, ,

The Introduction of Composite Fencing

The Introduction of Composite Fencing

In 1989, we started out as Cedar Fence Co. and as the name implies, we installed wood fencing almost exclusively. Other than chain link, at the time there were no other significant alternatives to wood in residential fencing in our market.

As we evolved, we began to provide the installation of decks and other outdoor structures. Gravitating towards deck building was an important move for our company because it later introduced us to composites.

Over the ensuing years, we found that composites have become the preferred decking material in Utah. Last year, our company was acknowledged as the largest purchaser of Trex decking materials in our region and today less than 5% of our decks are built in wood.

Additionally, since the introduction of Trex fencing in 2005, we have seen a shift to composite fencing. We have promoted the product heavily in our area and now build over half of all fences with Trex. The demand is still growing in favor of composite properties, particularly in the new housing market. We’ve found that the composite fence is especially attractive to consumers with larger homes – an interesting trend that relates well to the history of vinyl fencing as you will see in a moment.

Composites have proven to be versatile, attractive, combine well with our wood projects, and our marketplace has readily embraced them as the product of choice for many applications.

This excerpt is taken from a presentation in 2007 to the Composite Association in Baltimore Maryland. As presented by Rick Ashcraft, President of Fence & Deck Supply.

 

,

Composite Fence Benefits

Fences made from composite materials are strong, durable, and they are mostly unaffected by moisture. Composite fencing is also low maintenance. Most of the time all you have to do is hose your fence down and let it dry. Stubborn areas can be taken care of with a pressure washer or cleaning fluids and a scrub brush.

The ease at which composite fencing can be put up is also appealing. The steps to install composite fencing is much the same as with wood fencing; there is usually no call for special tools, which are expensive and a lot of people view as a waste of money because they are only used for one project. Some manufactures make it so that traditional woodworking tools, such as routers and table saws, can be used for construction and customization. The ability to customize your fence and make it unique is much better than with vinyl fencing (another popular alternative to wood fencing).

There are environmental benefits to using composite fencing as well. The people who make composite decking and fencing were “green” before it became popular. Most composite fencing is made from 50 to 100 percent recycled materials. It keeps plastics like shrink wrap and grocery bags out of the landfills, and it creates a use for leftover wood pulp from paper mills that would normally go to waste. Another point in composite fencing’s favor is that it isn’t laced with chemicals like pressure treated wood is. These chemicals can sometimes leech into the surrounding area-especially if the structure or fence is several years old and decaying- and the sawdust from pressure treated wood can be hazardous to your health if ingested or inhaled.

, , ,

Neighbor Friendly Fence Designs

As a homeowner and deciding the right fence style for your property lines shared with neighbors, I recommend choosing a neighbor friendly fence design. What is a neighbor friendly fence design? A neighbor friendly fence design provides the same look on both sides without adding additional materials to have the same look. For instance, a dog-eared wood fence usually has 2 or 3 2×4 rails on one side and the pickets (slats) are on the other side. On the property line with this fence style, one property owner is getting the good looking side of the fence which is the picket side and the other property owner is getting the ugly side of the fence with the 2×4 rails which is the rail side. Yes you can alternate the fence sections so each property owner will be getting a good side of the fence every 8’ on center but this does not keep a consistent uniformed neighbor friendly fence design along the property line. See the picture below to know what a typical dog-eared alternating section fence looks like.

Now selecting a neighbor friendly fence design can be sometimes difficult because these fence types typically cost more than a dog-eared wood fence but usually have virtues such as low-maintenance: no painting or staining, product warranty, resistant to insect damage and won’t warp, rot, or splinter. The following fences are known as neighbor friendly fence designs without modifying the original design: Trex fencing a wood composite (www.TrexFencing.com), SimTek Fence a simulated rock wall (www.SimTekFence.com), vinyl fence a poly vinyl chloride, Ornamental fence a manufactured galvanized powder coated product (www.FortressFence.com), or Jerith an aluminum alloy product. (www.Jerith.com), and depending on the style of wood fence there are options for a neighbor friendly fence design.

Not known as neighbor friendly fence designs without modifying the original design: Fiberon Fence, TimberTech Fence, Nature Composites, Moisture Shield, WoodShades, Veranda, cedar wood.

, , ,

Trex Fencing Wind Load Testing

When Trex Seclusions® wood composite fencing was first brought into production in 2005, Trex® wanted to make sure that they had a more superior product to the common dog-eared composite fences that were being manufactured. In March of 2009, the Trex Company sent their fence product to York, PA to have it tested for its Miami-Dade wind load capacity.

The setup included a steel fixture to simulate an embedded rigid post. The bottom rail was a standard 2” from the ground. The panels tested were 6’ high by 8’ wide and the posts are 5” x 5”. The fence was assembled by the testing company Architectural Testing at their York, PA campus.

