Tips To Care For Composite Decking In The Winter

You've spent so much time and effort building and maintaining your dream deck, the last thing you need is for Old Man Winter to ruin your investment. Luckily, preventing snow and ice from wearing down your deck is easy if you prepare your deck each season the right way.

Composite decking can withstand ice and snow without rotting, making it the best deck material to withstand winter weather. But while composite decking is more resilient to harsh conditions, you still need to know how to care for your deck to maximize the longevity of your materials. 

Here’s how to properly equip your deck for the winter season.

How to Protect Your Deck Before Snow Arrives

As the end of fall approaches, you should begin prepping your deck for winter. Winterizing your deck too soon may force you to repeat the process later in the season, but waiting too long can leave your deck covered in leaves and debris all winter long.

To best schedule your winterization, keep an eye on your local weather for signs of snow and sub-freezing temperatures. Preventive measures are best done after leaves fall, but before snow does. Once you've found the right time, follow these easy steps to protect your deck all winter long.

First, cover any outdoor furniture you plan to leave on the deck so you can avoid the frustrating task of cleaning it once warm weather arrives. Also, sweep off leaves and other reminders of fall from your decking to avoid having to clean the residue they leave behind.

While regular shoveling is important during winter, you also want to remove grime and debris from your deck before the cold weather sets in. Techniques for cleaning your deck include:

• Pre-rinse your deck before applying deck cleaner to allow your cleaner to work more effectively.
• Gently scrub the deck down with warm, soapy water.
• Power-wash the deck (either yourself or by hiring a professional service).

How to Remove Snow and Ice From Your Composite Deck

The way you remove snow and ice from your deck will depend on the depth of snow, your tools, and your deck boards. Before you start, consider these suggestions to avoid any unwanted damage to your composite deck:

• For light dustings, you can use a simple broom in lieu of a snow shovel.
• If using a shovel, exercise caution, as certain materials can scuff or scratch your deck. For example, metal shovels can damage composite materials, making plastic shovels the safest choice to remove snow from Trex Transcend®, Enhance® and Select® decks. 
• Shoveling with the direction of the board minimizes the risk of accidental dings and dents.
• Calcium chloride or rock salt also can be used to melt the snow and ice from the deck surface.

If you need more advice on how to safely remove snow from your composite decking, the most reliable resource is the manufacturer, who can provide you with detailed cleaning and maintenance recommendations.

For older generation Trex composite decks, such as Accents®, calcium chloride or rock salt may be used but should be rinsed off as soon as possible. Use caution not to scratch your boards when removing snow or ice with a snow shovel and never use a metal snow shovel on an older generation deck.

Explore Trex Composite Decking for Minimal Winter Upkeep

You may prefer not to use your deck during the winter months, but with minimal maintenance and upkeep requirements, your deck will be ready for you to enjoy when the warm weather returns. Composite decking delivers more durability and less maintenance, without sacrificing aesthetic or quality, so you can spend more time relaxing outside vs. cleaning or staining your deck.

Trex composite decking is constructed from high-performance materials that are more resilient than wood planks to withstand winter weather as well as fading, scratching, or staining. Order a sample today to get a feel for the quality, durability, and versatility of Trex decking.