Among the main fencing materials is PVC fencing. PVC stands for Polyvinyl Chloride, a material made from a combination of plastic and vinyl.
The material is extremely popular in plumbing because it doesn’t rust and can readily absorb shock.
While plumbers have been using the material for more than a half-century, PVC fencing was introduced in the marketplace in the 1980s, principally in the agricultural industry.
The key selling points were the fence’s durability and low maintenance. PVC doesn’t twist or warp and is resistant to wear and damage from climate. They are resistant to bugs and insects, as well.
PVC fences never have to be painted or stained, a plus for use on horse farms where white fences are desired.
Initial PVC fencing was white but would suffer from ‘yellowing,’ meaning a faded yellow color would develop after long exposure to sunshine. Manufacturers quickly added inhibitors to PVC fences which kept them from yellowing.
They also began manufacturing vinyl fences in a variety of natural colors and have improved manufacturing to limit the fading of darker colors by adding acrylic to the PVC manufacturing process.
In our next post we will look more closely at other improvements being made to vinyl fencing.