Composite and PVC Decks Still Need Annual Cleaning

With more and more homeowners having decks built with composite materials during the past few years, many thought they would never have to do any maintenance again.  But these newer composite decks still require annual cleaning.

Composite and PVC decks are much easier to maintain than a typical wood deck, but homeowners still need to clean them regularly and use the right products to make sure they don’t get damaged.

The major advantage of a composite deck is that it doesn’t need to be stripped and re-stained every year or two.  Here are some tips to help homeowners with composite or PVC decks keep them looking new:

            -Clean a composite or PVC deck twice a year using a multipurpose cleaner such as Krud Kutter or Super Deck Wood and Composite Deck Cleaner.

            -Clean stubborn leaf or water spot stains with special cleaners like DeckBrite from Wolman or CLEAN from Benjamin Moore.

            -Never use a power washer to clean any deck, including composite or PVC.  If you don’t use these powerful cleaning devices properly, you could damage the deck surface.

            -Composite and PVC decks are susceptible to mold that can look like black spots on the deck.  To get rid of this, use something like Olympic Premium Deck Cleaner.

            -Because composite decks do fade over time, you can stain them with products made for this, such as Sherwin William’s Deckscapes or Behr’s Premium Solid Color Wood Stain.

Homeowners often spend a little extra to get these great looking composite or PVC decks, but with a little elbow grease a couple of times a year, they can keep them looking new.  And it sure beats having to strip and stain a wood deck.

Brian Potter is the owner of HandyPro, a handyman service and senior home modification company in Atlanta, www.handypro.com.   He can be reached at 404-219-3516 or via email at bpotter@handypro.com.