Wood: warm looks, lower cost, regular care
Cedar and pressure-treated privacy fences usually last 15 to 25 years here, as long as the posts go below frost. Wash and re-stain every 2 to 4 years or the boards go silver and check.
Where wood wins is custom work. Lattice tops, capped rails and arched gates are all easy to build in lumber.
- Lower cost up front, and almost any style you can picture
- Needs staining, and the posts must sit below frost or the fence will lean
- Best for: privacy on a budget, heritage streetscapes
Vinyl: pay once, then hose it off
Good vinyl won’t rot, warp or splinter, and it never needs paint. In the cold it flexes instead of cracking. The winter failures we see are posts that heaved because of a bad install, not broken panels.
Routed rails (not screwed ones) keep the panels locked in place through wind and frost.
- Almost no maintenance, and strong warranties
- Higher cost up front, and fewer custom shapes
- Best for: busy families, windy lakefront lots, rentals
What we recommend
Staying under 5 years, or watching the budget? Build cedar or pressure-treated right, with deep posts and good hardware. It will outlast your stay.
If you’re staying long-term or you hate maintenance, vinyl pays you back.
Whichever you choose, get frost-depth posts in writing. More on wood privacy fences and vinyl fencing.
Common questions
Will vinyl crack in an Ontario winter?
Good vinyl made for cold climates flexes instead of shattering. The real weak spots are cheap panels and shallow posts, so insist on a reputable profile set below frost.
How long will a wood fence last in Peterborough?
15 to 25 years for cedar or pressure-treated with deep-set posts. Budget fences with shallow posts often lean within 2 to 3 winters.
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