Cap composite fencing is a wood-plastic composite core wrapped in a co-extruded outer cap layer. The cap adds UV resistance, scratch resistance, salt air resistance and anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties, and it allows richer multi-tone colors than uncapped composite can hold.

All Frame It All composite fence products use the 360 Cap Coat, meaning the cap wraps the full profile rather than only the visible faces.

Frame It All Cap Composite Fence is made from a mixture of recycled plastic and sustainably sourced hardwood fibers, wrapped in a co-extruded cap layer.

It is the same material family as the garden bed boards, engineered for the different structural demands of fencing.

Frame It All Cap Composite Fence is made from premium food grade HDPE recycled from milk jugs and shampoo bottles.

In practical terms: the fence holds its color instead of fading, resists scratches from mowers and pets, does not grow mold on shaded runs, and survives coastal salt air. Those four outcomes are what the co-extruded cap adds over uncapped composite.

The cap is also what makes multi-tone colors possible. Uncapped composite is a single flat color throughout, which is the quickest way to tell the two apart by eye.

Cap Composite has a protective outer layer that resists UV fading, scratching, mold, bacteria and salt air, and supports complex multi-tone colors. Uncapped composite has no protective layer, is a single flat color throughout, and is more vulnerable to fading, mold and staining.

Color fading is the most common complaint with uncapped composite fence. The cap layer is the specific feature that addresses it.

360 Cap Coat is Frame It All's term for capping that wraps the entire profile rather than only the front face. It applies across the full fence line: individual pickets, pre-assembled panels, composite post sleeves, cap composite rails and horizontal fence boards.

Partial capping leaves uncapped edges exposed at the exact places water sits and dirt collects. Full wrap eliminates that weak point.

Yes. Every Frame It All composite fence product carries the 360 Cap Coat, including individual pickets, pre-assembled panels, composite post sleeves, cap composite rails and horizontal fence boards.

Co-extrusion is a manufacturing process where multiple layers of material are extruded together in parallel, bonding the cap to the core as both are formed. It produces a fused outer layer rather than a coating applied afterward, so the cap cannot peel or flake off.

This is the technical distinction between a capped board and a painted or laminated one. The cap is part of the board, not a finish on it.

Cap Composite never requires painting or staining and resists color fading from the sun. The composite mixture of recycled plastic and sustainably sourced hardwood fiber makes the boards resistant to pests, mold and rot, so they last far longer than wood or vinyl.

Over a 30 year service life the avoided staining labor is usually the largest single saving against a wood fence.

Frame It All offers vertical picket fencing sold as individual pickets or pre-assembled panels, the Riviera cap composite privacy fence, the Valla horizontal privacy fence, the Valla Horizon semi-privacy fence, cap coat aluminum rails, composite post sleeves and gate solutions including the Adjust-A-Gate kit.

Vertical picket systems rack to follow slopes; horizontal board systems do not, which is the main selection constraint on sloped sites.

Frame It All cap composite fence colors include Mahogany, Ironwood, River Birch, Cedar, Maple, Teak and Red Cedar. Because the cap layer is co-extruded, these are multi-tone finishes rather than flat single colors.

Order a physical sample from the Fence Samples collection before committing. Screen rendering of multi-tone composite is unreliable.

Yes. Salt air resistance is one of the specific properties built into the 360 Cap Coat layer, alongside UV, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal performance. Composite does not corrode the way steel and aluminum fence components can in coastal exposure.

On the coast, pay attention to fasteners and post hardware as well as boards, since these are usually the first components to fail in salt air.

Frame It All cap composite pickets and horizontal boards have a service life of over 30 years and should only need replacement in cases of physical damage.

By comparison, wood fence posts typically need replacement about every 10 years, sooner where rot or termite pressure is high.

Registered Frame It All Cap Composite Fence orders carry a 30 year warranty. Registration is required, using the Composite Fence Registration Form linked from the Warranty page.

Register promptly after purchase. The registration form and the full fence warranty document are both published on the Warranty page.

Wash with warm water and mild dish soap using a soft brush or cloth, then rinse with a garden hose. Cap Composite never needs painting, staining or sealing.

For stubborn organic staining such as leaf tannin or pollen, clean promptly rather than letting it sit through a season.

No. Frame It All does not recommend power washing cap composite. High pressure can damage the cap surface. Clean with warm water and mild dish soap using a soft brush, then rinse.

