Is there a difference between PVC and vinyl?

In the fence industry, no. In fact, vinyl is the “V” in PVC.

Polyvinyl chloride

In 1835 a French chemist left several flasks of vinyl chloride near an open window, exposing them to sunlight. When he returned some time later he was surprised to discover a white solid polymer inside the flasks. Henri Victor Regnault had discovered PVC. Commercial uses came much later on, though. You can read more about the story of Vinyl/PVC here.

So why two names?

It’s a matter of taste. Some think vinyl sounds better than an impersonal acronym like PVC. Others believe vinyl has connotations for other products and feel PVC is the better descriptor.

We use “vinyl” for the fence, railing, and gate pages on our site and in our catalogues. But we’re not stuffy about it, we’re comfortable with either.

Cellular PVC

You’ll see the term “Cellular PVC” in regard to decks on our site. It’s a nod to deck industry conventions and an effort to stay consistent with our suppliers. The “Cellular” part refers to small bubbles in the polyvinyl chloride that make it more supple and easy to work with. The process keeps the strength that you see in PVC pipes without any of the brittleness. It’s in our fences too.