Is Snow Bad for Composite Decking?

If you live in an area that gets cold and snowy, it’s important to know how to protect your deck. After all, you don’t want your new decking to get damaged by the weather. But how do you know if snow is bad for composite decking? In this post, we’ll teach you everything there is to know about winter and composite decking so that you can keep your outdoor space safe and beautiful year-round!

Everything you need to know about snow and your deck

If your deck is made of composite materials, you’ll want to keep an eye on the snow. Composite decking is more susceptible than traditional lumber because it’s made with a higher percentage of plastics and other synthetic materials.

When snow falls onto your outdoor space, it can accumulate over time if you don’t have proper drainage in place. If this happens, the weight of all that snow can damage your decking and leave permanent marks in its wake. If you live in an area where there’s a lot of precipitation throughout the year, make sure your deck has adequate drainage so that any water from melted snow can move through quickly and efficiently.

If your composite deck doesn’t have proper drainage built into it and instead relies solely on gravity for draining water off its surface, then consider adding an additional drain spout or two around each corner for extra protection against water buildup during wet seasons like springtime (when melting snow can cause havoc).

Snow can damage your deck.

Snow can damage your deck by causing the wood to warp and crack. The extreme cold temperatures of winter may cause moisture in the wood to freeze, which will expand and cause the boards to become uneven. This can make walking on or around your deck dangerous because it could be slippery. Snow also makes decks wet, which causes mildew and mold.

Some composite decking is more prone to damage from snow than others.

Some composite decking is more prone to damage from snow than others. The main difference between types of composite decking products is their ability to withstand different amounts of moisture. Snow is one type of moisture that can cause damage to your deck if it accumulates too much, so you should make sure that the product you choose will be able to handle a reasonable amount without getting damaged.

One way to do this is by looking at the warranty offered by your supplier or manufacturer; most warranties have a stipulation about how much snow accumulation can occur before they become void. If you are purchasing from an authorized dealer and they offer no such warranty, then look out for any signs of wear on their existing decks—this could indicate that weather conditions in general are too harsh for their products’ tolerance levels (for example, extreme heat or heavy rain).

How much weight can a deck hold with snow?

Snow can weigh quite a bit, but its exact weight depends on several factors:

• The temperature. Snow has a lower density at lower temperatures, so it’s lighter when you’re shoveling in the winter than it is in the summer.
• The type of snow. A foot deep of dry powder will be lighter than an inch-thick layer of wet slushy snow, but both are much heavier than a few inches of light flurries.
• The amount of snow. If there’s only one inch on your deck, it might not add more than 50 pounds to the total load; if there are three feet piled up there, that could easily double or triple the total weight on your deck!

How much snow is too much for your deck?

Heavy snow can be very damaging to your deck, even if it doesn’t seem like much.

On average, snow weighs about 12 pounds per cubic foot for temperatures between 32 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit. This means each cubic foot of snow has a weight of about 60 pounds. In addition, one inch of water can weigh up to 7 pounds per square foot; therefore, if your roof is covered with 3 inches of ice crystals or solid snow (which could happen in colder temperatures), you could have more than 300 pounds sitting on top of your roof. That’s almost as much as an average adult!

How do you remove snow from your deck without damaging it?

The best way to remove snow from your deck is by using a snow shovel. You can use a long handle, short handle or an adjustable long/short handle snow shovel.

Snow rakes are not designed to be used on composite decks and they can damage the decking material if you drag it across the surface of your decking boards. Snow blowers will do more damage than good as well because they create vibrations that could cause cracks in your composite boards if you don’t clear off all of the snow at once with one pass.

You should never use a metal scraper on a composite deck because it will scratch away at the surface and cause splinters in your beautiful new flooring!

How do you keep your deck safe in the winter?

The right tools can make all the difference when it comes to cleaning your deck. When you’re shopping for a cleaner, look for one with biodegradable ingredients so it’s safe for your outdoor space.

Next, use a high-quality decking oil with UV protection to keep your boards from drying out and cracking over the winter months. Finally, make sure you have a good quality brush, scraper and/or pad so that you can clean off any leftover dirt or debris after washing.

When dealing with snow and composite decking, the key is removing the snow before it piles up, the temperature drops and it becomes hard to remove.

When dealing with snow and composite decking, the key is removing the snow before it piles up, the temperature drops and it becomes hard to remove. The longer you wait to remove it, the harder your decking will get. This can lead to serious damage to your wooden decking if left for too long.

Conclusion

Now that we’ve covered the basics of snow and your deck, you should be able to make an educated decision about what’s best for you. We hope this article has answered some of your questions about the dangers of snow on composite decking and given you some tips on how to deal with them. If anything else comes up that we didn’t cover here, feel free to contact us—we love helping our readers!