Maintenance & Care For Composite Decks

COMPOSITE DECK CARE & CLEANING GUIDE: To maintain the beauty of your composite deck, a little care and cleaning goes a long way. All exterior building materials require cleaning and your composite deck is no different. For nearly all composite decking products, we recommend a semi-annual cleaning with a composite deck cleaner. If your deck is one manufactured by any of the top brands, soap-and-water cleaning or a gentle pressure washing will do the trick. Below, learn how to clean and care for your composite decking and get ready to enjoy maximum outdoor living with minimal maintenance.

PRODUCTS DIRT AND DEBRIS: The affected area should be sprayed off with a hose to remove surface debris. Use warm, soapy water and a soft bristle brush to remove dirt and debris from the embossing pattern.

CHALK LINES: Most colored chalks are permanent and may discolor your decking surface. There are many "dust-off" coloring chalks you can purchase online.

TANNINS DUE TO DEBRIS: Remove all debris from the deck using a hose or broom. Once the deck surface is dry, apply a brightener to the deck as directed by the manufacturer. Deck brighteners contain oxalic acid, which will remove tannins.

ICE AND SNOW: A plastic shovel may be used to remove snow from the deck. Shovels with a metal edge should be avoided. Use calcium chloride or rock salt to melt the snow and ice from the deck surface.

OIL/GREASE/ FOOD: All food spills should be removed as soon as possible. The surface must be cleaned within a week, if not immediately, to maintain most manufacturers stain warranties. To remove these items, spray off with a hose and use warm, soapy water and a soft bristle brush to remove spills from embossing pattern.

MOLD AND MILDEW: If debris, such as pollen and dirt, is allowed to remain on the deck surface, mold can feed on the biofilm. Using a hose and warm, soapy water with a soft bristle brush is recommended to remove the food source and mold.

USING A PRESSURE WASHER: A pressure washer with no greater than 3100 psi,  that also has a fan attachment/adjustment and soap dispenser, may be used to remove dirt, concrete dust, or other types of construction dirt. Spray deck with soap, then follow by gently scrubbing each deck board with a soft bristle brush. Spray/rinse each individual deck board using a fan tip no closer than 8" from the decking surface. RINSE THOROUGHLY. If the dirty water from cleaning is left to dry, this will cause a film to remain on the decking surface.

NEVER: Use acetone or other solvents on composite decking or railings to maintain the beauty of the surface. For color transfer issues you can use a Mr. Clean®, Magic Eraser® to help remove this. For small surface scratches, marks or scuffs, use a Dupli-Color Scratch Seal™ and Clear Sealer Pen, which can be found online.

JOB SITE STORAGE: Store decking on a flat level surface and always use proper supports (dunnage). DO NOT store directly on the ground. When stacking decking bundles, supports (dunnage) should start approximately 8" (0.20m) from each end and be spaced approximately 2' (0.61) on center. In addition supports (dunnage) should line up vertically/perpendicular to the decking product. Adjust support blocks (dunnage) accordingly if bundles are loose. For decking, 1" x 12" and 1" x 8" products, the maximum stack height is 12 bundles. For all other decking products, maximum stack height should be no more than 14 bundles (IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT PROPER DUNNAGE SPACING MUST BE IN PLACE FOR THESE HEIGHTS). When stacking multiple bundles, ensure that dunnage lines up vertically down through each stack. Always cover decking products on site until ready to be installed.

ENJOY YOUR DECK!