When vinyl first became a positive force in outdoor living products in the mid-1980s, it was basically used for decorative applications such as front porch railings. As the material was improved through various manufacturing experimentation and product testing, vinyl railing was reinforced and strengthened. Now its strong enough to be used wherever traditional wood and/or metal railings are used, such as front porches, high-rise apartment balconies and stadium guardrails.

One improvement that strengthened vinyl railings comes from inserting non-corrosive aluminum in both the top and bottom rail. Another is the addition of UV additives that prevent the suns rays from blistering, cracking or discoloring the vinyl. That makes vinyl railing not only incredibly durable, but virtually maintenance-free.

Maintenance Can Be Free
Comparing the degree of maintenance between vinyl railing and its wood counterpart is no contest. All vinyl railings need is an annual wash; if it has been subjected to a lot of damp weather, an additional wash with a mild detergent may be needed to prevent mildew and mold. Wood, on the other hand, will have to be sanded, painted, caulked, scraped and replaced if it deteriorates over time. Simply put, vinyl systems do not deteriorate.

Its true that, price-wise, the initial outlay for vinyl railing can be twice as much as a wood railing. However, when you factor is maintenance costs, a wood railing will cost as much, if not more, as vinyl railing in as little as five years. In that light, its not surprising to find more and more people opting for the convenience and durability of vinyl railing.