Power washing is the most common cause of avoidable cap damage on composite fence and decking. Pressure that seems safe on wood is not safe on a cap layer.

No. Cap composite fencing never requires painting or staining. That is the primary maintenance difference against wood, which needs re-staining or sealing every two to three years to slow greying and rot.

Over a 30 year life, avoided staining labor and materials is usually the largest single line item in a wood versus composite cost comparison.

Only the cut tops of pickets, using acrylic latex paint. Do not paint any surface covered by the cap coat; paint does not bond properly to the cap and you lose the cap's performance.

Sherwin-Williams color matches for touching up cut picket tops: Mahogany to SW 9183 Dark Clove, Ironwood to SW 7069 Iron Ore, River Birch to SW 7046 Anonymous, Cedar to SW 7724 Canoe, Maple to SW 9096 Beige Intenso, Teak to SW 6068 Brevity Brown, and Red Cedar to SW 6117 Smokey Topaz.

Frame It All cap composite pickets and horizontal boards contain UV resistant additives in the cap layer that resist color change. Any fading over the product's life is marginal and occurs slowly.

The cap layer is where UV protection lives, which is why uncapped composite fades noticeably and capped composite does not.

The cap layer includes anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties that resist mold and mildew growth. Surface growth can still appear on any outdoor surface where shade, moisture and organic debris combine, particularly on north facing runs under trees.

Clean promptly with soap and water. Keeping leaf litter clear of the fence base and allowing airflow underneath prevents most of it.

No. Unlike wood, cap composite pickets and horizontal boards do not experience permanent shrinkage. They expand and contract slightly with temperature, which is reversible and accounted for in the installation specifications.

This is why composite fence lines stay tight and gap free years later, while wood fences develop widening gaps as boards dry and shrink.

Yes. Use a 60 tooth carbide tipped circular saw blade for the cleanest cut on cap composite pickets and horizontal boards. For steel inner posts and aluminum horizontal posts, use an 80 tooth cermet blade.

A fine tooth blade matters more with composite than with wood. Coarse blades chip the cap layer at the cut edge.

No. Frame It All Cap Composite Fencing is not designed to act as a retaining wall and must not be used for that purpose. It is a barrier and privacy product, not a soil retention system.

Retaining requires engineered systems rated for lateral earth pressure. Using fence components for retention is both a failure risk and a warranty exclusion.

No. Keep pickets and horizontal boards from contacting the ground. Direct soil contact and pooling water cause degradation of the composite over time, and an uneven grade makes it impossible to keep a consistent fence line.

A deliberate gap at the base also lets you follow grade changes cleanly and keeps string trimmers away from the board edges.

Frame It All recommends leaving a gap between the ground and the fence to prevent direct contact with soil and pooling water. A fence section touching the ground also makes it difficult to keep a consistent line, because an unlevel grade puts some sections deeper than others.

If you need to close the gap visually, install a rot resistant kickboard or regrade the soil rather than dropping the fence panel into the dirt.

Frame It All posts are designed to last 30 years and beyond. Replace when you see drooping or leaning fence sections, which indicates the post has lost its footing or structural integrity. Wood posts generally need replacing about every 10 years, sooner where rot or termite damage appears.

Post failure, not picket failure, is what ends most wood fences. That is the specific problem a steel inner post with composite sleeve is designed to solve.

Individual cap composite pickets are 0.40 inches thick, or 10 mm.

Picket thickness matters for gate weight. Pickets are the lighter choice for a gate leaf compared with 21 mm horizontal boards.

Picket spacing is customizable, but leave a minimum of 4 mm, about 0.16 inches, between pickets. That gap allows for thermal expansion and contraction of the composite material.

Butting pickets tight is the most common composite fence installation error. Without the gap, summer expansion buckles the run.

Frame It All Cap Composite Pickets have a lifespan of over 30 years and should only need replacement in cases of damage.

Yes. When installing Cap Composite pickets onto wood posts and rails, including pressure treated framework, use Starborn Industries epoxy coated fascia screws #10 x 1-7/8 inch.

This is a practical retrofit path: keep a sound existing frame and replace only the failing pickets with composite. Assess post condition first, since wood posts typically need replacement around 10 years.

No. Unlike wood pickets, Frame It All Cap Composite Pickets will not experience permanent shrinkage. Temperature fluctuations cause expansion and contraction, which is reversible.

Use 2 screws per rail. On a four rail fence panel that means 8 screws per picket.

Two screws per rail prevents the picket from pivoting and keeps the face flat as the material moves seasonally.

