Cedar, vinyl or aluminum?

What each one costs, how long it lasts and what it asks of you, from the crew that builds all three.

We build in all three, so we have no reason to push one. Here is how they compare.

Cedar

The warmest and the least expensive to start with. It lasts twenty years or more on posts set in concrete, and asks for a stain every three or four years if you want to keep the colour; left alone, it greys to silver.

Vinyl

Costs a little more and asks for nothing but a rinse. It comes in privacy, picket and lattice-top styles, and good vinyl stays white for decades. It looks like what it is, which suits some houses better than others.

Aluminum

See-through, strong and maintenance-free, for front gardens, pools and slopes. It doesn’t give privacy, but it marks the line and keeps the dog in without hiding the garden.