Composite decking is a great alternative to wood decking. And because synthetic decks are made with wood plastic composite material, you need to take precaution when clearing off snow and ice during the winter season.
Here are three key tips for cleaning off snow and ice from your Latitudes composite deck:
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Shovel all loose snow off with a plastic shovel. Shovel parallel with the grain. Make sure there is NOT a metal blade at the end of the shovel as it could scratch the surface. - After the snow is gone, spread rock salt or calcium chloride over the deck surface and wait for the ice to melt; then simply shovel away using a plastic shovel. Never chop at the ice as it may gouge the surface.
- Once the weather is consistently above freezing, rinse off the deck surface and lightly broom off remaining salt residue.
Just as wood decking materials can get marred or gouged, composite deck surfaces can be scratched just the same. If scratched, I recommend allowing normal wear marks to fade, as they will blend in with the weathered color over time.
I am not aware of any adverse effects from the temporary use of ice melting products on Latitudes and other composite decking brands; however, I recommend using an ice melt product that has a less harsh effect on the surface. These types of ice melt products may indicate "will not harm concrete" or "will not kill grass" on the packaging. Be sure to brush off any residual ice melt product after the ice and snow melts.
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