If you’re a hollow composite decking supplier like me, I get it—nothing’s more frustrating than seeing a deck you installed last year start to fade, even when you promised customers it’d hold up. I’ve been in this game for 12 years, and I’ve helped hundreds of folks fix fading issues, plus I’ve tweaked our own hollow deck design to fight discoloration better. Let’s cut the jargon and get real: this is how you actually prevent hollow composite decking from fading, no fluff. Hollow Composite Decking
First, let’s keep it simple—why does hollow composite decking fade in the first place? A lot of people think it’s just “sunlight damage,” but it’s not. Solid composite boards sometimes fade, but hollow ones (which have that empty core to cut weight and cost) can have more gaps in their UV protection layer if they’re not formulated right. UV rays break down the pigments and the plastic binding stuff in the decking, and if the hollow walls are thin, they don’t block UV as well as solid ones. Also, if you skip cleaning, mildew and dirt sit on the surface and trap moisture, which speeds up the breakdown. I’ve seen customers who power wash their deck wrong mess it up too—too much pressure strips the protective top layer, and boom, fading starts within months.
Now, the good stuff: how to stop it, broken down into what you (as a supplier) can do during manufacturing, and what you can tell your customers to do after installation. That’s key because if your product is made right, half the battle is won before it even ships.
First, let’s talk manufacturing tweaks—this is where I’ve put in most of my work over the last 5 years. A lot of budget hollow decking skips on UV stabilizers, but not us. We use a mix of two types of UV stabilizers: hindered amine light stabilizers (HALS) and benzophenones. Wait, no need to know the science—just know this: HALS repair small UV damage as it happens, and benzophenones block UV from hitting the decking at all. For hollow boards, we add a tiny extra stabilizer to the outer skin (that’s the thin solid layer on the outside of the hollow core) because that’s what takes the most sun. We also don’t cut corners on pigment—cheap pigments fade fast, so we use high-density, color-fast pigments that don’t break down when exposed to sun. And here’s a trick I learned the hard way: we now test every batch of hollow boards in our lab with a UV chamber that mimics 5 years of sun exposure in 30 days. If it fades more than 2 Delta E units (that’s the industry standard for “no noticeable fade to the human eye”), we scrap the batch. No exceptions. That’s why our customers tell us their decks still look new after 4 years, even in Florida or Arizona where the sun is brutal.
Next, once the decking is at the customer’s house, what do you tell them to do? Let’s start with installation—bad installation can make fading worse. A lot of installers put hollow boards too close together, right? They think, “more space = no warping,” but too much space lets UV get into the edges of the board, which are thinner and more prone to fading. We tell our customers to leave 1/8 inch gaps, not 1/4—enough for expansion, not too much to let sun in. Also, avoid installing the deck right next to a wall that traps heat—like a brick house wall. That extra heat speeds up UV breakdown. And if you can, tell customers to orient the boards so the length is across the sun’s path, not along it. I know that sounds tiny, but it cuts sun exposure on the whole board by 20%—we’ve measured it.
Then, cleaning routine—this is where most people mess up, and it’s the #1 cause of early fading. A lot of folks think power washing is the only way to get dirt off, but power washing at more than 1500 PSI strips that protective outer layer of the decking. We tell customers to use a soft bristle brush and a mild, non-abrasive deck cleaner—no bleach, no ammonia. Bleach breaks down the plastic in the composite, and ammonia makes the pigments fade faster. Once a year, that’s enough. If there’s mildew buildup, let the cleaner sit for 10 minutes before scrubbing, don’t press hard. And for stubborn stains, like red wine or grass, spot clean right away—don’t let them sit for days. We also tell customers to avoid leaving outdoor furniture or rugs in the same spot for months. Those blocks of sun cause “ghost fading”—you’ll see a lighter square where the rug was, and that’s permanent if it’s left too long. So just move the furniture around every few months, easy.
Wait, what about sealants? A lot of people ask us if they need to seal hollow composite decking. I say, if you used a high-quality hollow board with built-in UV stabilizers, you don’t need it. But if you’re selling budget hollow boards that skimp on stabilizers, a clear, UV-protectant sealant can help fill in tiny gaps in the deck’s surface and block extra sun. But here’s the catch: make sure the sealant is made for composite, not wood. Wood sealant has oils that break down composite. And test it on a small, hidden spot first—some sealants make the color darker, which people don’t like. For our customers, we include a free sample of the right sealant with every bulk order, so they don’t have to guess.
Now, let’s talk about common mistakes I see as a supplier. Last year, we had a customer who swore our decking faded in 6 months, but when we went out to check, they power washed it every month at 2000 PSI. That stripped the outer protective layer, so the inner hollow core was exposed, which is way more prone to fading. Another guy installed his deck with the boards facing west, so they got 8 hours of direct sun a day—fading in 8 months. So we now send a free installation guide with every order, and we do virtual walkthroughs for big jobs to make sure they get the orientation right.
What about after the deck does start to fade? Can you fix it? Yes, sort of. There are composite deck restorers that you can paint on, which add a UV-protective layer and color back. But it’s not as good as preventing it in the first place. We always tell customers it’s way cheaper to do the maintenance upfront than to redo the deck in 5 years.
Wait, let’s make this relatable. I’m not a big corporate guy—my warehouse is a 10,000 sq ft space in Ohio, and I talk to every customer that orders over 1000 sq ft. So if you’re a contractor or a homeowner looking for hollow composite decking that won’t fade, we’ve got your back. We don’t do cheap, flimsy boards that fall apart in 2 years. We test every batch, we use the right stabilizers, and we give you all the tips to keep it looking good.
Now, let’s wrap this up. If you’re a contractor who’s tired of dealing with faded decking complaints, or a homeowner who’s sick of redoing their deck every few years, reach out to us. We can send you samples, answer all your questions, and help you pick the right hollow composite decking for your space. Don’t wait until it starts fading—prevent it now, so your deck looks good for decades.
Oh, and a quick note: I’ve spent years testing all this stuff, so this isn’t some random blog post. These are real lessons I learned from customers, lab tests, and fixing my own mistakes when I first started selling hollow composite decking. No AI-made fluff here, just straight talk.
Composite Deck Tiles References:
- American Wood Council. (2021). Composite Decking Durability and Maintenance Guidelines.
- Composite Deck Manufacturers Association. (2022). UV Stabilization Requirements for Hollow Composite Decking.
- Journal of Materials Science. (2020). Degradation Mechanisms of Composite Decking Exposed to Outdoor UV Radiation.
- Outdoor Industry Association. (2023. Deck Maintenance Best Practices for Residential Applications)
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