In the test, wind speeds started out at 75mph for 50 seconds, then reduced to zero for one minutes to check for recovery. Recovery is the distance the panel, pickets, posts, and rails move from having the wind blowing against it, to when the wind ceases. Winds speeds were then increased to 110mph for 35 seconds, then reduced to zero for one minute to determine recovery.

In the observations, there was neither separation of fence components nor any visible damage. The Trex Seclusions® fence withstood a maximum sustained wind of 110mph, which is equivalent to a “three-second gust” wind speed of 126mph.

In a separate test, the posts were used to see what kind of support the post could withstand. One end of the post was securely anchored to a horizontal test frame. The load was set 38” from the end of the post frame. The post was then loaded with weights until the post failed. The final load the post could withstand was an astonishing 1737lbs.

Trex is a very rigid and durable fence; one that will outlast the tests of time… and wind. You can learn more at www.trexfencing.com or call Fence and Deck Supply at 1-877-700-8739.

, , ,

Trex Composite Fence Sound Test

When Trex Seclusions® wood composite fencing was first brought into production in 2005, Trex® wanted to make sure that they had a more superior product to the common dog-eared composite fences that were being manufactured. In December 2006, the Trex Company sent their fence product to York, PA to have it tested for its sound barrier quality. In a sound barrier test, the product is placed inside well insulated walls using three layers of 5/8” gypsum board. The wall cavities are filled with R-13 fiberglass insulation. The perimeter and seams get sealed with acoustical sealant.

A total of five microphones are used and tested before placement behind the fence panel. After the fence panel is in place, the microphones are strategically placed behind the fence panel to catch sound from one end of the panel to the other. Because air temperature and relative humidity affect sound, those tests were also performed and monitored during sound testing.

The test company used a hertz range from 80 on the low end up to 5000 on the high end. By using a wide range of frequencies, this assists in the testing accuracy of its final score. Trex Seclusions® wood composite fencing can block up to 95% of direct sound.

Knowing this, the state of Utah and the Department of Transportation installed over 17,000 linear feet of Trex Seclusions® along a light rail project. In most areas the fencing is 12’ tall. Try doing that with any other wood composite fence product on the market today. In Florida, they are in the works to get Trex Seclusions® approved for their light rail project. In Colorado, there is a 40 mile project going on to fence the perimeter of an HOA. No matter your application, keep the noise out and install Trex Seclusions® wood composite fencing. Call Fence and Deck Supply s at 1-877-700-8739.

, ,

Next Generation of Fencing Part 4

Market Adoption

Costs for composites are higher than wood or vinyl. The manufacturing process adds a labor and material acquisition element that does not exist with wood and, though pound-for-pound a composite product is more in line with the cost of vinyl, the significantly higher volume of material in a composite means higher cost. However, the cost benefit over time is clear once the lifetime of a fence is considered.

In a recent study by SBI Reports, forecasted demand for alternative fencing will continue to grow with composites growing the fastest. A case study for Highlands Ranch Metro District in the Denver, Colorado metropolitan area was developed to evaluate various materials and design for appearance, life span, structural integrity, costs, and construction logistics. Several conclusions led to the selection of composite fencing as the best overall solution:

  • The posts are as durable as needed and more attractive than masonry.
  • The fence wall has a smaller footprint which was important to reduce utility conflicts.
  • Requirements for long-term maintenance – staining, post replacement, reduced impact from damage such as snow plowing and low-impact situations – are lower overall than other products compared.
  • The analysis indicates that while costs for installation of Trex (the selected brand of composite) are higher at the outset, virtually all of the costs are front-loaded. Comparatively, over the lifespan of fence, the outlay of a wood fence matches Trex at around 10 years and continues to rise while the costs of a Trex product remains constant over its 25-year warranted period. The overall longevity of the fence is anticipated to be 40+ years.

This type of analysis, although perhaps more thorough than an average consumer is likely to perform, creates a growing awareness of the benefits of composite fencing. Consumers expectations of better solutions for low-maintenance fencing will cause the market to continue growing.

The introduction of products creates challenges for fence contractors and their suppliers both in creating a successful sales strategy and becoming acclimated to building with the new product. The economic downturn over the last several years has been disruptive to the traditional business model of standing pat on a core competency. As their consumer base shrinks, the contractors that selectively expand their portfolio of products will have a competitive advantage over those that do not adapt. For the short term, the contractors that make an early entry into composite fencing will be able to differentiate themselves until composites become a more widely accepted commodity as vinyl fencing has become.

, ,

Next Generation of Fencing Part 3

Design and Attributes

As mentioned, while a fence is primarily a functional element, aesthetics matter. In privacy fencing, this is particularly true because of the high visibility of the object. A consumer that is willing to invest in the landscaping of their property is likely to see a fence as an extension of their living space environment. Manufacturers of composites generally have taken one of two approaches with their products: 1) create a design that simulates a wood fence (examples are Timbertech FenceScapes and Fiberon Fencing), or 2) create a distinct design with a premium appearance. In the former, the advantage of a composite is that part of the material is composed of natural material, typically wood or another form of reclaimed organic waste. This gives the product a more wood-like appearance and texture, and is much less reflective than vinyl.  In the latter, a well-designed composite fence takes advantage of the natural attributes of its wood-based elements but because it is a manufactured product, the dimensions and aesthetics of the fence can carry a look of exceptional quality and greater value.

