Composite Deck

Hello I plan on buying your products to help save my poor deck. The deck is really old probably closer to the 20 year mark. I can see cracks in the surface, and I can see what I assume is black mold, We also have green moss popping up all over. I am going to power wash it, to remove all of the unwanted elements. There is one place where the deck was damaged and a little chunk is missing, now there is mold growing in that little area. Use the cleaner first, then rinse with a power washer. Follow that with the brightener before you stain to get the best results.

Every composite tested grew bumper crops of mold and mildew. Composite decking companies themselves are much more circumspect. None now claims composite decks to be maintenance-free.

Can You Stain Or Paint A Composite Deck?

The food source is in the form of ground in dirt, pollen, oil & environmental pollutants that fall from the sky & attach to the porous composite deck surface. Lichen, algae or moss growth will cause a greenish discoloration.

If you are looking for a more solid top coat, request "Mahogany CX". The alternative to both of these is to put down a good quality stain that has good UV resistance. Lower quality products will not hold up well on any composite since most do not absorb to the depth that is common in natural wood products which will cause them to fade very quickly. Most companies, including Trex, have a waranty on their products. Depending on how long you have had your deck, you might get some help from Trex. Also, there are several cleaners that you can use that will not damage the decking. You can apply them, let it set for a while and scrub with a soft push broom, then rinse off… That will remove some of the dirt and oxidization and brighten it up a bit.

The Disadvantages Of Composite Decking

Woodrich Cleaner & Brightener For Wood Decks

Instead they simply state that they use post-consumer and industrial waste (if they do, most don't), leaving it to you, the consumer, to decide if the stuff is truly environmentally friendly. Generally, however, buried somewhere in their cleaning and maintenance instructions, manufacturers will recommend a stain for use on their decks. But, if you stain the composite, you have to periodically re-stain the composite. Manufacturers are silent as to how often re-staining may be required but our experience is that it should be done every 3-7 years, or at about the same schedule as a wood deck. You can cure fading and discoloration on some composite decks by staining them using a specially formulated composite deck stain.

If the previous stains are still in tact, you may need to use our Stain Stripper instead of the cleaner. Kathy, most of the issues with mold growth were on older Trex decks built in the early 2000s. You don’t need to seal new composite decks as they aren’t porous enough to accept a sealer.

• Composite decking material is softer than natural wood, meaning it can be “etched” more easily.
• It will kill the mildew spores, but doesn’t necessarily remove them from the surface of the wood.
• Once the material has been opened up, many issues can arise including chipping, sun damage, and mold staining the plastics inside the opening.
• I hate bleach because it kills plants and vegetation and it’s terrible to work with.
• Pressure washing too close or using too much pressure can ruin your deck.

Hi our composite deck not only has mildew in areas but has also lost its smooth texture and color. It seems to be waterlogged-doesn’t repel at all. We don’t know the exact year it was installed or the manufacturer. Melissa, you’ll have to check with Thompson’s, but most likely not. Most stain manufacturers recommend removing previous coatings as they will prevent the new coating from penetrating into the wood pores.

Mold And Mildew

Check out this video that shows how to apply deck stains quickly by using a car-wash style brush on a pole. This is my favorite method as it does an exceptional job and really makes the job go fast. While this is not common, static electricity can occur on walking surfaces in dry climates or in areas where dry winds and dust-borne particles lay on the decking surfaces. Thanks for your article on Composite Deck Maintenance. Question… Saw your recommendation to use Defy Extreme Clear on a composite deck. When I go to research the product it does not seem that Defy recommends it for composite. I’m looking to enhance the color of my composite deck where it has faded.

For the cracks, you may consider using some wood filler. If there’s areas where the boards are warping or starting to rise, the best thing you can do to prevent it from worsening is to stain it and seal it up. If necessary, you may consider replacing individual boards.

Here are some of the other factors that add significantly to the total cost of a composite deck. While composite decks have few real advantages over wood decks, they do have some real drawbacks including a high initial cost, heat retention, and excessive expansion and contraction. Once fading starts, there is no cure but to seal the deck with a sealant that protects against water and UV rays from the sun to prevent further fading. If you want to restore the original color, the only solution is to stain the composite.

To clean with a pressure washer, first spray your deck with commercial pressure washer soap. (Buy some now on Amazon.) Next, scrub each board with a soft-bristle brush. Finally, rinse each board thoroughly, using a pressure washer fan tip that’s no closer than eight inches from the surface.