When considering a major investment like a new deck, it’s important to have all the information you need. Here are some of the questions that we hear the most about PVC Decking:

You say that cellular PVC decks are designed to be “low maintenance.” What exactly does that mean?

Cellular PVC decks clean easily with soap and water

We mean that cellular PVC decks resist stains and mold, and are generally highly fade resistant. Cleaning doesn’t require harsh chemicals or pressure washing. Soap and water will typically work just fine.

Will mold grow on a cellular PVC deck?

No. Cellular PVC decks won’t let unsightly mold or mildew take hold. Spores simply cannot penetrate the hard, dense surface.

How does PVC Decking handle stains?

Cellular PVC decks are exceptionally stain-resistant. They can’t be stained by any food or drinks that are spilled on it. You won’t have to live forever with wine, food or grease stains.

Pesky termites and insects can damage wood and wood composite decks, but not cellular PVC decks

Will termites eat PVC Decking?

Unlike wood and wood composite decking, cellular PVC decks aren’t vulnerable to termites and wood-boring insects.

There’s much more to know about PVC decking beyond these questions. For your convenience, we’ve put together a much more detailed FAQ page here: PVC decking FAQ

Quality PVC decking features scratch-resistant surface technology with a solid core, but, as with any surface, it is still possible to scratch a PVC deck when enough friction and pressure are applied. However, a few simple considerations can help ensure that your furniture won’t impact your deck’s surface.

Nylon feet prevent furniture from scratching your deck

Similarly to how you would protect your interior hardwood or laminate flooring, one of the most common ways to protect your deck from furniture scratches is to use nylon feet or nylon pads, also known as glides. Some furniture will already have a form of nylon protection attached during manufacturing, while other furniture will need to have nylon glides attached after purchase. Rubber pads are not recommended since rubber can discolor PVC decking. Glides can be found either online or at a hardware store. Some simply fit over the existing feet of your furniture, while others are attached by tapping the foot glide into the leg tubing at the bottom of the leg with a hammer, after the factory installed foot is removed.

When it comes to color fading, look for specially engineered deck boards that prevent color loss due to the elements. Compare decking and make sure your new deck boards have high levels of UV inhibitors and durable pigments which protect against damaging UV rays. In locations with particularly high levels of UV exposure, i.e. high altitude, it is very important to get your deck board choices right.

The best place to start when selecting deck furniture is to make a list of all the activities you’d like to use your deck for and use that to determine what furniture you’ll need. Be sure you know your deck’s dimensions, have an idea of how much space each piece will use, and decide how many people you wish to accommodate. Consider leaving space for extra items such as grills and outdoor speakers.  If the furniture needs to be stored away for the off-season, assess the amount of storage space you’ll need.

Iron furniture on a Gossen London Grey Passport deck

Once you’ve determined which pieces you’re looking for, you’ll need to select the proper furniture material. Metal furniture, with the exception of aluminum, is very durable and its weight prevents it from being moved in the wind. In addition, it comes in a wide variety of styles to suit your individual taste. However, metal will heat up in the summer and may be susceptible to rust.

Plastic furniture and aluminum furniture are lower cost options. They are typically stackable, making for easy storage. Plastic in particular is excellent for use near water. The light weight of plastic and aluminum makes it easy to rearrange furniture, but the furniture may also be easily displaced by wind.

Wood furniture can have a great, natural look that matches your deck. However, wood can be more vulnerable to fading and damage from the elements, so it may require regular maintenance and treatment applications. The quality, price, and potential longevity of wooden outdoor furniture depend heavily on the type of wood used.  Teak is a popular type of wood that has a high mineral and oil content that helps prevent bug and water damage.  Teak will weather to a grey color, but can be returned to its original color through sanding or kept its original color with regular applications of teak oil. While considered one of the most durable woods (it can even be kept outdoors during the off-season), it is also one of the most expensive.

Cedar is another popular wood used for outdoor furniture. Less expensive than teak and other exotic woods, cedar still resists moisture and insects naturally. Its light weight makes cedar easy to move, Regular maintenance is needed to make sure cedar lasts.

Redwood is another common choice in outdoor furniture.  Like its name implies, redwood boasts a deep red color, but without proper treatment it is susceptible to fading and staining light colored clothes. Although it is more expensive than cedar, redwood shares both cedar’s weather resistance and its vulnerability to scratches and dents.

