Damage Composite Deck

5 Ways to Damage Composite Deck

In 10 years of business, we have come to find several common mistakes made by homeowners that can ruin or damage composite deck. Here are 5 things to avoid to keep your deck looking beautiful!

1. Allowing metal items such as furniture or planters to remain wet for long periods of time on your deck will cause rust stains to occur. If the stains penetrate the decking too deeply, they may prove nearly impossible to remove.

Rust stains.

2. Letting damp organic debris (leaves, lawn clippings, etc) build up on your deck can also leave stains and create the perfect environment for mold to grow. If the stains penetrate too deeply, they may be difficult to remove and damage composite deck.

Mold growing on deck boards.

3. Power washing your deck can be a big mistake and is not usually recommended for cleaning composite decks unless it is by a professional power washing service. Power washing incorrectly, such as too close or with too much pressure can ruin your deck scratching it and opening the material up to a host of other issues such as splintering, mold and a variety of other problems.

An improperly power washed deck.

4. Using a metal shovel or a shovel lined with metal will scratch your decking. Composite decking can easily handle winter weather such as snow. If you need to shovel snow off of your deck, gently use a plastic shovel or a broom to remove snow. Be sure to shovel parallel to the direction the boards are laid.

Use a broom to remove snow from your composite decking.

5. Never use a Chlorine Bleach based deck cleaner. Chlorine Bleach is extremely corrosive and will eat away at your deck eventually causing discoloration of your decking, damage the surface, and intensify any mold issues that can occur. If the ingredients include Sodium Hypochlorite, it contains Bleach. Make sure you choose a non-toxic, sodium percarbonate based cleaner.

In conclusion:

Before attempting to clean your deck, whether looking to remove stains, power wash, deciding on a type of deck cleaning solution, etc., always check with the care and cleaning guidelines listed on the website of the company your product was purchased from (TimberTech, Azek, Trex, Fiberon). You should also be able get in contact with them via phone, email, or contact a company representative. Don’t forget, if you have had a deck built by Cedarbrook it is under a 5-year warranty so do not hesitate to call us with questions!