I went vinyl last summer, and honestly, installation wasn't too bad—just make sure your posts are level or you'll be staring at a crooked fence for years (ask me how I know...). I get the appeal of cedar, but after my dog chewed through my last wooden fence like it was a giant chew toy, vinyl was a no-brainer. No regrets so far, and zero staining weekends is a big win.
"just make sure your posts are level or you'll be staring at a crooked fence for years (ask me how I know...)"
Ha, I feel your pain on the crooked fence thing—been there, done that. Learned the hard way that eyeballing it isn't enough. Now I always use a string line and a good old-fashioned bubble level. Takes a bit longer, but worth every minute to avoid that nagging feeling every time you look outside.
Vinyl fences are definitely appealing for maintenance, but I've seen mixed results when it comes to durability with large dogs. A friend's lab managed to pop out a few vinyl panels by repeatedly jumping against them. Curious—did you reinforce yours in any way, or has it held up fine on its own? I've been considering vinyl for my next flip, but still weighing the pros and cons...
I had the same issue with vinyl panels popping out—my boxer figured out he could push them loose pretty quick. Ended up adding some wood supports behind the panels...not exactly pretty, but it did the trick. Has yours held up okay without reinforcement?
Mine didn't hold up long without reinforcement either. My lab figured out pretty quickly that nudging the panels was enough to pop them loose. Ended up zip-tying some wire mesh behind the vinyl—still looks decent and hasn't budged since. Wood supports sound sturdy, but if you're looking for something less bulky, mesh might be worth a shot.
Had the same issue with my vinyl panels—my golden retriever figured out pretty quickly that if he leaned just right, they'd pop loose. I tried zip ties at first too, but he somehow managed to chew through a couple of them (still not sure how he pulled that off...). Anyway, I ended up going with mesh as well, but instead of zip ties, I used some thin metal wire to secure it. It was pretty easy:
1. Picked up a roll of galvanized wire mesh from the hardware store—nothing fancy, just basic garden fencing.
2. Cut it down to size using wire cutters (wear gloves for this part, trust me).
3. Positioned the mesh behind the vinyl panels and secured it by threading thin metal wire through the mesh and around the fence posts.
4. Twisted the wire ends tightly with pliers so they wouldn't budge.
Honestly, it took maybe an hour total and cost less than $20. It's been holding strong for over a year now, even through storms and my dog's persistent curiosity. Plus, it's barely noticeable from a distance—still looks clean and neat.
Wood supports definitely sound sturdy, but I agree they're a bit bulky and might change the look more than you'd like. Mesh is lightweight, affordable, and blends in nicely. Just make sure you secure it well enough that your pup can't wiggle or chew through it...lesson learned on my end!