The benefit of a simulated look is that if a proximity to a wood appearance is preferred, composites are the best low-maintenance alternative. Composites tend to hold a richer color value than vinyl, have excellent durability, and perform better in the elements over time. However, cost becomes an issue with this design. The traditional stockade (dog-ear) style fence is more expensive than a similar wood fence, so the low-maintenance benefit may not be enough to overcome the price difference. Adding fascia rails or a top “cap” rail to create a more attractive design increases the cost, further challenging the justification for a higher-cost composite.

System-oriented fencing, on the other hand, can differ considerably in appearance but can keep the costs closer to a stockade style composite fence. Trex in particular has been successful with this design. The picture frame, shadow box (board-on-board) design creates an identical look for both sides of the fence. This is significant, particularly in residential installations where neighbors often share the cost of a fence. The fencing also centers within the post profile making it easy to center the fence on property lines. Despite its durability and strength, no composite is load bearing so the propensity for sagging is quite high. Rather than using treated wood support rails, however, the Trex fence design uses a metal (galvanized steel or aluminum) bottom rail which supports the entire fence. Because the fence is also constructed in components, the number of fasteners required is fewer than traditional wood or other composite fences.

Another unique element of a composite product is that they typically made from at least some recycled content. As sustainable building gains ground in public interest and in building requirements, composites are increasingly included in plan specifications. Timbertech, Fiberon, Terra Fence, and Trex use 51%, 84%, 94% and 95% recycled content respectively. All have green manufacturing processes as well and qualify for U.S. Green Building Council LEED certification points. Partially due to”green” criteria, Trex was selected recently in a Utah for public transportation initiative to run approximately 17,000 along a light rail line. The U.S. Forestry service also selected the product for the Black Hills National Park in South Dakota for similar reasons.

, , ,

New Generation of Fencing Part 2

Composite fencing as a next-generation product

Composite products have risen in recent years as a newer generation alternative to wood and fully-plastic materials. Composites combine natural and man-made elements for a stronger and aesthetically different product than traditional PVC-based materials. They have been substantially successful in decking, siding, and flooring applications gaining traction year-over-year.  Companies like Fiberon, Nature’s Composites, Timbertech, and Trex that have been successful previously with composite decking or other products began introducing composite fencing profiles in the mid-2000’s.

Until recently, adoption of composites in fencing has lagged. Key limiting factors were poor product design and quality, high production costs, and difficulties in using traditional distribution channels. Introducing new products also mean significant investment in marketing to build product and brand awareness. In principle, the key attributes of composites dictate that they are the most likely alternative to vinyl fencing. Composites are stronger and more durable than other synthetic products. They use a dense, thick-wall profile that makes them resistant to the types of breakage common in vinyl or other PVC products. For example, in tests where Trex Seculsions posts and pickets were subjected to strikes from objects such as gravel, golf balls, and baseballs, the material did not break. In a Miami-Dade County wind test, Trex also performed well sustaining 110 mph constant and 130 mph burst speeds with no failure.

, ,

New Generation of Fencing Part One

Composite Fencing – the growth of a new generation fencing product

Each year, new products are introduced at FENCETECH. Timing, cost, demand, and practicality are some of the factors that impact the potential success of new offerings. Some will fail to take hold. However, some products establish a foothold because they are viable solutions that fulfill a market need. The best new products typically have some historical precedence or key attribute that fill the niche that they serve. PVC fencing, manufactured ornamental steel and aluminum systems, and simulated rock walls are all game-changing products that at some point were “new-to-market.” They addressed a growing demand for low-maintenance products. In privacy fencing, plastic-based products that simulated traditional wood designs have established themselves as the best alternatives overall given their anticipated longevity and low maintenance requirements. Vinyl fencing in particular has grown aggressively to claim significant market share for privacy fencing.

It’s natural that newer products build on the successes of their predecessors, and then add refinements to address previous limitations. In our industry, wood fencing traditionally addressed the needs for privacy, and containment or exclusion, but as consumers increasingly find their time consumed with priorities other than maintaining a fence, the demand has amplified a low-maintenance requirement. Synthetic products such as PVC were developed as the next generation of privacy fencing. Over the years, vinyl and similar fencing performed well as a solution for the market needs. However, many products have inherent limitations that do not make them a complete solution. This is true for vinyl fencing. Although vinyl offers low maintenance and expense, the product has challenges in terms of durability and aesthetics. As a relatively lightweight product, production and transportation costs are lower but less material also increases the risk of degradation or damage in comparison to other more durable products. There is also something to be said about the impact of subjectivity. Buyers don’t just purchase based on price or performance. Decisions are heavily affected by the consumer’s individual sensibilities. What appeals to some may not appeal to all.