Stockade Wood Fence

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

 

 

Considerations for Developers

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.

 

 

Project Spotlight: Plaza Condominiums, San Diego, CA

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.

 

 

 

Trex Fencing – Privacy Considerations and More

Trex Fencing Offers Advantages Over Wood

In thinking about a property in high visibility area, particularly where a home or building is in an urban space or where the buildings on the property are close to the fence line, Trex provides several unique benefits:

 

  • The interlocking picket system completely blocks the view through the fence. Wood fencing is susceptible to shrinkage and can create unpleasant gaps which reduce privacy. Even a board-on-board design in wood isn’t fully private as wood pickets tend to warp creating gaps as well.
  • The fence looks the same on both sides. Most wood fences have framing on one side, but with Trex you will see the same elegant design as the passers-by on the other side.
  • Unlike wood fences where pickets are usually attached with nails or a significant number of screws, Trex is easy to disassemble if you need to replace some of the components. The interlocking system makes the fence secure, but if you need to take it apart, there’s no need to extract a large number of screws.
  • Trex provides better sound suppression than other fences. While it won’t entirely eliminate street sounds it can muffle them more effectively .
  • Trex is much thicker than vinyl. Kids kicking balls or throwing small rocks against the fence aren’t likely to break it in normal situations, whereas thinner-wall products break more easily with similar force.
  • Trex can be painted. For example, if graffiti has adhered and can’t be removed, the tagged area can be painted over. You can do that with wood as well, of course, but not with vinyl or similar manufactured products. And, unlike wood, Trex won’t rot, splinter, crack, or warp.
  • Block wall is susceptible to cracking as it settles. It also has a harsher “look” than a fence. If aesthetics are a big part of an owner’s decision, Trex soars past mere functionality.

 

Gaps between pickets in wood fence

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