Trex deck cleaning

[squeegeeboy 14]

I have done a few trex decks in the past but have not realy enjoyed the outcome.

I was wondering if anyone can help me out .

Are there any specific chems that you use when cleaning a trex deck. If so how do you apply ??

Do you brush the deck with a stiff brissled brush or just spray chems on and pressure wash off ....

Is there anything that prevents the trex from fading after the job is complete (when it dries it looks a different color ) it seems as if i have a huge request to do jobs like this but turn them down b/c i think i am doing somthing wrong . Does anyone else expierence the same results ....

Thanks

steve

[plainpainter 217]

fill your signature.

[Bryan C 14]

HW, let dwell, use low pressure rinse. Don't get too close. Never had a problem with fading...

[CALLTODD 15]

Nice pictures, HW?

Does anyone know how Trex likes oxakic.

I've got a bid to do wood hand rail and the deck is trex.

Edited April 10, 2009 by calltodd

[k2waterwerx 14]

Steve, give me a call if you want. I can meet you and help you out.

[Bryan C 14]

Nice pictures, HW?

Does anyone know how Trex likes oxakic.

I've got a bid to do wood hand rail and the deck is trex.

Same deck, same situation you are talking about...

These customers wanted the natural wood sealed with a clear sealer - didn't have a problem with oxalic, although I rinsed real well after applying it, which I normally don't do.

[CALLTODD 15]

Thanks,

I Haven't seen any adverse affect with oxalic any where yet.

Pics look good. I was trying to talk this customer into trying

some Ready Seal on their Trex. They went to the Trex site and it said nothing would adhear. Oh well,gives something more to wash.

[MudDuck 20]

Word has it that Trex had a class action suit against them and any Trex deck after 04 they will pay to have cleaned...Mold infiltrating the wood fibers going through the board,,,,In the process of confirming that but may be worth some looking into....

[RPetry 564]

... I was trying to talk this customer into trying

some Ready Seal on their Trex. They went to the Trex site and it said nothing would adhear ...

Todd,

Ready Seal will penetrate Trex like water into a sponge. Don't get any of the stain onto Trex by mistake, you will never get it out.

[ShineBrite LLC 14]

I have a love/hate relationship with composites. We have a lot of Trex and EverGrain here. Both are basically the same thing, just brand names. I have seen screened porches with all manner of stains that are impossible to remove. EverGrain literature for care of the stuff says to remove spills promptly. If koolaid stains it, you know deck stains will - at least good oil base ones will. I have several boards with AC on them now and am getting closer to marketing the service. There are some sealers out there marketed for composites already and I'd like to check those out as well.

Extreme How To published some good articles on the stuff and I've shared the info with many customers thinking of using it. Here's the link... A Closer Look at Composite Decking | Extreme How To, DIY - Do it Yourself, Home Improvement, Home Decorating

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

Just to cover an important item here...

Composite decking manufacturers have different chemical methods prescribed for cleaning their product.

Some will recommend a percarbonate for cleaning, others will recommend a pool cleaning version of chlorine (Calcium Hypochlorite vs Sodium Hypochlorite).

Manufacturers also have agreements for a supplier to be an exclusive source for their products cleaning requirements. Saw a 5lb container of percarbonate sold to a customer for $45.00 + shipping to clean their decking. No date on the label, so no one knows if the 6 month shelf-life had expired or not.

Some will even go so far as to call the warranty void if a specific chemical is used on the product to clean it regardless of whether it is the most suitable for the situation; oxalic for example. While great at bleaching the tannin stains that originate from within the substrate itself, it is cause enough to void the warranty for some products regardless of the fact that tannins are water soluble to begin with and become very difficult to remove without the aid of the acid.

The warning: Be careful as you may inadvertently void the customers warranty just by cleaning it with the wrong chemical making you liable for replacement.

Find out what brand the product is and check with the manufacturer before making any cleaning recommendations.

