Trex Fencing Exhibited at FENCETECH, the Fence Industry’s National Event

This year’s FENCETECH conference was held in beautiful San Antonio, Texas. We’re sure many enjoyed the break from cold weather due to the relatively warm temperatures during the show, as well as participating in Super Bowl LI parties immediately afterwards.

 

As always, it was wonderful to catch up with customers during the event and to showcase the industry’s leading composite fencing system. We also met several new companies who are interested in the unique attributes of Trex. Of particular interest were contractors looking for solutions for homeowner associations and commercial projects. Trex Fencing has always been a mainstay for backyard residential projects and it’s good to see the application of its low-maintenance, durable design for other categories as well. Horizons horizontal fencing also elicited several inquiries. We’re seeing a growing demand for horizontal fencing and Horizons is a completely unique privacy system that will appeal to consumers looking for this type of design.

 

For those of you that stopped in, thanks for visiting! We hope to see you and more at FENCETECH 2018 in Phoenix!

 

Staff members in the Trex Fencing booth at Fencetech 2017 in San Antonio

Edmund Rose, Danielle Chavez, and Derek Premac representing Trex Fencing at FENCETECH 2017.

Considerations on the drawbacks of stockade wood fencing

The most popular wood fencing in the United States is built in the stockade style. The wood material varies by region and may include treated southern yellow pine, cedar, or redwood. This traditional design has its benefits. It is relatively inexpensive because it typically uses either 4×4 wood or round pipe steel posts, 2×4 backer rails, and 1×6 butted slats. It is easy to install and is so common, it matches other fences in a neighborhood. However, it also has its disadvantages:

 

  • Even when treated, wood fencing will eventually rot
  • Wood tends to warp, curve, splinter, and crack
  • Some wood is susceptible to insect damage
  • Wood pickets shrink, creating gaps which reduce privacy
  • Painting or staining must constantly be applied to reduce degradation and retain the fence’s appearance

 

Maintenance is the hidden cost that most homeowners do not consider enough when installing a wood fence. Regular painting and staining can be costly, time-consuming, and messy. Moreover, after a few years fence components will have to be replaced as they rot or break. Replacing a few slats here or there may not be too costly, but as soon as posts begin to fail, the expense can go up significantly, particularly in labor. It isn’t just the appearance of an old, broken fence that is a concern, a rotted post could cause fence sections to lean or fall over.

 

 

Trex Fencing is an excellent alternative to wood fencing

While the up-front cost is higher than a traditional stockade fence, there are several unique advantages to Trex Fencing:

 

  • The fence looks the same on both sides thus helping buyers avoid awkward conversations about who gets the “ugly” side of the fence
  • Trex will not rot, warp, crack, or splinter
  • Trex is fully private; even as it ages, the interlocking pickets will not allow gaps to occur
  • Trex never needs to be painted or stained
  • Trex stands out; the aesthetics of Trex are just as important as the function

 

One way of looking at Trex fencing is that all costs are front-loaded at the initial purchase. After that, while neighbors continue to pay for their fences over the years, Trex fencing customers will be able to spend their money elsewhere while still enjoying an attractive, durable fence for a very long time.

 

Trex fencing has the same appearance on both sides

Trex fencing has the same appearance on both sides

 

 

Logo for Fencetech 2017, San Antonio TXTrex Fencing will be on display at FENCETECH 2017 in San Antonio, Texas. The event will be held February 1-5 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center.

 

We exhibit annually at the FENCETECH show to help industry professionals learn more about the Trex composite fencing system. If you are a fence contractor, supplier, or designer/architect attending the show, please stop by. We’ll post our booth number as the event gets closer.

 

We look forward to seeing returning customers and meeting potential new clients!

New Trex Fencing Testimonial and Product Review Videos are Available

We recently completed three new videos that provide customer testimonials and product reviews. The customers shared their insights on the reasons they chose Trex fencing.

