What’s Better – Wood or Vinyl?

If you're considering the construction of a horse fence to surround your pasture, chances are you’ve spent some time wondering what makes vinyl fencing so much better than a wood fence. Let's explore some of the factors that go into constructing a horse fence and take a look at how wood fencing compares to vinyl.

First of all, before constructing a new fence you must first examine the cost of materials. As we all know, the cost of high-quality wood is becoming increasingly expensive. As a result of this, the cost of material for constructing a vinyl fence is becoming almost equal to that of wood. While wood is still a bit cheaper in terms of material cost, the differences are so minimal that they’re almost nonexistent.

You’ve probably also wondered about the cost of installation or the labor costs of a vinyl fence versus the wood fence. While constructing a fence is labor-intensive, vinyl fencing is actually easier to install than wood. Because most laborers are paid by the hour, time is also money. The longer it takes your laborers to install your fence the more expensive it will be. Because there's no sawing or cutting involved with the construction of a vinyl fence, it becomes much easier to budget in terms of labor. Vinyl fencing panels are usually preassembled, which gives them an advantage over wood construction.

Another reason vinyl horse fencing is hands-down better than wood fencing is because the only real maintenance is required for a vinyl fence is a simple rinse with the hose. Wood fencing has to be pressure washed, stained, scraped, sometimes even painted. And, chances of dry rot or other decay with age is much greater with a wood fence than with a vinyl fence.

You will also find that vinyl fencing far surpasses wood fencing in terms of replacement. As we discussed before, vinyl fencing usually comes with a minimum of the 20-year warranty. Typically, wood has no warranty. Because wood is a natural substance and not artificial, it will decay and rot. Eventually, even chemically treated wood becomes weak and rotten. Because vinyl is a very sturdy manufactured material, it is less susceptible to an outdoor environment.

It's very common for people to choose wood fencing because the cost appears cheaper from the get-go. While this may be true straight out of the gate (no pun intended), it's not true in the long run. Overall, vinyl fencing is far less expensive than wood fencing and will last far longer.