Vinyl vs wood vs aluminum fence in Rockland and Bergen

Wood fence

Wood is the traditional choice for privacy fence, and it gives the most options for style and height. Cedar and pressure treated pine are the two common species. Cedar resists rot and insects naturally and weathers to gray if left untreated. Pressure treated pine costs less in material but shrinks, twists, and checks more as it dries.

A well-built wood fence in this climate commonly lasts 15 to 20 years, and the posts usually fail first, at the point where they enter the ground. That is where the wood stays wet and where rot starts. Posts set in concrete with the top of the concrete crowned to shed water last longer than posts set in soil that holds water against them.

Wood needs upkeep. A stain or sealer every few years slows weathering, boards need replacing as they split, and gates sag as the hinge post settles. Owners who want the look of wood and do not mind the maintenance get the most flexibility from it.

Vinyl fence

Vinyl fence is made from PVC panels and hollow posts. It does not rot, does not need paint or stain, and cleans with a hose or a soft brush. A solid vinyl privacy fence is a common choice around patios and along property lines where the owner wants no maintenance.

Vinyl does have limits. It gets more brittle in cold weather, so a hard impact in January, from a snowblower, a thrown chunk of ice, or a fallen branch, can crack a panel that would have flexed in summer. Cheap vinyl with thin walls also yellows or chalks in full sun. A thicker profile from a reputable manufacturer holds up much better, and most carry long material warranties.

Solid vinyl panels catch the wind. A 6 foot privacy fence on an open lot takes a lot of wind load, and the hollow posts rely on what is inside them and under them. On exposed lots we set vinyl posts in concrete and add an aluminum insert in the gate posts and in runs that face the prevailing wind.

Aluminum fence

Aluminum fence is an ornamental picket fence with a powder coated finish, usually black. It does not rust, does not need paint, and lets air and light through. It is the usual choice for front yards, for fencing around a patio where the owner wants to keep the view, and for pool enclosures.

Because it is open, aluminum takes very little wind load. That makes it the most stable of the three on exposed or hilltop lots. Many styles are rackable, meaning the panels can follow a slope without stepping, which suits the rolling lots common in Rockland and northern Bergen.

Aluminum gives no privacy. Where the owner wants both a pool-code barrier and privacy, the usual answer is aluminum fence with a planted buffer of evergreens inside it, which is part of our fencing and privacy screen work. Aluminum can also bend if something heavy falls on it, though a damaged section can usually be replaced without redoing the run.

Frost heave and post depth

Fence posts in this area have to go below the frost line. When wet soil freezes it expands, and clay holds a lot of water. A post set too shallow gets lifted a little each winter, and after a few years the fence line is wavy and the gates no longer latch. This is called frost heave, and it is the most common reason fences fail early here.

The frost depth used for footings is about 36 to 42 inches in Rockland and Bergen. Northern New Jersey commonly uses 36 inches under the residential code. The local building department sets the exact number on each side of the state line, and we dig to it. Gate posts go at least as deep, and often deeper and wider, because they carry the gate's weight and take the swing.

Depth alone is not enough in clay. A post hole that bells out wider at the top lets frost grip the concrete and lift it. We dig straight holes, put a few inches of gravel in the bottom for drainage, and crown the concrete at the top so water runs away from the post instead of pooling around it.

Deer fence

Deer pressure is heavy across both counties, and a standard 4 or 5 foot fence does not keep them out. Rutgers NJAES says fencing to exclude deer should be at least 6 feet high, and notes that deer can clear even an 8 foot fence with enough room to jump. Most deer fence we install is 7 to 8 feet tall.

Deer fence is usually black polypropylene mesh or welded wire on steel or wood posts. It is hard to see from a distance, which matters where the fence runs through a wooded edge or along the back of a lot. The bottom edge is staked or buried a few inches so deer cannot push under it.

Before planning a tall deer fence, check the town's height limit for fences. Many towns cap rear yard fences at 6 feet, and some allow taller deer fence only in certain zones or with a variance. We check the rule before the job is priced.

Pool-code fence basics

We do not build pools, but we install fencing that meets pool barrier rules around existing pools. The residential code pool barrier rules, which most towns in New York and New Jersey follow, require the barrier to be at least 48 inches high measured on the outside, with no opening that a 4 inch sphere can pass through.

Gates in a pool barrier must be self-closing and self-latching and must swing outward, away from the pool. The latch release has to be high enough that a small child cannot reach it, typically at least 54 inches above grade, or on the pool side of the gate in a position the code allows. Most aluminum pool fence is built to these rules and comes with spring hinges and magnetic latches that meet them.

Towns inspect pool barriers, and local rules can add requirements beyond the model code. We confirm the local rule, install to it, and adjust the gate hardware at the end so the gate closes and latches on its own from any open position.

HOA and town height limits

Height is usually the first limit a fence runs into. Many towns limit front yard fences to about 4 feet and rear and side yard fences to about 6 feet, but the numbers and the definitions of front, side, and rear yard vary by town and by zone. Corner lots often have extra limits near the intersection so drivers can see around the corner.

Homeowners associations and condominium boards often add their own rules on material and color, and some allow only one style of fence in the community. HOA approval is separate from the town permit, and the owner usually needs both before we start.

Permits, surveys, and where a fence can sit relative to the property line are covered in our fence permits and property lines guide. We give a written scope and fixed price after the site visit, once the material, height, and layout are settled.

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