 

Hans Weber, fence contractor standing next to a completed Trex Fence Courtesy Chevrolet Cadillac Dealership Do-it-Yourselfer building a Trex privacy fence
 

Bill Bourdier is one of our many do-it-yourself customers and is located in the Acadiana region of Louisiana. He built his fence from scratch, demonstrating the ease in which Trex Fencing can be constructed even by those that have never built a fence before. Bill selected Saddle as his preferred color and extended the posts for extra prominence, then finished the fence off with crown caps.  He also chose Trex fencing for its green attributes, ease of installation, longevity, and appearance.

 

Hans Weber, owner of AAA Quality Fence is a professional fence contractor in Lafayette, Louisiana that has installed multiple Trex fencing jobs. As he points out, there are several unique attributes that make it a fence he chooses to sell. Hans says he prefers the promotion of Trex fencing over vinyl due to its durability and appearance. Hans is always looking for ways to satisfy his customers and the fact that the fence has the same beautiful look on both sides means that neighbors also will be pleased with the fence his customers have chosen.

 

Brady Bown is the general manager for Courtesy Chevrolet Cadillac in Broussard, Louisiana. Brady points out that Trex compliments the upscale appearance and premium experience that the dealership management was striving for. Since the fence installation is on a commercial property, the fence also had to be durable. Brady notes that Trex’s strength has stood out in comparison to the vinyl fencing the company has used at other dealerships.

How to accommodate angles in your fence line

Description and examples of angle adaptors for fence bracketsIn a previous post, we wrote about how easy it is to slope a Trex fence upward or downward. Because of the unique shape of the Trex fence bracket and the ability to cut rails and adjust pickets, even extreme slopes are manageable. But what if you need to angle your fence side-to-side? Not every change in a fence line comes off a post at 90 degrees. That’s where the Trex Angle Adaptors come in. They attach to the Trex Fence Brackets to give customers a wide variety of options including compound angles (side-to-side combined with up-and-down). Angle adaptors allow for ranges within 22.5 degree increments:

 

  • 0-22.5 degrees: no angle adaptor necessary
  • 22.6-45 degrees: use one angle adaptor
  • 45.1-67.5 degrees: use two angle adaptors
  • Note: once you approach 90 degrees, the fence brackets would typically be moved to a perpendicular post face.

 

Just like sloped fence lines, once the angles have been determined cut the rails to the appropriate angles to allow them to stay tight against the posts.

 

Reducing the visibility of screws and brackets was an important consideration in the development of the Trex Seclusions fence product. Even with an angled fence line, the angle adaptors, brackets, and screws that are used to attach them are well hidden and cannot be seen externally once the rails are cut and attached.

 

The wedge-shaped adaptors are made out of the same tough, glass-filled nylon material as the fence brackets and are easy to install. For instructions on how to use them, download a copy of the fence installation guide.

 

Use Angle Adaptors for fences that don't make 90 degree turns

Adjusting your fence to follow changes in terrain is easy with Trex fencing

Trex Fencing following gentle slope in yard

 

Use long posts for extreme terrain slopesA commonly asked question with fencing is “How do I deal with slopes on my property?” Some fences are made from pre-fabricated panels which limit the ability follow the contours of the ground. This can cause problems with containment or exclusion (such as needing to keep pets in a yard or preventing other animals from entering it), and it will affect privacy.

 

The Trex fencing design accommodates variances in terrain quite easily. As a “stick-built” system (meaning the unassembled components are put together as the fence is being built), the fence line can be adjusted as required for a particular area. Sloping (also known as “racking” or “raking”) is simple with Trex. Fence brackets provide significant tolerance for up-and-down angles, and angle adapters allow for easy adjustability side-to-side.

 

A consideration for an extreme slope is the length of a post. Although an 8′ or 9′ Trex post is typically sufficient, if the ground drops significantly, sometimes a longer post is necessary to create a stable footer or to get a desired fence height. Trex offers 12′ long posts that will help in these situations.  Additionally, since a Trex fence can be built up to 12′ tall, you could maintain a level top line. For example, if your property slopes by a foot or two in an area, you can use longer pickets, cut them individually to the needed length, and slope the bottom line without disrupting the top of the fence.

 

For guidance on determining post-spacing when applying an up-and-down angle, use this Slope Calculator.  If you need to adjust your fence line left and right, our next post will discuss angle adaptors. For information on how to attach brackets and angle adapters, see the Installation Guide.

