How to stop composite decking stain running?

[TabithaM]

Hi all.

We've recently purchased our first home and it has a huge beautiful deck that runs the length of the house, however we have noticed lately that the colour from it seems to be 'running' (for lack of a better word). 

It sticks to the bottom of our feet and tracks maroon onto our carpets when we come inside, it stains your feet and socks if you step onto the deck without shoes on, and it is running through to the structure boards on the underside of the deck through the gaps (picture below). 

My father in law was the one who told us that the lengths were composite, but in all my research to find a solution for this, I'm finding that the common consensus is that composite wood shouldn't leak colour, so now I don't know what to think!
We really want to try and stop the colour from getting on (literally) everything, so any thoughts or suggestions for a solution would be greatly appreciated! 

Top sideUnderside

[MitchellMc]

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community, @TabithaM. It's brilliant to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about decking.

Firstly, we need to determine whether your deck is made from composite decking or timber decking with a deteriorated coating. Composite decking typically shouldn't bleed colour like this, so if that's indeed what you have, there might be a manufacturing defect or a specific issue with the product.

If it's timber, the staining could result from a degraded coating or stain. In that case, the best approach would be to resurface the deck by sanding it down to remove the old coating and then applying a new one designed to withstand the elements.

Could you please upload a close-up image of an exposed end of one of the decking boards? This will help me confirm the material and provide more accurate advice.

Looking forward to your update. Please let me know if you have any other questions.

Mitchell
 

[TabithaM]

Hi there, thanks for getting back to me! This is a picture of a cross section we've cut off. 

 

[EricL]

Hello @TabithaM 

Thank you for posting that extra photo of your deck. It appears to be composite decking as it does not show any timber fibres or patterns in the middle. It's truly puzzling that you are getting some sort of excretion from the decking panels. Can you please place the cut portion under running water and brush it with a bristle brush to see if any of the surface colour runs off. Is it possible to brush all of the running colour off the surface or does it keep rising up from the cut panel? 

Another avenue you can explore is to ask the former owner of the house and find out if they stained or oiled the surface of the deck. Was there any type of cleaning agent placed on its surface? Can I also please request for a photo of the actual stain itself that is dripping on your floor. Have you tried to clean the surface with detergent and water? Please allow me to confer with my team-mates regarding your decking panel. 

Thank you for your patience.    

Eric

[sheilawhittam]

I went on line and saw a request on the Bunnings sit regarding composite decking colour staining inside carpets. TabithaM.   I need to join a conversation about this because I have dark grey composite decking that is staining my light coloured interior textured  tiles.  We installed the decking ourselves 8years ago. Gentle rubbing on paper towels show how dark grey is easily wiped upThis is the decking adjacent to our entry. We have just scrubbed the floors! again!

[Jason]

Hi @sheilawhittam,

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. Sorry to read of the trouble you're having with your composite decking. 

Could you please tell us exactly what decking boards you installed and how they have been maintained since they were installed? Our residents Bunnings D.I.Y. experts will be keen to assist.

Thanks,

Jason

[sheilawhittam]

We purchase the lengths from Bunnings Mount Barker about 8 years ago.  I have left over piece I can show you.  Been maintained  only with blowing down and occasionally washing and mopping with an ordinary mop. Let dry. The ones in the sun when dry continue to sweep off onto a pan as fine grey dust.  

Our shoes get grey on the base.. it washes off the sole. We have only just put two and two together of why we need to keep scrubbing our light indoor tiles. 

[sheilawhittam]

Wipe on handsPiece of composite left over.2piece of composite left over.

[EricL]

Hello @sheilawhittam 

Thanks for sharing those extra photos of your composite decking. Would you happen to recall the name and model of the composite decking? I don't want to make any assumptions about the decking panels you've installed, but if you can identify what it is, perhaps I can track down the supplier and ask them about what's happening to the decking panels and why is it behaving this way.

Any extra information you can share with us regarding the deck panels would be very much appreciated.

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

[sheilawhittam]

Dear Eric. We built and finalised the house Oct. 2015, just over 9 years ago. Within 6months the decking was installed  so it is quite a while ago..It would be difficult to find any documentation  /receipts to show the manufacturer. We can only lean on Bunnings to know what shipments you had at that time around that date of our finished build. From memory we bought two lots, as we wanted the decking to be at the front porch entry as well as the courtyard at the back. 

By the way yesterday we did another wipe test on the front porch to find out if there   is grey treading / powdering off on our feet, and yes it is. It is especially the areas where the constant sun is shining on it. 

Sheila and Stanley Whittam