What Causes Vinyl Lattice to Crack?

Crack Resistance

• Vinyl product manufacturers frequently claim that their products are crack or fade-resistant. These vinyls may be combinations of PVC, polystyrene and other poly-vinyls or be treated with chemicals such as titanium dioxide to protect against discoloration. Enhanced vinyls might be more expensive than plain vinyl, but will last longer and might have guaranteed lifetimes. Enhanced vinyls, however, might also fail eventually if subjected to extremes.

Sunlight

• Ultraviolet light, or UV, from the blue end of the spectrum, acts on compounds, including chlorides, breaking them up into their component chemicals, two of which, hydrogen and chlorine, off-gas as chlorides. Light may discolor the surface of vinyl and decrease its impact resistance over time. Continued exposure may lead to tiny cracks called “crazing” in the surface.

Temperature

• Vinyl contracts and becomes brittle in frigid winter weather, making it less impact-resistant. It also expands at temperatures above 165 degrees, softening the vinyl. Although 165 degrees may seem exceptionally hot, heat builds on surfaces on sunny summer days, especially against reflective surfaces. This tendency to crack at low temperatures and rapidly expand at high temperatures weakens vinyl over time, resulting in possible breakage or cracks.

Time

• Over time, even guaranteed crack-proof vinyl lattice will begin to break down as vinyl chloride off-gassing and stress due to expansion and contraction take their toll. Eventually, even crack-proof vinyl lattices begin to craze. Dark-colored lattices succumb to yellowing due to UV light faster than white lattices. Location matters, too. A vinyl lattice that faces west and soaks up the hottest rays of the sun or one that stands in an unprotected area where it must endure freezing winter winds might begin to crack in a few years, while a lattice in a more fortunate location may last for decades.