 

 

Color Combinations Add a Distinct Appearance to Trex Fencing

 

Trex Fencing with dark brown posts and rails and tan pickets

 

A popular alternative to using a single color for a Trex fence is to integrate more than one color into a fence design. With three color options, this gives a customer a large number of combinations that could compliment a property’s specific color scheme.

 

The most popular combination is what one of our customers dubbed “peanut butter cup.” This combination uses Woodland Brown posts, top rails, and bottom rail covers with Saddle pickets. Because Trex fencing components are not pre-assembled as fixed panels, combining the elements is easy to create this distinct two-toned appearance. To create a similar look with a wood fence would be difficult because painting or staining would have to be done in two phases and require a significant amount of covering to protect from over-spray of the alternating colors.

 

Peanut Butter Cup Trex Gate with picture frame Peanut Butter Cup Trex Gate with no picture frameWe have had requests to build gates with two different options. If you are considering any combination of colors and are ordering pre-built gates, be sure to specify how you want the uprights to look. One option is to use Saddle on the sides of the gates to exactly emulate the look of the fence where pickets are all the same color right up to the posts. The other option is to create a “picture frame” look so the gate stands out from the rest of the fence.

 

Here are some examples of other combinations using all three Trex Fencing colors: Saddle, Winchester Grey, and Woodland Brown.

 

 

Trex Fence with Dark Brown Posts and Light Brown Pickets

 

 

 

 

Architects Include Trex Fencing in Plans Because of Its Unique Attributes

Shop Drawing of Fence

Trex Fencing Shop Drawings are Available on this website, CADDetails and Arcat.

We’ve seen a significant uptick this year in commercial projects where Trex fencing has been specified. The same is true for residential jobs where architects are involved. Since we joined CADDetails and Arcat, product awareness has increased and customers are finding that the Trex Seclusions’ fence system offers unique benefits that perfectly fit certain types of projects.

 

A contractor in South Carolina recently installed Seclusions for an enclosure around equipment. We asked for feedback about why the customer chose Trex:

 

  • The job called for 10′ tall fence and Trex was the only manufactured privacy product that could be built specifically to those height requirements while also meeting other criteria.
  • The enclosure required complete privacy.
  • The fence was in a high wind area and the tested rating was needed.
  • Sound abatement was beneficial; Trex’s interlocking pickets helped block noisy equipment behind the fence.
  • The client wanted a more durable structure than vinyl afforded.

 

Some of our recent customers include Panera Bread, O’Charley’s, Marriott Hotels, Love’s Truck Stops, and the U.S. Park Service. Additionally, Trex is frequently used for schools, fire stations, community perimeter fences, and screens for multi-family dwellings.

Why Choosing the Right Fence for a Housing Development Matters

Fenced backyards in new housing development

 

Since Trex introduced the Seclusions fencing line in 2005, it has led the category in the use of composite materials. Homeowners and commercial property owners use Trex to replace older wood or vinyl fences. Homeowner associations have found it to be a solid solution to reduce long term costs. Government agencies specify it for secure barriers that cost less than masonry.

 

Developers also are attracted to Trex fencing for its various benefits. If you are a developer in a design phase and are looking for a fence to compliment the themes of your project, Trex is likely to provide specific attributes to meet your needs. The following considerations will be helpful in evaluating Trex for your development.

 

Fencing for housing developments

 

Value of Design

Trex Deck and FenceTrex has developed a portfolio of products that extend beyond functionality. There are plenty of low-maintenance fences on the market, like vinyl or stockade-style composites, but Trex’s approach to fencing is different. As outdoor living themes continues to mature, consumers are embracing the idea that any property element can have aesthetic value. For example, whereas decks used to be seen as just functional spaces for outdoor activities, Trex has helped shaped the idea that those spaces can enhance the appearance and utility of backyards by adding a variety of color options for decking boards, decorative railing, pergolas, outdoor furniture, lighting, etc. Stretching to the perimeter, the principle also holds true. The Trex fencing design rejects the notion that a fence is just a privacy or security barrier.