These are only a few of the most popular woods used in outdoor furniture, so don’t hesitate to explore the vast array of other options when considering wooden deck furniture.

Safety Will Increase

In the dark, your deck can be a little treacherous as you navigate furniture, steps and stoops. Sure, you can use bright flood lights or porch lights to overcome the darkness, but it will also take away from the beautiful deck you have built and the yard you have groomed. With deck lighting, create enough soft light to move around safely without destroying the relaxed mood or that beautiful night sky.

Highlight steps, doorways, and other areas where foot traffic is likely and obstacles might be found. The really cool thing about deck lighting is that it not only provides increased safety, but it also makes your deck look better at night. Keeping the lights on even when you are not using the deck can add ambiance to your view.

Step Lights

Deck lighting is available in several basic types, with each type having a wide variety of styles. Since steps are obviously an area of safety concern, lights are specially made for that application. You can either install lighting directly into the riser or you can install lights on posts or under rails that illuminate the steps. Either method works and looks great, so it’s really a matter of which type offers the look you want.

Post and Step Lighting on a PVC Deck, by Creative Wood Products in Fenton, MI

Railing and Post Lights

Since steps aren’t the only place you will want to illuminate, lights are available to install on the railing posts or under the railing itself. Installing the lights close to the deck surface works best. It is also important to have the light shaded/covered so it will not shine in your eyes. Also shades/covers will help cast the light to the deck. When planning the level of the post or railing lighting consider your eye level in a sitting position on the deck- you do not want the light in your eyes.

Post Cap Lights

Lighted post caps is another great option for deck lighting. There are many different styles. Stainless steel, pvc, copper…different shapes and colors – so you can find one to suit your taste and your budget. Most are quite attractive and finish off a post nicely. Just keep in mind that they are mounted on top of the posts, so they will naturally be higher than any of the other methods. Also consider lights that you can control, rather than automatic on/off lights, since these lights are higher in your line of site and may effect your vision and overall effect.

Rope Lighting

Rope lighting is another option for deck lighting. It’s easy to install and is relatively inexpensive. It will provide a nice effect when installed on the underside of the bottom rail.

While solid core cellular PVC decking generally drills, saws, screws and handles similarly to wood, you should carefully read all installation instructions prior to building your dock or pier. Remember to follow the spacing guidelines for support joists. Consider taking your joist spacing to 12″-on-center for greater rigidity in high traffic areas. Using the proper screws will also benefit the longevity and performance of your structure. Face screwing with #8 stainless steel screw with coordinating colors works best. Minimum length 2¼. Pre-drilling is not required and do not use composite deck screws.

No Slivers with PVC Dock Boards

PVC sheds water and will not rot or mold like wood decking eventually will. The biggest benefit of a solid core pvc deck board- no slivers! Bare feet are spared the ubiquitous sliver waiting to skewer skin.

Look for the following manufacturer attributes when shopping for the best surface to put on your dock or pier.

•Lifetime residential warranty
•Good wet/dry skid resistance
•Solid board construction
•Excellent fade resistant
•No wood fibers- No slivers
•Excellent stain resistance
•Commercially available at many lumber yards
•Floats

Care is needed when removing snow and ice from a PVC deck

Suggested To Use: Magnesium Chloride is a biodegradable rock salt alternative. It is also a more environmentally friendly solution to ice than rock salt. Calcium Chloride is another Eco-friendly solution for melting ice in extreme temperatures.

Do Not Use: Do not use any kind of Rock Salt. Rock salt is highly abrasive and can cause surface scratches on your deck. Do not use Sand as it is also highly abrasive.

If you happen to have members of the family who are of the four legged variety, there are several pet-friendly ice melting products on the market that contain no salt. These can be found online or at your veterinarian’s office or local pet supply store. It is a good idea to compare these products to find the one most effective for your situation. If it is friendly to your Pet, chances are it is friendly to your Gossen Deck.

Easy prep with a Gossen deck!