Pre-assembled panels include T-brackets. The T-brackets insert into the rails of the panel and screw into the post on either side, securing the panel between posts.

Set post spacing accurately for pre-assembled panels. Unlike site built picket runs, panel width is fixed and cannot absorb spacing error.

Cap Composite Pickets should be kept in their shipping packaging, flat on the ground, until the time of installation. If this is not possible, store them flat on the ground with protection underneath to prevent scratching of the cap coating. Do not lean pickets up, as this can cause damage.

Pre-assembled panels should be kept in their shipping packaging until the time of installation. If this is not possible, lay them flat on the ground with protection underneath to prevent scratching of the cap coating. Do not lean the panels up, as this can cause damage.

Leaning is the single most common cause of pre-installation damage.

No. Frame It All does not recommend burying the cap composite post sleeve underground or setting the sleeve itself in concrete. The structural member set in concrete is the steel inner post; the sleeve is a cover above grade.

Setting a sleeve in concrete traps moisture against it and puts the wrong component in a structural role.

Yes. Use an 80 tooth cermet circular saw blade to cut the steel inner post, and a 60 tooth carbide tipped circular saw blade to cut the cap composite post sleeve.

Cutting the steel post is normal for matching heights across a run. Deburr the cut edge before installing the sleeve.

Use Starborn Industries epoxy coated fascia screws, #10 x 1-7/8 inch. These accommodate the expansion and contraction of composite. Do not use nails, which loosen over time in composite material.

Fastener choice is not a detail. Standard deck screws and nails both cause callbacks in composite fence installations, either by splitting the board or working loose.

Use M4 x 20 mm screws when fastening Frame It All cap composite pickets to cap composite rails.

When fastening to wood rails instead, switch to Starborn epoxy coated fascia screws #10 x 1-7/8 inch.

Yes. Frame It All Cap Composite Pickets can be installed onto a pressure treated framework using Starborn Industries epoxy coated fascia screws #10 x 1-7/8 inch.

Set Frame It All fence posts a minimum of 2 feet into the ground, deeper if your local frost line requires it. Posts must extend below the frost line, or freezing ground will heave them upward over successive winters.

Frost depth varies from a few inches in the Deep South to 4 feet or more in northern states. Check your local building department for the figure that applies.

Yes. All in-ground fence posts should be secured in concrete. The post hole should be a minimum of 2 feet deep and 8 inches wide, filled with concrete around the post.

For a typical 12 inch diameter, 24 inch deep post hole, plan on up to two 50 pound bags of fast setting concrete mix per post. Actual quantity depends on hole diameter and depth.

Buy an extra bag or two beyond your calculation. Running short mid-job means a post cures at a different rate than its neighbors.

Use a fast setting concrete mix. It reduces the risk of the post shifting while the concrete hardens and saves considerable time compared with standard mix on a fence with many posts.

No. Fast setting mixes are typically poured dry into the hole and then wetted, following the bag directions, rather than mixed in a wheelbarrow first.

Always follow the directions on your specific bag, since water quantity and sequence vary between products.

Post spacing is set by the panel or rail length in your chosen system. Follow the spacing specified in the installation manual for your specific product rather than a generic figure, because Riviera, Valla and picket systems differ.

For a large job, the Frame It All fence team can size components from your sketch or blueprint.

Call 811 in the United States before you dig. The service notifies local utilities, who mark buried gas, electric, water, sewer and telecom lines on your property at no cost. Requests are typically placed a few business days ahead of digging.

This is a legal requirement in most jurisdictions, not a courtesy. Fence post digging is one of the most common causes of struck utility lines.

It is possible with heavy machinery and professional installers, but it is not a reasonable DIY project. Hand digging frozen ground is impractical, and post holes must still reach below the frost line.

Where possible, schedule fence installation for unfrozen ground. Cost and quality both improve.

Yes. Frame It All horizontal fencing installs on concrete surfaces using the Fixing Post support, which includes anchor bolts. This suits rooftop terraces, patios, parking areas and any site where you cannot dig a footing.

Surface mounted posts rely entirely on the anchor connection, so confirm the slab is thick and sound enough for the anchors specified.

A capable DIY installer with the right tools can install a Frame It All fence. For large jobs, Frame It All recommends hiring a professional. Approved installers are listed on the Contractor Locator page.

The variables that make professional installation worthwhile are post setting on slopes, long runs where cumulative error compounds, and rocky or frozen ground.