 

Most homeowners invest time and money in their landscaping. Because a fence is a highly visible backdrop, the appearance of a property can be significantly enhanced or degraded by it. This concept is similar to the idea that a person that purchases a luxury sedan isn’t going to settle for a drab shape and nondescript trim. They will also expect the vehicle to have tasteful accents and surfacing. The same holds true for Trex. Rather than looking like a simulated structure made from plastic, it has the appearance of a painted wood fence that has been well-maintained.

 

Green Building

Trex composite materials made from plastic and woodTrex is one of only a few fences made from recycled materials and it is the one with the highest content (95%) of reclaimed woods and plastics. The company has won several awards for its innovative use of by-products and for its sustainable manufacturing processes. Trex is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council, and contributes five LEED points for recycled content, innovative design, and sourcing regional materials for manufacture.

 

Green building is already important in the commercial space where Trex is frequently used for enclosures, screens, and perimeters, but it also is increasingly a consideration for the residential buyer as well.  Sustainability and resilience matter, and Trex is proud to provide solutions for clients that are looking for eco-friendly solutions.

 

Durability

Wood pickets shrink and create gaps as they weatherOne of the most important elements that sets Trex fencing apart from other manufactured fences is its strength. The material in Trex is 2x to 4x as thick as vinyl and other composites. Combined with its density, the thickness of the material is what gives Trex an incredible wind load rating of 130+ mph on 6′ heights and 8′ centers. It also weathers well. Even if a wood fence is stained or painted frequently, pickets, rails, and posts will eventually warp, twist, and rot. Wood simply won’t last as long as Trex, and across the life of a Trex fence you can probably expect the wood fence to be replaced at least once and go through significant repairs, let along require frequent re-staining or painting.

 

Full Privacy

Trex’s interlocking pickets completely obscure visibility through the fence. Wood pickets will gap over time as they shrink, creating privacy problems. Even board-on-board wood fences tend to warp, creating gaps as well. In terms of visibility above a fence, vinyl and other composites are typically limited to 6 ft. tall, but that isn’t the case with Trex. Trex fence systems can be configured for heights up to 12 ft. tall.

 

Anticipated Costs for Trex Fencing

Nationally, Trex fencing averages  in the $70’s per foot installed including the materials. A comparable pre-stained cap-and-trim/board-on-board design in wood usually runs in the $40’s. Factoring maintenance and replacements, Trex becomes the better bargain over time and an owner doesn’t have to worry about scheduling maintenance or dealing with the nuisance of replacing a rotting post here or a few cracked pickets there every few years. Given its durability, it is also the greater value compared to vinyl or other composites which may be cheaper. A Trex fence is less likely to sustain incidental damage from small rocks kicked up by a lawnmower, kids throwing balls against the fence, or a bicycle bumping into a post.

 

 

San Diego Condominium Association Selects Trex Fencing

Patio fencing at Plaza Condominiums, San Diego

Community associations love Trex fencing. After experiencing years of maintenance, dilapidated panels, and rotting posts, association boards and property managers look beyond wood for a more permanent, low-maintenance solution. Trex typically fits the bill. With its fully private, neighbor-friendly design, the bonus is that an association gets an attractive alternative to the common traditional design of wood fences.

 

Old wood fence before replacement with Trex

The wood fence required regular upkeep and was warping and splintering

Because a fence replacement can be a large expenditure, many associations need to build up reserves prior to the purchase. If you are in the process of doing a reserve study or just need basic budgetary information, we can give you some guidelines. One of the biggest benefits of a Trex fence is that you front load costs which means you can virtually eliminate ongoing maintenance budgets for more than two decades. Your homeowners and other community property owners will be pleased with that!

 

This project spotlight focuses on a condominium association in the San Diego, California area. Trex fencing was installed over the last two years in two phases comprising several ground level units that needed to replace wood fencing around their patios. The layout required a fence height of 48″ with short returns to the exterior walls. To create a snug, attractive fit, the posts and caps next to the walls were cut in half and attached directly to the wall.  The HOA chose the Saddle color with flat top post caps.

 

 

 

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