TIMBER Vs ECODECKING: How do I take care of my composite deck?
It’s that time of the year again: you are firing up the BBQs and spending time in the summer sun.
This means decking season is upon us and you might be thinking of adding a beautiful deck to your home, or maybe replacing an existing timber deck.
The question we get asked most is: HOW DO I TAKE CARE OF MY DECK?
It is imperative to understand decking maintenance obligations, whether it is timber or composite.
To keep a timber decking up to scratch you will have to be prepared to pressure wash, stain, paint, seal and sand your deck every year or two. Timber decking tends to trap moisture and will twist, splinter and warp if not maintained properly. Depending on the size of the deck it could take long laborious hours maintaining it rather than enjoying what is was originally intended for.
Te amount of maintenance required for composite decking isn’t near the level of a timber: no sanding, painting or staining required. For most types of composites only a bucket a soapy water and a brush is all that’s required.
This is one of the many reasons why so many people opt for a wood-alternative decking like ECODECKING.
HOW DO I KEEP MY COMPOSITE DECKING LOOKING GREAT FOR LONGER
Here are a few tips to keep your composite decking fresh for linger
Mould: mould needs moisture and temperatures between 0 and about 30 degrees. ECODECKING is not a food source for old, but can collect food in the form of pollens, dirt and debris from overflow of pot plants and gutters. If the gaps between the deck boards are too small, clogged or non existent, then moisture cannot dry. Use the correct clip to ensure spacing specification. If mould colonies appear, clean the deck with a deck cleaner. Power washing with a water-blaster can damage the boards and does not remove all spores of mould and it will quickly grow back.
Pressure Washer: We do not recommend the use of a very high pressure washer or applied closer than 15cm from the deck surface.
Dirt and debris: clean the deck to remove dirt and debris. Soap, hot water and a soft bristle brush is sufficient.
Mildew and grime: use a non aggressive general purpose deck cleaning product. For best results apply deck cleaner, use a scrubbing brush to loosen mildew and grim, then rinse thoroughly. Many stains can be removed using household cleaners, stubborn stains can be bleached or may require a deck cleaner containing oxalic acid.
Water tannin spots: tannin spots can sometimes be seen on ECODECKING. It will not bleed like a hardwood timber. Most tannin spots will appear within the first 16 weeks of normal weathering. These will fade or disappear naturally during weathering.
Scuffs, abrasions and rust stains: ECODECKING is designed to retain its fresh look, obviously if furniture etc is dragged over any surface it will leave some kind of marking. The surface maybe revitalised if need be with an Outdure Revitalising Wire Brush. Depending on the surface finish your decking product has, rust stains can be removed by light brushing. Practice your resurfacing technique on a scrap piece of decking before trying to resurface an area in the middle of your deck!
Oil and grease stains: Use household degreasing agent as soon as the stain occurs and scrub, the rinse with hot water. Repeat if necessary, rinse thoroughly.
Berries / wine stains: these stains ca be very stubborn in any material. We suggest you mix bleach into hot water according to the bleach-packaging label. Scrub the stain lightly and rinse thoroughly.
Leave a comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.
1 thought on “TIMBER Vs ECODECKING: How do I take care of my composite deck?”
I hope you were telling the truth when you explained that degreasing substances are effective in removing oil stains from our timber deck. I have a cousin who plans to build an outdoor deck right in her backyard. Let me share this info with her as soon as she finds a contractor for the project.