Privacy fence--wood, vinyl or something else?? What do you recommend??

Seems to me wood would be easier to repair. Just pop a board out and in. Ill say a prayerfor you if you’re the one painting those boards.

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Have you looked into composite fencing?

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Don't have the numbers, but I'd think that would be the most expensive of the 3 choices mentioned. I know composite deck boards are insanely priced.

As for a fence, especially one 8 ft. tall, you are going to have some issues with the boards twisting and warping if going with pressure treated fence boards. My neighbor put up an 8 ft. pressure treated fence about 2 years ago and I'd say about one in every 8-10 boards is bowed out at the top one way or another.

He used 4x4's for fence posts and ran 3 rows of stringers to attach the fence boards to it. One about 12 inches off the ground, a second one about 4 ft. up and a third about 1 ft. from the top of the fence.

He could have had less issues if he would have banded the top of the fence with a 2x4 across the top of the fence level with the top of the fence boards and then came in with another 2x4 on top on the flat to act as a cap.

Painting treated lumber is a PITA, especially since it comes to the sellers still very wet from the process and it takes a while to dry out so you can paint it. If me, I'd let it dry and spray on something like a Thompson's Water Seal to help protect it.

If you plan to live there for a long time, go with vinyl. Over time it is less expensive since it should last 30 years or more with no warping, rotting, replacements and very low manintenace. It is colored using a pigment concentrate in the manufacturing process and should it ever chip, it is the same color all the way through. Obviously more money initially but you will be replacing warped boards in 3-4 years.

I have had both and vinyl is the way to go. It lasts longer with a lot less maintenance.

Also I live in Florida and after Irma last year almost all of the wood fences in my neighborhood were broken and the vinyl fences just had to have some panels popped back in.

I can't even imagine how much paint it would take to cover a wood fence.