach.
-
Utilities/Permits
-
Make
sure the company calls Locates before they dig. This is free, so
don't let them charge you for it. It needs to be done, or you could
end up with a big bill to fix a broken utility.
- Make sure that all
permitting is pulled prior to starting a job. Most legitimate
companies will pull permits for you, but after the fact. Make
sure these are posted, or you could end up with a $500 dollar fine
and additional fines until you file for the proper permits.
Paramount
Fencing is currently designing custom vinyl fences in the following
areas: Windermere, Heathrow, Lake Mary, Waterford, Winter Park, Bell
Isle, Winter Garden, Maitland, Longwood, Lake Nona, Isleworth, Baldwin Park, and Clermont.
|
|