Materials
What is the best fence material?
There is no single best material — it depends on what the fence has to do. Western red cedar suits properties where appearance matters and a stain schedule is acceptable. Vinyl suits homeowners who want genuinely zero maintenance and a uniform finish. Powder-coated aluminum suits pool barriers, frontage and anywhere the fence must last decades untouched. Chain link suits containment and security where cost per foot governs.
Cedar: 15–25 years, naturally rot and insect resistant, takes stain, reads as premium from the street. Wants staining every three to five years to hold its colour.
Vinyl: 20–30 years, no maintenance beyond washing, uniform appearance. Material grade matters enormously — thin-wall vinyl becomes brittle in cold and cracks, while co-extruded vinyl with UV stabilisation performs for decades.
Aluminum: 30+ years, no maintenance at all, ornamental appearance, and the standard answer for pool barriers because its rails sit inside the picket line.
Pressure-treated wood: 10–20 years, lowest install cost, most movement as it dries, wants a consistent stain schedule.
Chain link: decades of service, lowest cost per foot, and in black vinyl-coated form far less visually intrusive than its reputation.
