Vinyl or wood: which fence holds up better in Utah County?
If you're fencing a backyard in Saratoga Springs, you're probably choosing between these two. Either one can be a good fence. The differences show up once you factor in our sun, wind and winters.
The short version
Vinyl costs a bit more up front and then asks almost nothing of you. Wood costs a bit less, looks warmer, and needs stain every few years. If your HOA only allows one of them, the decision's already made.
| Vinyl | Wood | |
|---|---|---|
| 6 ft privacy, installed | $30–$45 / ft | $25–$40 / ft |
| Upkeep | Hose it off now and then | Stain or seal every 2–3 years |
| Typical life here | 20–30 years | 15–20 years if it's stained |
| Repairs | Swap a panel or picket | Replace a board, quick and cheap |
| Look | Clean and uniform | Natural, every board a little different |
Sun
UV at 4,500 feet is hard on everything. Cheap vinyl gets chalky and brittle, and that's the kind that cracks the first cold morning a ball hits it. Better vinyl has UV inhibitors and thicker walls, and it holds up fine. Wood grays fast out here, and the boards facing the afternoon sun tend to cup and split first. A good penetrating stain slows that way down.
Wind
This is the one that surprises people. A solid 6-foot fence catches a lot of wind no matter what it's made of, and Saratoga Springs gets plenty. Vinyl panels flex and can pop out of the rails if the posts are weak or the fence was put together loose. Wood is stiffer, so all that force goes straight into the posts.
Either way the answer is the same: posts set deep in concrete, closer post spacing on exposed lots, and metal inserts in vinyl gate and end posts. Built that way, either material handles our wind.
Winter
Cold doesn't bother wood much. Vinyl gets stiffer when it's cold and can crack if something hits it hard on a January morning, which is one more reason not to buy the thinnest panel out there. Snow piled against a fence all winter is hard on both, so try not to blow the driveway snow straight into it.
What about the HOA?
A lot of neighborhoods in Saratoga Springs spell out the material, color and height they'll allow, and many lean toward vinyl in white, tan or almond. Check your CC&Rs, or just ask your HOA, before you get attached to one or the other. We're happy to look at the rules with you at the estimate.
So which one?
Go with vinyl if your HOA wants it, you plan to stay a long time, or you just don't want another chore. Go with wood if you love the look, want to spend a little less now, and don't mind staining it every couple of summers. Still stuck? Call (801) 346-6552 and we'll tell you what we'd put in if it were our yard.