What is the Difference Between Vinyl Fence & PVC Fence in South & Central Florida

by William Roberson
September 18, 2022
Tags: Vinyl Fence Terms

Is there a difference between the terms “vinyl fence” & “PVC fence”?

There is oftentimes some confusion between the two terms, “vinyl fence” & “PVC fence,” but is there a distinguishable difference between the fencing products that they both refer to?

The simple answer to “what is the difference between vinyl fence and PVC fence” is no, there is not; they are both synonyms used to refer to a type of fence called a synthetic fence when it is made of vinyl. The terms can be used interchangeably when referring to this fence material.

What does PVC fence mean?

Synthetic fences, sometimes also called plastic fences, are composed of synthetic plastics, in this case vinyl fence or PVC fences are comprised of a chemical compound called: Polyvinyl Chloride, or PVC when abbreviated.

Vinyl fence profiles are typically also fortified with other chemical components such as ultraviolet light protectants and impact resistors. Our manufacturer, Homeland, uses titanium dioxide UV inhibitors mixed with its profile chemical composition to resist the sun’s harmful effects.

How are PVC fence profiles made?

Vinyl fence or PVC fence profiles begin as a melted down PVC resin which is then injected with other chemical compounds and then co-extruded through an extrusion machine

Much like how playdough can be pushed through the various presses that exist, PVC resin is similarly pushed (extruded) through these machines into certain shapes that make up a typically vinyl fence.

The co-extrusion process creates layers of material that make up the wall of a vinyl fence profile:

The outer layer, or capstock, which is the finished layer and also the layer with UV inhibitors
The inner layer, or substrate, which is the raw unfinished PVC and also the layer with impact modifiers

You can see this process tested in the following video:

Which is the most commonly used way to refer to fences made from polyvinyl chloride?

In the local South Florida & Central Florida fencing industry, synthetic fences are typically referred to as PVC fences, but this is just between manufacturers, engineers, and contractors. With retail stores, retail customers, and most searchers online, vinyl fence is the more popular term by almost 5 times.

You will notice that our company is called All Star PVC Fence, but we refer to our products as vinyl fences or PVC fences – ultimately the two terms are interchangeable and there is no consensus on which term is more appropriate, which is why we suggest using both.

Is PVC fence better than vinyl fence in South Florida & Central Florida?

Hopefully, you now have a better understanding of the fact that the terms PVC fence and vinyl fence are synonyms, and though each manufacturer, wholesaler, or retailer may refer to their products as one term or the other, or perhaps both, that ultimately they are the same thing and that there is no difference between the two terms.