Combining Colors for a Unique Look

Color Combinations Add a Distinct Appearance to Trex Fencing

 

Trex Fencing with dark brown posts and rails and tan pickets

 

A popular alternative to using a single color for a Trex fence is to integrate more than one color into a fence design. With three color options, this gives a customer a large number of combinations that could compliment a property’s specific color scheme.

 

The most popular combination is what one of our customers dubbed “peanut butter cup.” This combination uses Woodland Brown posts, top rails, and bottom rail covers with Saddle pickets. Because Trex fencing components are not pre-assembled as fixed panels, combining the elements is easy to create this distinct two-toned appearance. To create a similar look with a wood fence would be difficult because painting or staining would have to be done in two phases and require a significant amount of covering to protect from over-spray of the alternating colors.

 

Peanut Butter Cup Trex Gate with picture frame Peanut Butter Cup Trex Gate with no picture frameWe have had requests to build gates with two different options. If you are considering any combination of colors and are ordering pre-built gates, be sure to specify how you want the uprights to look. One option is to use Saddle on the sides of the gates to exactly emulate the look of the fence where pickets are all the same color right up to the posts. The other option is to create a “picture frame” look so the gate stands out from the rest of the fence.

 

Here are some examples of other combinations using all three Trex Fencing colors: Saddle, Winchester Grey, and Woodland Brown.

 

 

Trex Fence with Dark Brown Posts and Light Brown Pickets

 

 

 

 

Project Spotlight: Plaza Condominiums, San Diego, CA

San Diego Condominium Association Selects Trex Fencing

Patio fencing at Plaza Condominiums, San Diego

Community associations love Trex fencing. After experiencing years of maintenance, dilapidated panels, and rotting posts, association boards and property managers look beyond wood for a more permanent, low-maintenance solution. Trex typically fits the bill. With its fully private, neighbor-friendly design, the bonus is that an association gets an attractive alternative to the common traditional design of wood fences.

 

Old wood fence before replacement with Trex

The wood fence required regular upkeep and was warping and splintering

Because a fence replacement can be a large expenditure, many associations need to build up reserves prior to the purchase. If you are in the process of doing a reserve study or just need basic budgetary information, we can give you some guidelines. One of the biggest benefits of a Trex fence is that you front load costs which means you can virtually eliminate ongoing maintenance budgets for more than two decades. Your homeowners and other community property owners will be pleased with that!

 

This project spotlight focuses on a condominium association in the San Diego, California area. Trex fencing was installed over the last two years in two phases comprising several ground level units that needed to replace wood fencing around their patios. The layout required a fence height of 48″ with short returns to the exterior walls. To create a snug, attractive fit, the posts and caps next to the walls were cut in half and attached directly to the wall.  The HOA chose the Saddle color with flat top post caps.

 

 

 

More Creative Ideas for Fencing

Using Trex Components to build Custom Fence Designs

While the Trex Seclusions and Horizons systems are based on specifically configured designs, the fact that the material is not assembled in pre-built panels means a person building a fence has quite a bit of latitude for creativity. Trex is similar to wood in that it can be cut to any length from its original dimensions. That’s why it’s easy to build a fence shorter or taller than the standard 6′ or 8′ tall height. The components can also be used in combination with other materials as we’ve written about in previous posts (such as bamboo fill in between Trex posts and rails).

 

Here are two designs contributed by contractors that have adjusted the configuration of the Trex fence. The first example is a semi-private fence with a baluster top to provide a more open appearance. There are a couple of different ways of building this style. In both cases, a frame is built with balusters spaced apart like railing to create an attractive window without compromising security. The method used to create the look for the baluster top is simple. Since the Trex aluminum rail is shaped like an “H”, channels exist on the top and bottom where material can be inserted. In this design, a second bottom rail serves as a mid-rail which allows the pickets beneath to be enclosed by the bottom cavity of the aluminum rail and a semi-privacy panel is dropped into the top channel of the aluminum rail. Then, once the panel is in place the Trex top rail is placed over the top of the panel to secure it. Keep in mind room needs to exist for the top rail brackets, so the baluster panel would need to be a little narrower than the actual space between the posts.  Here’s a graphic that shows the basic principles of this design.

 

Trex Fence with open-top design using metal balusters for semi-privacy

 

The second example is a clever use of Trex fence pickets to create a closed-off space under a deck. In this instance, the homeowner had the need for outdoor storage that he wanted to keep out of site. Using the interlocking Trex picket system, the contractor framed a structure under the deck and built a sturdy wall and door. The finished look complimented the Trex decking material above and gave the whole deck a beautiful finished look. Because the pickets interlock, the space underneath is completely hidden.

 

Fence Pickets Used to Create a Closed Off Space Under a Trex Deck

 

 

Recent Projects with Unique Applications

Trex Fencing is Versatile and Compatible with Various Materials

 

We love project photos and it’s always interesting to see how customers use their creativity to come up with unique designs using the Trex fencing product. Here are some recent examples of these types of projects.

 

Bamboo used as pickets for a fenceTrex Fencing with Bamboo. For this particular installation in Miami, Florida, the homeowner wanted a completely distinct look and chose to combine Trex fencing with bamboo in between the posts and rails. This gave the fence some transparency with a combination of finished and rustic elements.

 

 

 

 

 

Trex Fence Posts with Ornamental Panels Around PoolTrex Posts for a Pool Fence. Previously, we’ve highlighted how good Trex posts look with ornamental metal panels. Here’s an example of an installation near Clovis, California around a pool where the Trex posts provide a substantial and colorful appearance to compliment the iron panels. The contractor easily attached the panels to the Trex posts using mounting brackets.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Security and privacy fencing for charging stationTrex for Utility Enclosures. The industrial look of utilities such as HVAC units or electrical chargers can feel out of place or distracting to the eye in areas where aesthetics are important. Fencing or screening helps to cover the view of these machines and Trex is particularly appealing as a solution because it provides full opacity and an attractive finish. Here is an example of a utility enclosure in Nevada using 8′ tall Trex fencing. The other side has gates to allow access to the equipment.

 

 

 

 

Panera Bread Dumpster Enclosure Using Trex GatesTrex for Dumpster Gates. Like utility enclosures, Trex is often specified by architects for dumpster gates specifically for the reasons of aesthetics and durability. Here is a project for a Panera Bread location in Boardman, Ohio. In this case, the opening was approximately 16 ft., so the contractor built a welded back frame and used Trex fencing on the front. The interlocking pickets were attached to the frame using self-tapping screws and then the fasteners were covered up by the rails.

 

 

 

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