It is also a good thing to have a waiver signed by the homeowner if they insist on having you clean a product that requires chemicals in the range of those forbidden by the manufacturer.

Even if the warranty has expired or been voided by previous treatments, CYA beforehand by initiating a customer signed waiver so they can't blame you just to get it replaced.

Rod!~

[DP1066 14]

Word has it that Trex had a class action suit against them and any Trex deck after 04 they will pay to have cleaned...Mold infiltrating the wood fibers going through the board,,,,In the process of confirming that but may be worth some looking into....

This might be the case with Timbertech composite decks too. I did one last summer where the home owner called me out and Timbertech paid for the job so long as I used their recommended chems and sealer. The type of mold that attached it self to the composite was cleaned away with the chem but it looked like the wood fibers in the board were being eaten away. You could still see where the mold had been after the cleaning.

[ShineBrite LLC 14]

Thanks Beth for the very good info.

My tests with AC on the composite have failed. Will most likely turn to a product made for it, AND approved by the manufacturer. (Gee, that might be smart) I have seen some sealers, but not any stains that I recall. Looking for anyone with experience with this....?????

[Richard 17]

Ok Guys/Girls.

I haven't been on this board that much lately, so I'm prepared for SOME abuse.

I've got a Trex job/deck to clean for a friend that owns a rental supply house/outfit. I went on thier (Trex) web site and "ALL" it said was use SH , hot water, and LTD pressure.

Am I missing something or are people making this seem a little harder than it really is ??????????????

This is not aimed at anyone in perticular.

Edited April 21, 2009 by Richard

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

I have done a few trex decks in the past but have not realy enjoyed the outcome.

I was wondering if anyone can help me out .

Are there any specific chems that you use when cleaning a trex deck. If so how do you apply ??

Do you brush the deck with a stiff brissled brush or just spray chems on and pressure wash off ....

Is there anything that prevents the trex from fading after the job is complete (when it dries it looks a different color ) it seems as if i have a huge request to do jobs like this but turn them down b/c i think i am doing somthing wrong . Does anyone else expierence the same results ....

Thanks

steve

Welcome to TGS - please go to your My Controls and fill in your signature.

Beth

[James 624]

A product like the clear RS bodes well on composites. It enhances the color and keeps the moisture out. A product that has a drying oil feature will not work well on composites . Products with silicones in them work well on composites.

[Celeste 341]

Hey Jim --- something like Wood Defender?? I do love your suggestion of Clear RS!

[James 624]

yes For WD

[jnoden 15]

I have a Trex deck that I am doing in a couple weeks. Since I do not know exactly how well other sealers work on Trex I told the guy I will put on the stuff that Trex recommends and has sent out to me in the past for warranty work. They claim that it helps prevent the little black dots (mildew?) from returning.

[John Orr 206]

Cleaning TREX - and all composites that I have ever come across - is very simple. TREX, when providing warranty cleaning (which , by the way, requires the customer to sign an agreement to not sue them!) ships the cleaner (mix 50/50 with bleach) and the sealer, both from PSC, directly to the homeowner. I have found that my housewash mix, applied with a pump-up, works better and faster than the PSC stuff.

PROSOCO sells a Composite Deck Sealer that I just used. Works great, dries quickly, beads water better than the PCS sealer, and applies with a pump-up. Costs about $30/gallon and seals about 150 or so sq ft per gallon.

[Ron Musgraves 240]

Are they still cleaning trex Decks Much ?

[James 624]

Are they still cleaning trex Decks Much ?

People let them go until there brutal.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

We clean lots of them every year. There is NO such thing as maintenance free anything.

Beth

[Doug Rucker 31]

We clean them all the time too....

[Chazz 14]

Nice job Doug, application week house wash and a scrub brush light rinse off? Or other method?

[Doug Rucker 31]

Nice job Doug, application week house wash and a scrub brush light rinse off? Or other method?

Other....I'll text you.

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Doug ********** Clean and Green Solutions 281.883.8470