Questions and Answers About Heritage Vinyl Products
What is Heritage Vinyl made of?
Our exclusive vinyl is formulated from raw materials including polyvinyl
chloride (PVC), UV inhibitors and impact modifiers.
Using only 100% pure, time-tested quality ingredients allows for superior performance, stability,
durability, weatherability and overall life.
How is Heritage Vinyl manufactured?
Heritage products are manufactured from 100% virgin vinyl using a state-of-the-art
process called coextrusion. Heritage uses the
coextrusion method to concentrate the important UV inhibitors on the exterior layer
where they combat the sun.
What different styles does Heritage offer?
There are over 30 Heritage styles of fencing along with two railing choices, Teck
Deck® and an assortment of garden accessories. Heritage offers styles ranging from a full privacy
fence, to a classic picket fence, to a "wrought-iron" look, to traditional ranch styles. To accent the
yard, there are picnic tables, park benches, arbors and trellises. All fence styles have matching gates in
standard configurations that can be hung as a single or double gate.
What colors are available from Heritage?
Heritage Fence®, railing and Teck Deck® are
manufactured in four beautiful accent colors: a pristine white, a soft gray, a medium tan and a creamy
ivory. Heritage garden products are available in white only. All Heritage colors are consistent so that
color matching with other Heritage products now or in the future is never a problem.
Why doesn't Heritage Vinyl come in dark colors?
It is a scientific fact that dark colors fade and deteriorate more quickly than light colors. This means a
more complex vinyl formula is necessary to protect and preserve dark colors. As a manufacturer dedicated
to lasting quality, Heritage feels that the technological capabilities have yet to be developed that would
guarantee our customers a lifetime product.
Do I have to use the post caps shown in your photos?
No. Heritage offers 13 different post caps in all four colors. You can choose one specific style or mix
and match as you like. Unlike other manufacturers, we make our own post caps to ensure the proper color
match, best possible fit and long-term quality.
Does it look like wood?
Stylistically, Heritage Vinyl resembles standard wood profiles, but it does not have a wood grain finish.
Is it safe and durable for everyday use?
Heritage products have smooth surfaces with no nails, sharp edges or splinters. You, your children and
your pets are all safer. Although Heritage fence styles are not easily climbable, they are designed to
withstand climbing or sitting. In addition, Heritage fences hold up to routine property maintenance. We
do advise you to be careful when using mowers, weeders and clippers along your fence line.
Do Heritage products meet safety and building codes?
Most Heritage products meet or exceed local, state and national building codes. Because building codes
vary from region to region, contact your local Heritage dealer for information on your community standards.
Is Heritage Vinyl environmentally safe?
Does it have lead in it?
Heritage Vinyl is safe and non-toxic. It contains no lead and does not require the heavy metals and
dangerous chemicals needed to prepare and maintain wood. Heritage Vinyl is manufactured in a state-of-the-art
facility created specifically to produce vinyl. Heritage Vinyl is environmentally safe. No trees must be
harvested, no chemicals are used that might contaminate your yard, and it does not break down when exposed
to the elements, soil or ground water.
Is it safe for horses?
Yes. Heritage Vinyl Products has been serving the equine community since 1984. Veterinarians will tell you
that the wrong fence can do more damage than good. Safety issues from leaning to charging to cribbing are
also important fence issues. Vinyl's smooth surface discourages horses from chewing, leaning and rubbing
against the fence to scratch themselves.
Is it strong?
Vinyl has five times the tensile strength of wood yet four times the flexibility of wood. Each Heritage
fence and deck product is engineered to maximize the strength and flexibility factors of a quality vinyl.
Heritage adds additional stability by using properly placed cross-braces in gates, reinforced ribs in
rails, a sturdy self-notching rail system and maintenance-free metal supports.
Is it heavy?
No. Vinyl weighs about 1.1 pounds per linear foot. This is much lighter than the weight of the typical
wood used in home projects. However, Heritage Vinyl is very strong and resilient and easier with which
to work. In dock applications, vinyl's weight advantage can be a tremendous benefit for builders.
Will it burn?
Heritage Vinyl has a high flash point of 900°F. Therefore it does not readily ignite. If fire is held
to the vinyl, it will burn. But as soon as the source of the fire is taken away, the vinyl will self-extinguish.
Will it turn yellow?
No. Yellowing and fading in vinyl products are due to the sun's ultraviolet rays. Heritage products contain
10 parts per 100 of titanium dioxide (TiO2), which is like using SPF 40 sunscreen
to protect your skin. This amount of TiO2 is more than sufficient to prevent breakdown from the sun's
ultraviolet rays. Heritage's vinyl formula exceeds the industry standards to guarantee you a lifetime
fence or deck.
Will it crack?
