Vinyl vs wood fence: Which is better for you? This question is almost viral & we hear it every week from homeowners like you looking to beautify their homes while adding an extra layer of safety for their loved ones & pets. Since you want to install a fence that makes sense, financially speaking, today, we’ll settle the wood vs vinyl fence debate once & for all.

Vinyl vs Wood Fence: 9 Defining Comparisons

1. Premium vinyl fences will outlast wood by ten years.
2. Vinyl costs more upfront, but maintaining wood is pricey.
3. Vinyl requires little maintenance upkeep.
4. Termites don’t eat vinyl.
5. Vinyl panels are water-resistant.
6. Vinyl is recyclable; thus, eco-friendly.
7. Wood is more aesthetically pleasing.
8. Refinished Wood—More Possibilities.
9. Repairing wood is more accessible than vinyl.

One of the best things about vinyl fences is that they will outlast wood by ten years. When properly maintained, a premium vinyl fence can last around 30 years.

You’ll have to do an exceptional upkeep job with a well-built wood fence (replacing individual boards as needed) to reach 20 years, representing ⅔ of the life of vinyl fences.

Winner: Vinyl Fence

Installing vinyl as your privacy fence is more expensive than wood.

• Natural wood fencing costs $14 to $24 per linear foot installed.
• Vinyl picket fencing will vary from $20 to $34 per linear foot installed.

A vinyl fence does a great job mimicking wood. And the “fake” version is more expensive than the real thing, wood.

Yep. That’s right.

When comparing the vinyl fence vs. wood, installing vinyl has a higher upfront price. But in the long run, maintaining wood becomes more expensive than a vinyl fence.

Winner: Vinyl Fence

The little maintenance of vinyl is one of the best advantages of this type of fence. So, the higher price tag of a vinyl fence will pay off in the long run because vinyl requires no additional maintenance upkeep other than occasionally hosing off dirt on the barrier.

On the other hand, wood fencing requires regular cleaning, staining, and wood panel replacement to keep it appealing.

So, in the long run, the cost of maintaining wood is higher than the upfront cost of installing a vinyl fence.

During the first year, a wood fence will need staining, which means an additional cost of $1,200.

But in the following years, you will also be required to regularly check for insect damage, decay, and rot, especially where your fence posts meet the ground.

So, consider all these before buying a new wood fence.

Winner: Vinyl Fence

The second most significant weakness of wood is water. And for these two reasons, as unbelievable as it sounds, the real thing “wood” will never outperform the fake thing “vinyl.”

Being an organic material, wood rots due to water. If homeowners don’t maintain its maintenance, wood will decay faster, shortening its lifespan and making it hard to last 20 years. Only exceptionally well-maintained fences make it this far.

In the case of vinyl panels, water slides down, and it will never penetrate the vinyl planks because they are impermeable. In other words, vinyl is water-resistant, making it the ideal fencing material.

Winner: Vinyl Fence

Insects are the main weakness of wood. And guess what??? Termites don’t eat vinyl. Need I say more? Well, here, in this case, vinyl is the clear winner.

Winner: Vinyl Fence

We are promoting vinyl. But that’s such an unfair assumption.

What happens is that vinyl looks unstoppable, winning all rounds so far against wood. Tell us, what else can we do?

So, in this case, you can recycle both materials. But in not all instances. For instance, recycling planks or posts rotted wood fences is not possible.

Winner: Vinyl Fence

It may sound mind-blowing that a manufactured fence material will beat the iconic wood fence.

Is this a knockout?

Regarding aesthetics, the fake “vinyl” panels will never look as wonderful, pleasing, and classic as a wood picket fence.

Wood is beautiful. It took years and a divine touch to design wood grains and patterns. So, an artificial material like vinyl does not match the natural beauty of wood.

Winner: Wood Fence

Are you taking the time to pick the right color for your vinyl fence?

You should!

Once you choose a color for your vinyl fence, that’s what it will look like for its life.

If you are not sure about the color of your fence, you’ll be so much better off choosing wood. So, one of the most significant advantages of a wood fence installation is that you can paint or stain it to dress your taste as time passes.

If you no longer like the color of your wood fence, you can change it with a snap of your fingers. Well, this is not a Marvel movie. But what I mean is that as your taste changes, you can also change the color of your fence to match your style.

Winner: Wood Fence  

Repairing a vinyl fence is more challenging than fixing a wood fence. When the extreme weather damages the vinyl, you’ll need to call a pro because it’s intricate to repair.

When the damage is substantial, and you must replace the whole panel, finding the same fence style can be challenging or impossible, especially when there is no more option for this specific design.

Wood might be susceptible to rotting, termites, warping, etc., but finding a replacement piece to match perfectly if a wood board breaks will be easy.

And if you are an accomplished DIYer, it will be easier for you to fix the wood fence without calling a fence contractor.

Winner: Wood Fence

As much as we love wood fences for their natural beauty, vinyl fences have the upper hand in this dilemma.

We compared vinyl fences vs. wood fences in 9 categories, and vinyl won 6. It is safe to say that vinyl is a clear winner. Now that you know which fence type is better, it’s time to hire the right contractor to install a perfect vinyl fence to provide your house privacy, beauty, and protection.