1. Sweep and rinse your deck to remove dirt, debris, leaves, fallen fruit, etc. These items can stain an ordinary deck. Gossen Cellular PVC deck owners won’t have stain worries, but a nice clean deck is always a pleasure.
2. Remove and rinse any deck mats and outdoor rugs. Storing outdoor rugs will extend their life considerably.
3. Store your deck furniture.
4. Inspect fasteners. Make sure deck boards are still being held tightly to the substructure.
5. Check outdoor patio lighting for drained solar batteries, broken bulbs, etc. Lighting adds a cheery in dreary winter months.
6. Install or winterize bird feeders. Special birdbath heaters and freeze-proof feeders ensure that plenty of water and food will be available to those hardy birds.
7. Drain any watering hoses or sprinkler systems. If possible, roll up and store.
8. Remove and store all your metal, clay, wood and ceramic pots and containers.  Thaw/freeze cycles are very hard on these gardening accessories.
9. Purchase a heavy-duty plastic bladed snow shovel. Make sure it does not have a metal edge on the blade. You’ll be ready to keep the area clear without damaging the deck surface.
10. To keep an icy deck slip-free, you can use most products containing calcium chloride without damaging deck boards. Be cautious when using rock salt, as it can cause minor scratching. Magnesium chloride is a great green de-icer.

Water standing on well sealed wood deck caused by improper slope or joist leveling.

One of the greatest selling features of cellular PVC is that it does not absorb moisture. This prevents swelling, staining, rotting, splintering, mold, mildew and discoloring. Since it won’t absorb moisture, improper installation of the material can lead to standing water on your deck. Either the proper  slope away from the house was not created, the substructure was not properly leveled or the boards were not fastened properly to the joists.

It is important to build your deck with a slope away from the house.  The recommended slope is 1/16th inch for each foot away from the house. In fact, this is a recommendation for all decks to get water away from the house and water off the surface. Wood decks that are properly sealed shed water similarly to a cellular PVC deck.

Make sure your joists are level. Cellular PVC is a flexible material, and the boards will conform to the surface created by the substructure. The joist should be level in order to prevent the surface from becoming wavy. When this occurs, you will notice standing or pooling water where the joist is lower than surrounding joists.

Another cause may be the fasteners are not performing correctly, causing sections of the board to lift way from the intended water shedding slope. When installing Gossen decking, make sure that every fastener is properly securing the board to the joist. Consult with the manufacturer of the fastener for best practices.

Finally, if your deck has not been properly installed, and you are noticing standing water on your deck, make sure to remove the water. While Gossen’s surface technology has superior wet/dry skid resistance, pooling water can lead to slipping. Additionally, if outside temperatures reach freezing, the standing water will turn to ice! If icing occurs, make sure you have a non-rock salt to keep frozen feet safe.

Gossen Decking is perfect for your pool deck and more

Cellular PVC does not absorb water or the chemicals that splash onto the deck. Wood and wood/plastic composites have organic fibers that will soak up pool water, which can discolor the deck’s surface. Not a problem with cellular PVC decking- it is water resistant and ideal for pool decks, spa surrounds, high humidity and marine environments. Since it does not absorb moisture, the deck will not crack, split, decay or splinter. The surface stays beautiful, and you don’t have to worry about slivers in your feet!

Since cellular PVC does not absorb moisture, it will not mold. Mold can be an issue with wood and wood/plastic composites, as the organic components in wet conditions make the perfect home for mold to grow. Mold growth can lead to respiratory issues, create slipping hazards and reduce the lifespan of your deck.

With cellular PVC decking, you will never have to stain, sand, strip or paint your deck. It will maintain its rich color and texture all on its own. However, beware of allowing certain types of sunscreen to sit on the deck’s surface, as they can discolor your deck. If you do spill some sunscreen, simply wipe it up with a soft cloth as quickly as possible.

Optimize your downtime by building a low maintenance, cellular PVC poolside deck. You will never spend another weekend refinishing your deck’s surface, leaving you plenty of time to nail that cannonball.

Coir mats and rugs work great with your Gossen Deck

Your first concern is probably what to do with your grill pad. Fiber cement is a great alternative to the rubber mat. The Original Grill Pad is a lightweight, fiber cement under-grill pad that protects your decking from spills, sparks and other grilling hazards without discoloring your deck. It comes in a variety of colors and shapes, so you should be able to find one that suits your needs.

When selecting a decorative rug, natural fibers are the best. Consider a rug made of  coir.  Coir’s brown fibers come from coconuts, weaved into the look of “natural” fibers.  Coir mats and rugs can be found in stores such as Williams-Sonoma, Crate & Barrel and Target.

White threads can also be harvested from coconuts. These woven rugs come in a myriad of styles, colors and thicknesses. The material is long lasting and made from natural materials so your purchase will be both beautiful and conscientious!