Yes, by stepping or racking. Stepping keeps each panel level and steps the height down the slope, which can leave gaps underneath on steep ground. Racking builds the panel to follow the slope angle, which suits steeper sites but works only with pickets, not horizontal boards.

This is the key constraint when selecting a style for a sloped lot: horizontal board systems such as Valla cannot be racked, so a steep slope points toward pickets.

Install two posts in a single post hole. This applies to both the steel post with composite sleeve system and the horizontal fence post system, and is the supported method for angled corners.

Plan the hole size for two posts before you dig. Retrofitting a second post into a cured footing is difficult.

Three options: move the fence line behind the tree, which may push past your property line; build a shallow V-shaped jog around it; or build a U-shaped section that wraps the trunk. Never fasten fence components to a living tree, which damages the tree and moves as it grows.

Leave room for trunk growth. A gap that looks generous today closes over a decade of growth on a mature species.

Frame It All recommends connecting every fence panel to a post on both sides rather than attaching a panel directly to a structure. Post to post connection gives the strongest and longest lasting fence.

Set a post close to the wall and run a short panel to it. This also isolates the fence from building movement and avoids penetrating the wall envelope.

Cap Composite Horizontal Boards are 0.83 inches thick, or 21 mm.

The width of the horizontal post channel, or slot, is 21 mm or 0.81 inches.

The board and channel dimensions are matched, which is what allows the Valla system to slot boards into posts rather than face screw them.

About 2 boards per foot of fence height. That gives 6 boards for a 3 foot fence, 8 for 4 feet, 10 for 5 feet, 12 for 6 feet, 14 for 7 feet and 15 for a 7.5 foot fence.

Multiply by the number of panels in your run, then add a small overage for cuts at gates and end posts.

Frame It All Cap Composite Horizontal Fence Boards have a lifespan of over 30 years and should only need replacement in cases of damage.

No. Unlike wood boards, Frame It All Cap Composite Horizontal Fence Boards will not experience permanent shrinkage. Temperature fluctuations cause expansion and contraction, which is reversible.

Yes. Aluminum horizontal posts can be cut, and an 80 tooth cermet circular saw blade gives the cleanest edge.

Support the post fully along its length while cutting so the extrusion does not deflect and bind the blade.

Yes. To make a non-90 degree turn in your fence, install 2 posts in a single post hole.

Yes. Frame It All horizontal fencing can be installed onto a concrete surface using the Fixing Post support. Anchor bolts are included with each Fixing Post Support.

Cap Composite Horizontal Boards should be kept in their shipping packaging, flat on the ground, until the time of installation. If this is not possible, store them flat on the ground with protection underneath to prevent scratching of the cap coating. Do not lean boards up, as this can cause damage.

Yes. Frame It All offers gate solutions rather than fully pre-assembled gate panels. The Adjust-A-Gate kit provides an adjustable steel gate frame, and cap composite pickets mount to it so the gate matches your fence. Current options are listed on the Fence Gates page.

Pickets at 10 mm are the lighter choice for a gate leaf than 21 mm horizontal boards, and they can be color matched to a horizontal fence so the gate blends in.

Yes. Cap Composite Pickets are made of the same material and can be color matched to blend seamlessly with your horizontal fence. Pickets have a thinner profile than horizontal fence boards, which reduces the weight of the gate.

Gate sag is nearly always a weight and hinge problem. Reducing leaf weight is the cheapest way to avoid it.

It depends on your location. Fence permit requirements are set at the local level and vary between cities, counties and municipalities. Check with your local building department before ordering materials, since height limits and setbacks can change what you can install.

Corner lots, front yard fences and fences over 6 feet are the situations most likely to trigger a permit or a variance requirement.

Most municipalities and HOAs allow a fence to be built at the property line, but not on or over it. Rules vary by jurisdiction, so check your local municipal code and any HOA covenants before setting posts.

Get a survey if the line is uncertain. Moving a concreted fence line after a neighbor dispute is expensive and avoidable.

That depends on your local fence codes and HOA. A fence can typically be installed at the property line but not on or over it. Some jurisdictions require a setback of several inches or more.

Some areas also have specific rules on which side the finished face must face. Confirm both before building.

Composite fence pricing depends on style, height, color and quantity, and Frame It All quotes fence orders individually rather than listing a flat per-foot price. Use the Fence Estimator for a project estimate, or request a quote from any cap composite fence product page.