All materials expand and contract with hot and cold temperatures. Impact modifiers add flex to Heritage
Vinyl so that the product will give instead of crack or splinter like wood. Only under extreme circumstances
will Heritage Vinyl crack. Heritage Vinyl flexes as a safety measure. This is especially important for
Ranch Rail fences that contain beloved horses and other valuable livestock. Heritage
Fence® and Teck Deck® are designed to perform under normal homeowner
and horse owner conditions.
How can it be cleaned?
Heritage Vinyl is a maintenance-free product. But if cleaning is necessary, it can be done with water, a
brush with detergent, or even a mild bleach solution. Cleaning products should always be tested on a
hidden section of your fence before using on exposed areas. Strong chemicals may not hurt the vinyl, but
take care not to hurt the environment.
Will it mildew?
The surface is a difficult environment for mildew to grow. Heritage Vinyl is very smooth and non-porous.
Only under the wettest conditions will mildew grow on Heritage Vinyl. If mildew does appear, it can be
easily removed with water and/or a mild bleach solution.
Can I paint it?
Heritage Vinyl is a maintenance-free product that always looks like new. Your fence will always look
freshly painted, so there is no reason to paint it except to change color. We do not recommend painting
any Heritage vinyl product. Epoxy-based paint is the only paint that will adhere properly to the smooth
vinyl surface. However, this type of paint damages the vinyl's surface and would void the Heritage
Lifetime warranty.
How is a Heritage Fence® installed?
Basically, a Heritage vinyl fence is installed much like a wood fence. Most components are precut and
routed from the factory. We even preassemble some styles into 6-foot wide sections. Posts are secured into
the ground with concrete footings just like an ordinary wood fence. Rails are inserted into posts and
pickets into rails. A properly installed Heritage Fence is a strong, durable, lifetime fence.
How is Teck Deck® installed?
Teck Deck®'s patented two-piece system makes for a simple, straightforward
installation. Bottom planks are screwed onto the substructure and the top layer is rolled out and snapped
into place. End cuts are then hidden by finishing pieces. The only tools required are standard woodworking
tools and two inexpensive Heritage deck spacers.
Do Heritage products come with a warranty?
Yes. In fact, no other manufacturer offers a Lifetime Warranty like Heritage.
Our warranty is a non-prorated transferrable lifetime warranty. It covers materials (repair or replacement),
freight and labor costs. Our warranty lasts the lifetime of the original purchaser or until the property
is sold. It can then be transferred to the next owner for their lifetime or until the property is resold.
Is Heritage Vinyl more expensive than wood?
Initially, Heritage Fence® or Teck Deck® may
cost you more than wood. However, you will never need to invest any more time or money into a Heritage
product since it lasts a lifetime. Wood, on the other hand, will need to be maintained regularly whether
painting, repairing from splinters, replacing pieces damaged from insects or weather damage. Heritage
Vinyl always looks fresh and new. Comparison costs of wood vs. vinyl vary greatly from region to region.
Escalating wood costs and inconsistent grades and quality have made vinyl even more economical for busy
homeowners. Your local authorized Heritage dealer can give you a free estimate for material and installation
costs.
Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC): PVC is the main component in the manufacturing process
of Heritage products. There are many chemical forms of vinyl. Some formulations are flexible. Others are
termed "rigid". Heritage Vinyl is formulated out of this rigid dry-blend compound developed for high
output extrusion. Our exclusive formula is blended for outdoor toughness and color hold.
Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) is a chemical additive that acts as a bleaching
agent and sunscreen for Heritage Vinyl. Heritage Vinyl contains 10 parts per 100 of TiO2. Because Heritage
Vinyl is manufactured using coextrusion, the majority of TiO2 is concentrated on the outer layer where it
is exposed to the sun. This ingredient is critical to the long-term weatherability of Heritage Vinyl
Products.
Impact modifiers are important ingredients for Heritage Vinyl. We add just
enough flexibility to our vinyl so that our fences will flex under impact but not sag over a period of
time or during the heat of the day. We reinforce many fence styles with rustproof steel inserts to assure
strength and stability. Heritage fences are designed to look like new, even after years of use.
Coextrusion is the manufacturing process that Heritage uses to molecularly
bond the pure virgin ingredients into two layers. These layers are fused through extreme heat and pressure
and cannot be physically separated.
Coextrusion allows Heritage to have the ability to control the placement of the majority of the UV
inhibitor TiO2 to the outside where it is exposed to the sun. The "layers" are molecularly bonded during
the process and cannot physically be separated. The product quality and color are true throughout.
As a coextruded manufacturer that uses only 100% virgin ingredients, Heritage assures the consumer the
best quality possible and guarantees the vinyl will maintain its color and will not decay, blister, rust
or suffer insect damage.
100% Virgin Ingredients: Heritage Vinyl is manufactured using only 100% virgin
materials throughout. Using pure product assures Heritage Vinyl customers a quality lifetime product.
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