How To Clean And Restore A Composite Deck

Will the Defy deck cleaner likely get the black stains out of the composite deck pores that still remain? If the stains can be removed and I then apply the clear Defy sealer, what likely will be my deck color? When dry the current light tan color becomes much closer to the original saddle when wet with water, so would my Defy sealed deck once dried be colored more like it is now when dry or wet? Another option I’d like to pursue is changing colors from the tan/cedar tones to a weathered gray.

Seal The Deck

To maintain the beauty of your Trex® deck, a little care and cleaning goes a long way. All exterior building materials require cleaning and a Trex deck is no different. For early-generation composite products (Trex Accents®, Trex Origins®, Trex Contours®, Trex Profiles® or Trex Brasilia®), we recommend a semi-annual cleaning with a composite deck cleaner. If your deck is one of the high-performance product lines from Trex (Trex Transcend®, Trex Enhance® or Trex Select®), soap-and-water cleaning or a gentle pressure washing will do the trick. Learn how to clean and care for your composite decking by reading the information that applies to your decking product and get ready to enjoy maximum outdoor living with minimal maintenance. Composite sealer reviews help shed light on several traits of a quality sealer.

Remove Dirt And Salt

• Mold, mildew, and dirt attack every deck - plastic, metal, wood or composite – with evenhanded tenacity, and have to be taken care of at regular intervals.
• Now that a little time has passed and some research has been done, these expansive claims are just not holding up.
• All composite manufacturers now recommend a periodic maintenance schedule, specific procedures, and even products by brand name for cleaning and maintaining their composite materials.
• Sealing a composite deck will also help restore color and aid in the cleaning process the next time the composite wood decking needs maintenance.
• Most often made from a mixture of recycled wood fibers and plastic, composite decking is a very popular wood alternative material for building a deck.
• Most of the composite decking sealers apply easily with a pump sprayer and are user friendly.

The good news is that mold can be prevented with a simple but consistent application of a moisture barrier. Once again, choosing the correct product is crucial to successfully protect your deck from mold. Beware of any “waterproofing” deck sealants or chemicals that “encapsulate” the deck. These products can trap moisture insidethe deck causing more issues in the long run. Choosing the right cleaner can literally make or break your deck. Although the surface looks solid, composite decking is actually quite porous.

Composite Sealer Reviews In 2020

The most they will venture is that their composite decks require "less maintenance" than wood decks. Certainteed, for example, allows only that its EverNew® 20 decking offers "weatherable low-maintenance design…".

We just want to put the proper sealer or top coat on. The deck gets a lot of use especially around the pool area. The first product we bought will not work because our deck does not absorb water when sprayed.

the deck is on the north side of the house so it is prone to mildew as well. When mold and mildew starts to become noticeable on your composite deck it is important to clean it properly. The sooner you clean it the better because if the spores stay embedded for long enough they can be nearly impossible to completely remove. Clean the composite material deck with a percarbonate wood cleaner to remove all the unwanted soils. Michele, until the deck starts absorbing water, you may just have to clean it every so often. Composite decks made in the last 5-10 years may not need sealing for a long time.

It seems to be waterlogged-doesn’t repel at all. Is there a product that can help restore it? We don’t know the exact year it was installed or the manufacturer.

You don’t have to seal the surface once it’s been cleaned, but I suggest you do. By properly sealing or staining composite decking, you could get several years of use out of it before you need to clean it again. If you decide not to seal the deck, you will most likely need to plan on cleaning it again every year or so. The reason why mildew grows on composite decking is really pretty simple.

It’s long-lasting, won’t splinter, and requires minimal care and maintenance, which is good for homeowners who don’t want to spend a lot of time on upkeep. What’s more, composite decking comes in a variety of textures and colors that mimic different types of wood stains.

Our composite deck sealer is ideally suited for composite decks that are 15 or 20 years old, that have issues with mold or are absorbing water. Kathy, most of the issues with mold growth were on older Trex decks built in the early 2000s. If you just had one built, you should be fine. You don’t need to seal new composite decks as they aren’t porous enough to accept a sealer. Over time if the deck begins to absorb water, that’s when you can apply a sealer.

If You See Green, It's Time To Clean: Even Composite Decking Requires Regular Care

A composite deck is a beautiful addition to your backyard. Compared to other types of wooden decks, composite decks stand out because it’s made from a combination of different types of wood fiber as well as binding agents and plastic. The most effective non-toxic solution to protect your deck is UltraBan. I can’t tell you how many customers who call and tell us they wished they knew about this product years ago. UltraBan was engineered specifically for the purpose of inhibiting mold growth on porous materials, without damaging the surface or the environment.

Rinsing is required so care should be taken to not use hard water for this purpose, and if it must be used, dry with a cloth or use a blower to dry surfaces. A deck cleaner like the Restore A Deck Cleaner.

I did not protect the deck with anything after the cleanup. Shortly after the cleaning I had my roof replaced. One of the shingles was dropped on the deck and stayed on it for some time. Now, 3 years later I have a very dirty deck again except for the spot where the shingle was. This spot is relatively nice and clean – I see the “imprint”, so to speak, of the shingle. Whatever material was coming out of the shingle ended up protecting the deck really well.