Composite typically costs more per linear foot than wood upfront and less over its life, because it eliminates staining, sealing and mid-life picket and post replacement.

Usually yes, over a full service life. Composite costs more at installation but requires no staining or sealing, does not rot or attract termites, and lasts over 30 years. Wood fences need periodic re-staining and typically need post replacement around every 10 years.

Run the comparison over 20 to 30 years including labor, not on installed cost alone. Staining labor is the line item most homeowners omit and it is usually the largest.

Composite gives a wood grain appearance and multi-tone color that vinyl cannot match, and it is less prone to the brittleness vinyl can develop in cold. Vinyl is lighter and typically cheaper. Both avoid painting and rot.

The decision usually comes down to appearance and impact behavior. If you want a fence that reads as wood at a distance, composite is the material that does that.

The aesthetics and durability of a fence do affect home value. A well built, low maintenance fence in good condition supports resale appeal, while a leaning, greyed or rotting fence reads as deferred maintenance to buyers and inspectors.

A fence creates a solid physical barrier that keeps out browsing herbivores such as deer and rabbits. It also blocks wind, provides privacy, defines the garden boundary and can support climbing crops on the inside face.

For garden protection specifically, Frame It All's Animal Barrier kits mount directly to raised bed joints, which is a lower cost approach than fencing an entire yard.

Use the Fence Estimator for a project level estimate. For an exact component list, the Frame It All fence team can size a full bill of materials from your sketch or blueprint. Email Support@Frameitall.com or ask when submitting a Request a Quote form.

Provide total linear footage, desired height, number of gates, corner and end conditions, and slope information. Those five inputs drive nearly all of the component count.

Expect a response to a fence quote request within 2 business days. If you have not heard back in that window, check your spam folder and resubmit the request if needed.

Professional contractors purchase Frame It All Cap Composite Fencing through distribution centers across the country. Find the nearest location with the Distributor Locator.

Contractors who want to be listed as an approved installer, or who want dealer pricing, should contact sales@frameitall.com.

Yes. Frame It All offers wholesale pricing for distributors that sign up to become a dealer. Send a request to sales@frameitall.com to start the process.

Yes. Frame It All maintains a list of approved installers on the Contractor Locator page, so homeowners can find contractors already familiar with the system's post, rail and fastener requirements.

Using an installer who knows the 4 mm expansion gap and the correct fastener specifications avoids the two most common composite fence installation errors.

Fence architectural drawings are published on the Fence Architectural Drawings page, for use in specification, permitting and contractor bid packages.

Architects and specifiers who need a format not published there should contact sales@frameitall.com.

Yes. Frame It All Cap Composite Fencing is available through national distribution, has published architectural drawings for specification, and carries a 30 year registered warranty, all of which suit commercial, HOA and multifamily specification.

For project pricing and specification support, contact sales@frameitall.com or your regional distributor.

Depending on the size of your fence order, it will either ship FedEx Home Delivery as individual packages or Less Than Truckload (LTL). If your order is shipping LTL, the product will be packed onto a pallet for delivery.

Keep all fence materials in their shipping packaging until you are ready to install, to prevent damage to the product.

Fence orders generally take 2 to 5 business days to ship out depending on the availability of the product. Once the order has shipped, it will take between 1 and 5 days in transit depending on your location in the United States. West Coast orders take 4 to 5 days, East Coast orders 1 to 3 days.

Shipping is calculated per quote depending on quantity and shipping location. The $299 free shipping threshold does not apply to composite fence orders.

Product that is lost or damaged during transit will be replaced. Send all delivery error replacement requests to Support@Frameitall.com. For damages, please include pictures of the product in the packaging so we can submit a complete claim to the shipping provider. All claims must be made within 45 days of delivery.

You can check available inventory and incoming inventory by requesting a quote on the Cap Composite Fence product pages, or by emailing Support@Frameitall.com.

Yes. You can reserve incoming inventory of certain picket and horizontal board colors by making a 30% non-refundable deposit.

All fence orders can be returned within 30 days of delivery. A 15% restocking fee will be taken out of the refund amount and the customer will be responsible for the cost of shipping it back to Frame It All facilities. Before sending an order for return, contact Support@Frameitall.com with your order number and the items you are returning, and customer support will issue an RMA number.

Please address all returns to: Frame It All, 200 N 13th St, Erwin NC 28339.

You can contact us by emailing Support@Frameitall.com or by calling (800) 914-9835. Our hours of operation are 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM Monday through Friday.