OUT WITH THE OLD -
IN WITH THE NEW By Jim Sweet (This article was published in the October/November 1998 issue of The Common Area Communicator, the newsletter for the Bay Area Chapter of the Community Associations Institute.) "We’d never go back to wood!" says Irene Waldrip, property manager and past president of Twin Creeks South Poolside HOA. Her association was faced with replacing their wood fence after their painting contractor determined that repair and painting costs might not be justified because of the condition of the fence. Ironically Waldrip was first introduced to the idea of vinyl fencing, which never needs to be painted, by CAI member Kelly Adamic of Corum Painting who has since become her employer. "We got to know one another because of the fence," reports Waldrip "which resulted in a maintenance-free fence for our association and a new career for me. There was some initial resistance by the board members to the idea of a vinyl fence but after a close look, it simply made sense." "One Of Our Initial Concerns Was Graffiti…" "One of our initial concerns was graffiti. An experiment showed us a little acetone and a cloth was all it took to remove the paint. We also realized that the cost of a vinyl fence was much lower overall than wood. We had spent a great deal of money over the years maintaining and repairing the old wood fence and we would no longer have to set aside reserves for repair or replacement of our new vinyl fence." Vinyl Fencing Increased Unit Value "After we finished painting the complex and installing a vinyl fence, a local realtor said he estimated that we had increased the value of each unit by $5,000. Our homeowners commented a lot more about the fence than they did the fresh paint. Everybody loves it." The problems with wood include termites, dry rot, fungus damage, splintering, cracking, peeling, fading, shrinking, warping, painting, sealing, replacing, repairing, rusting nails and on-going labor. Eliminates Problems and Adds Beauty As well as eliminating the problems associated with wood, vinyl continues to look attractive because the color is not just on the surface like paint. It goes all the way through so it can’t be scratched or worn off. U.V. Protected U.V. protection is accomplished with the use of Titanium Dioxide in the initial blending process. This offers protection equivalent to a sun block of 38, which is why the manufacturer is able to offer a Lifetime Warranty. Other ingredients included in the initial recipe are called Impact Modifiers. These make vinyl strong and flexible enough to hold horses and cattle as well as busy families and pets. If you’re driving in the country and see a beautiful white ranch rail fence surrounding a property, look closely at it because most likely it will be vinyl. Ranchers have been the first to jump on the vinyl bandwagon due to safety, maintenance and longevity concerns. In fact, after only 15 years of production, it is a rare event to see a new wood ranch fence going up. The whole market is converting to vinyl. Clients Like Maintenance-Free Solution Embarking on her first vinyl fence installation, Patty Dawn of Bridgecliff Management says "My clients like the idea of a long-term low maintenance solution. Vinyl fills that need." The use of vinyl for residential fence styles and decking is the fastest growing segment of the construction market today. Although California is usually the trendsetter in the nation, vinyl fence and deck has become more recognized in the less temperate areas of the country because the extreme climates destroy wood products at a much greater rate. A Better Environmental Choice Also, California has had a wealth of inexpensive high quality redwood in the past; but the old growth quality is gone and so are the inexpensive prices. The ecology conscious consumer is now looking for an alternative to redwood and pressure-treated fir or cedar is not the answer because of the toxic chemicals used to protect it. Even the scraps and sawdust from pressure-treated wood are considered "hazardous waste." Vinyl Popularity Grows Alternative building materials are becoming more popular with homeowners across the country. Steel studs that replace 2 X 4s for construction of walls are more common than ever before. Vinyl is proving to be an important player in the housing market as homeowners turn to vinyl siding, vinyl windows, vinyl shutters, doors, trim and gutters and now vinyl fencing and decks. Another benefit of a vinyl fence is that it isn't affected by sprinklers and swimming pool chemicals so community pools and common areas stay beautiful looking. Vinyl Installation Similar to Wood Installation of a vinyl fence is similar to wood. The vinyl fence posts go in the ground 30 inches and are set in concrete. The major difference is that some of the styles use concrete and re-bar inside the posts for additional strength. Galvanized steel inserts are also used in some styles for structural support. The most popular applications with HOAs are privacy fencing, decking, railing and patio covers. Vinyl isn’t affected by sprinklers or swimming pool chemicals so swimming pool fencing is also quite popular. "We Love Our Fence..." Mario Vargas from the Southwest YMCA in Saratoga, CA says, "We love our fence, it looks great! But what we like best is that it’s so strong and safe for the kids." Although there will always be a place for wood, vinyl simply out performs wood or iron which accounts for its rapid growth in the construction market. Within a few years it’s likely that many HOAs will be echoing the statement made by Irene Waldrip at the beginning of this article: "We’d never go back to wood." Jim Sweet, a CAI member, is president of A Vinyl Fence Co., Inc., specializing in creative problem solving with management companies and homeowner associations for fence, gates, decks, patio covers and railing systems. He represents these different manufacturers in the San Francisco Bay area including Lifetime Vinyl Fencing. | 
