Why Vinyl Fence Fades, and What You Can Do About It
Vinyl fence is fast becoming one of the most popular choices for backyard privacy fences. It’s also popular in housing developments, where the hassle and cost of maintaining a wood fence makes it an attractive proposition.
However, while vinyl fence is low maintenance, looks great and is durable, sometimes it does fade. Here’s why and how you can make choices that will prevent this from happening.
Why Do Vinyl Fences Fade?
There are several reasons why vinyl fences may fade, but the most important one is the raw materials used to manufacture the fence.
High-quality vinyl fence products are made from UV-stabilized plastic, which makes them less likely to fade. They’re also the same color all the way through, so there’s no coating to wear off the product over time.
Lower-quality products that aren’t made from UPVC or that do have a thin layer of color on a universal base tend to fade faster and less evenly, which will affect the way your fence looks.
UV stabilized white PVC fence also won’t yellow over time, while some cheaper products do.
How Can You Prevent Vinyl Fences from Fading?
There’s no way to completely prevent fading of any kind of fence; however, choosing a quality product will help to ensure that any fading you do have is minimal and even, so your fence still looks uniform and even after it’s been in the elements for a while.
The darker your fence color, the more likely you are to see some fading over time, so if you want to avoid fading altogether, you could choose a white vinyl fence or another lighter color.
Ask your vinyl fence supplier or installer what kind of plastic they use for their fences, and find out what their product warranty is. Good quality vinyl fences often have warranties of 25 years or more, so if you don’t get a reasonably long warranty, that’s a red flag that you might want to look elsewhere.
As with anything, spending a little more on a better quality product upfront will give you a longer lifespan and less trouble with fading or discoloration of your vinyl fence.
Consider the Environment
The environment your fence is installed in will also have an effect on the color and general longevity of your fence. Any fence that is installed very close to the ocean or in an industrial setting might be affected by chemicals in the air.
If you live in an area where environmental factors might affect your fence, speak to your installer or contractor before you choose a product. There might be some options that offer better corrosion and salt resistance.
