How to De-Ice Trex Decking

Keep your deck safe by de-icing it in winter.

The Trex company makes a composite material for decks and railings as an environmentally-friendly alternative to new wood. Trex recycles wood products, grocery bags and even sawdust to make its decking materials. In addition, Trex encourages conservation with its 25-year limited warranty for Trex Transcend. If your climate includes snow and ice, you can keep your Trex deck safe in winter by de-icing it as needed.

Things You'll Need

• Plastic shovel
• Calcium chloride or rock salt

Instructions

1. Remove any loose snow with a plastic shovel.

2. Sprinkle calcium chloride on the Trex deck to melt the ice. Alternately, use rock salt, which is sodium chloride.

3. Repeat de-icing with calcium chloride or rock salt as needed.

Tips & Warnings

• Remove dirt by spraying your deck with a hose. If dirt stays in the grooves, clean the deck with a soft brush and a bucket of soap and water.

• Clean up spills from food and drink to prevent staining. Clean with a hose, and then scrub with a brush as above.

• If debris has dulled the surface of your deck, first sweep it clean and hose it off. After it dries, use a commercial deck treatment according to instructions to remove tannin stains and brighten the color.

• Stay safe by wearing slip-proof boots or footwear when de-icing your Trex decking.

• Do not use harsh chemical such as acetone on Trex decking.

• If you do not clean up spilled food and drink within one week, your warranty will exclude the stain.

References

• Trex: Our Process
• Trex: Care and Cleaning Guide
• Trex: Our Warranty

Resources

• Trex: Colors
• Trex: Do It Yourself