How To Clean a Composite Deck ...Step by Step

    



     Currently about 80% of the decks we install at Your Deck Company are "Low Maintenance" materials such as Trex and Timbertech. There are many different brands and kinds of materials on the market today, and not all of them will require the same amount of care or cleaning methods. Today I would like to get a little more specific and talk about how to clean a "Composite Deck".

     Composite decks are a composition of recycled plastics and recycled wood fibre. Usually around a 50/50 mix. This category of decking will perform much better than a wood deck and last much longer. What I mean is that when a composite deck is installed properly it will not rot or splinter, crack or twist like a wood deck will. Composite decks will however absorb a stain like a wood deck. The wood fiber that is exposed on the surface of the composite decking will capture a stain and hold it like a wood deck will. So if you spill red wine or drop a hamburger on your composite deck it will leave a stain. The same wood fibres can and will capture mould spores and create a spotted look on your deck. The benefit is that composite decks do not need to be sanded, stained or painted like a wood deck will require.

May is Deck Safety Month

Spring is here! As our thoughts turn to spending more time outdoors, cleaning up our backyard and garden is all part of getting ready for summer fun. Part of being ready to enjoy the summer is making sure your deck is safe.

A well built and maintained deck is a great place to spend time outdoors with friends and family. However, a poorly built or unsafe deck can mean disaster. May being Deck Safety month is a great way to help people understand the need for a regular inspection of their deck old or new.

Feel free to click on any of the following photos to enlarge them for a closer look.

There are a number of areas of your deck that need to be inspected. If you are not comfortable doing this yourself, I highly recommend finding a reputable, experienced contractor in your area to come by and perform an inspection of your deck. Your Deck Company services most areas in Southern Ontario for this type of inspection. Unfortunately Decks and especially wood decks do not last forever. Commonly, the structure of a deck will last longer than the exposed parts of the deck although the structure will eventually fail as well. There are protective membranes available for new deck construction that will help to increase the life of a deck's structure although routine maintenance and inspection is still necessary.

Deck Maintenance / Mould and Mildew

This is one of the most common topics I am asked about. There is a lot of controversy over so called maintenance free decking...... Hopefully I can clear this up. There is no such thing as "maintenance free decking". However, there are materials that require less maintenance than others.

Deck Material Choices

It is simply amazing how many different choices there are today for decking. When I started back in 1986 there were very few choices and options for building a deck. Back then, it was a choice between Pressure Treated lumber and Cedar. Although there were a few different grades of cedar to choose from, the selection was still limited.
Today I find myself with too many products to review and select from. Included in the different types of materials is the original Pressure Treated and Cedar selections then moving forward there are a number of hardwood decking options such as Ipe (Brazilian walnut) , Kayu and Bamboo. After the natural wood material selections for decking there are a vast number of manufactured low maintenance products. Each and every one of these products have pros and cons. Hopefully today I can help you understand a bit more regarding the different deck materials available.