Are you considering getting a brand new composite deck, but you want to know whether or not it lives up to the claims of it being truly maintenance-free?
The truth is, it really is maintenance-free. Composite decks are very different from wood decks in that you don’t have to worry about all of the common pitfalls including the fading of colors, splintering grain, or even loose nails and screws. With a traditional wood deck, it can take a lot of time, effort, and money to keep it looking good.
Whereas, composite decking is made up of a blend of wood and plastic. The top layer features tough resin as a finish which helps it offer a maintenance-free design. There is absolutely zero sanding to be done, zero painting, zero staining, zero splintering, and no warping to worry about. While you might have to soap and hose the material down every now and then or with the use of a power washer, there is nothing to be done apart from that.
The benefit is that you will have a composite deck that looks brand new all of the time. Year after year you will have the look of a brand new deck. A lot of capped composite manufacturers are so confident in the durability and lifespan of the materials that they include a whopping 25-year warranty which far exceeds the average duration people own single homes. The fact is, the material doesn’t break down, fade, or splinter. In fact, it doesn’t even matter if you are in a tough climate. No matter how much rain, sun, snow, or ice the deck is subjected to, it isn’t going to breakdown. It also happens to hold fasteners very securely. Therefore, you won’t have the safety and durability issue of having a lot of nails or screws getting loosened over time.
As mentioned, these maintenance-free decking solutions might require occasional washes here and there, but it is not going to be anything close to what is required to keep a wood deck well maintained.
How To Properly Maintain A Composite Deck:
As mentioned, your composite deck is going to end up looking as good as it does initially for years down the road. That is the benefit of composite decking. It’s a solution where a little maintenance will go very far. Due to the location of a deck and it is located outdoor exposed to the elements, it will require occasional washing to get rid of built-up grime, dirt, and debris. That being said, the material is composite which means it is durable and it is capable of being pressure washed or hosed down quickly without risking ruining it.
Giving your deck a good sweep here and there and hosing it down can help to minimize dirt accumulation. However, if the deck hasn’t been washed in a while or it seemingly gets dirtier because of nearby construction, you should probably look to use the manufacturer’s recommended cleaning solution to clean it even better.
You should check with the manufacturer to see the recommended cleaning solution for your deck.
You can always get by with using warm water and soap to get rid of dirt and debris on the high-performance deck products. Likewise, you can also do pressure washing. However, keep in mind, you should be keeping the pressure to under 3100 psi to avoid damaging it. For stains in smaller areas, you may want to utilize a soft bristle brush in order to get rid of the stain from the natural pattern on the surface of the deck.
Here Are Some Of The Dos and Donts For Maintaining Your Composite Deck For Years To Come:
DO: Get rid of food and drink spills as quickly as possible by spraying the area down with a hose and using warm water and soap. You can also use a soft-bristled brush to clean the natural patterns of the wood. You won’t have to worry if something spills that would naturally stain things as everything is going to clean up rather nicely. You do want to be quick about it though.
DO: Routinely clean all of the pollen and dirt build-up with a simple garden hose and soap. This can help to minimize mold formation. Mold is something that can live off just about any surface which includes composite decking.
DO: Use a shovel made up of plastic to remove either snow or ice. Don’t use metal as it can damage the material.
DO: Use calcium chloride or rock salt when you are looking to melt ice on a composite deck. This material is capable of withstanding the use of ice melting products.
DON’T: Use various solvents on your deck for cleaning it.
DON’T: Use a pressure washer with the pressure being greater than 3100 psi.
We offer truly maintenance-free decks that are going to save you a lot of time, energy, and money on typical annual maintenance that would be required with wood decks. Our decking avoids the hassle of traditional wood decks that regularly have warping, cracking, fading, and splintering. All you need is basic soap and water cleaning on occasion and you can keep your deck looking as fresh as it did when it was brand new.
Contact Ugly Deck today to learn more. Our Decking Builders primarily service the MN cities of: Apple Valley, Bloomington, Shakopee, Eagan, Eden Prairie, Edina, Lakeville, Minnetonka, Prior Lake, Savage and Woodbury.
