A picket fence is a short decorative fence that has spaced vertical boards (pickets) that are attached to horizontal rails. This article compares wooden picket fences to vinyl picket fences. Use this information to make an informed decision about the best picket fencing material for your needs.

Customisation

Picket fences (whether wooden or vinyl) can be got in different colours or shapes. However, wood offers more colour options because you can choose what colour you would like to paint the pickets and rails. You can only choose from the colour options offered by vinyl picket and rail manufacturers.

Environmental Impact

Wooden picket fences blend very well into the environment because they are made from a natural material. This blending in can be enhanced by painting them using a colour that matches their surroundings (such as brown for a home surrounded by trees). Wood is also biodegradable, so it will not pollute the environment. Vinyl is not biodegradable.

Maintenance

Wooden picket fences need a lot of maintenance. Moisture can cause them to rot, so you need to paint or stain them regularly to limit the damaging effect of moisture. The moisture inside the soil where you have driven the wood can also cause that wood to warp. This necessitates replacing the affected sections. Replacement pickets or rails can be painted the same colour as the existing ones so that uniformity is maintained. You also need to treat the wood against termite attacks. The frequency of this maintenance varies according to the prevailing conditions in your area. Vinyl picket fences need less maintenance than wood picket fences. This is because vinyl is a composite product that can resist weather damage. For instance, it will not rot when it is exposed to moisture. This makes it ideal for locations with pest and moisture problems. However, it may be hard to match replacement pickets to existing ones because the supplier may no longer have stocks of the pickets you installed years back.

Cost

Vinyl picket fences may be more expensive than wooden picket fences. However, this difference may depend on your location and the specific wood or vinyl product that you would like to buy. Consider the long-term costs as well when comparing these two materials.

Contact a fence contractor in your area to ensure that your picket fence is properly installed. This will reduce the likelihood of problems that can affect the longevity of that fence.

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