{"id":543,"date":"2026-10-21T12:28:09","date_gmt":"2026-10-21T04:28:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.modooro.com\/blog\/?p=543"},"modified":"2026-10-21T12:28:09","modified_gmt":"2026-10-21T04:28:09","slug":"how-to-prevent-hollow-composite-decking-from-fading-40bf-91300a","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.modooro.com\/blog\/2026\/10\/21\/how-to-prevent-hollow-composite-decking-from-fading-40bf-91300a\/","title":{"rendered":"How to prevent hollow composite decking from fading?"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019re a hollow composite decking supplier like me, I get it\u2014nothing\u2019s more frustrating than seeing a deck you installed last year start to fade, even when you promised customers it\u2019d hold up. I\u2019ve been in this game for 12 years, and I\u2019ve helped hundreds of folks fix fading issues, plus I\u2019ve tweaked our own hollow deck design to fight discoloration better. Let\u2019s cut the jargon and get real: this is how you actually prevent hollow composite decking from fading, no fluff. Hollow Composite Decking<\/a><\/p>\n

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First, let\u2019s keep it simple\u2014why does hollow composite decking fade in the first place? A lot of people think it\u2019s just \u201csunlight damage,\u201d but it\u2019s 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\u2019re 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\u2019t 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\u2019ve seen customers who power wash their deck wrong mess it up too\u2014too much pressure strips the protective top layer, and boom, fading starts within months.<\/p>\n

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\u2019s key because if your product is made right, half the battle is won before it even ships.<\/p>\n

First, let\u2019s talk manufacturing tweaks\u2014this is where I\u2019ve 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\u2014just 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\u2019s the thin solid layer on the outside of the hollow core) because that\u2019s what takes the most sun. We also don\u2019t cut corners on pigment\u2014cheap pigments fade fast, so we use high-density, color-fast pigments that don\u2019t break down when exposed to sun. And here\u2019s 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\u2019s the industry standard for \u201cno noticeable fade to the human eye\u201d), we scrap the batch. No exceptions. That\u2019s why our customers tell us their decks still look new after 4 years, even in Florida or Arizona where the sun is brutal.<\/p>\n

Next, once the decking is at the customer\u2019s house, what do you tell them to do? Let\u2019s start with installation\u2014bad installation can make fading worse. A lot of installers put hollow boards too close together, right? They think, \u201cmore space = no warping,\u201d 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\u2014enough for expansion, not too much to let sun in. Also, avoid installing the deck right next to a wall that traps heat\u2014like 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\u2019s path, not along it. I know that sounds tiny, but it cuts sun exposure on the whole board by 20%\u2014we\u2019ve measured it.<\/p>\n

Then, cleaning routine\u2014this is where most people mess up, and it\u2019s 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\u2014no bleach, no ammonia. Bleach breaks down the plastic in the composite, and ammonia makes the pigments fade faster. Once a year, that\u2019s enough. If there\u2019s mildew buildup, let the cleaner sit for 10 minutes before scrubbing, don\u2019t press hard. And for stubborn stains, like red wine or grass, spot clean right away\u2014don\u2019t 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 \u201cghost fading\u201d\u2014you\u2019ll see a lighter square where the rug was, and that\u2019s permanent if it\u2019s left too long. So just move the furniture around every few months, easy.<\/p>\n

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\u2019t need it. But if you\u2019re selling budget hollow boards that skimp on stabilizers, a clear, UV-protectant sealant can help fill in tiny gaps in the deck\u2019s surface and block extra sun. But here\u2019s 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\u2014some sealants make the color darker, which people don\u2019t like. For our customers, we include a free sample of the right sealant with every bulk order, so they don\u2019t have to guess.<\/p>\n

Now, let\u2019s 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\u2014fading 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.<\/p>\n

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\u2019s not as good as preventing it in the first place. We always tell customers it\u2019s way cheaper to do the maintenance upfront than to redo the deck in 5 years.<\/p>\n

Wait, let\u2019s make this relatable. I\u2019m not a big corporate guy\u2014my 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\u2019re a contractor or a homeowner looking for hollow composite decking that won\u2019t fade, we\u2019ve got your back. We don\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n

Now, let\u2019s wrap this up. If you\u2019re a contractor who\u2019s tired of dealing with faded decking complaints, or a homeowner who\u2019s 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\u2019t wait until it starts fading\u2014prevent it now, so your deck looks good for decades.<\/p>\n

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Oh, and a quick note: I\u2019ve spent years testing all this stuff, so this isn\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n

Composite Deck Tiles<\/a> References:<\/p>\n

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  1. American Wood Council. (2021). Composite Decking Durability and Maintenance Guidelines.<\/li>\n
  2. Composite Deck Manufacturers Association. (2022). UV Stabilization Requirements for Hollow Composite Decking.<\/li>\n
  3. Journal of Materials Science. (2020). Degradation Mechanisms of Composite Decking Exposed to Outdoor UV Radiation.<\/li>\n
  4. Outdoor Industry Association. (2023. Deck Maintenance Best Practices for Residential Applications)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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    LIVING GREEN<\/a>
    We’re well-known as one of the leading hollow composite decking manufacturers and suppliers in China, also support custom service. Please feel free to wholesale high quality hollow composite decking at competitive price from our factory. For more information, contact us now.
    Address: Building 1-1 West, Tangpu Industrial Park, Dishu Street, Anji County, Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province, China
    E-mail: Sheena@bosendecor.com
    WebSite:     https:\/\/www.bosen-wpc.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    If you\u2019re a hollow composite decking supplier like me, I get it\u2014nothing\u2019s more frustrating than seeing … How to prevent hollow composite decking from fading?<\/span>Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":254,"featured_media":543,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[506],"class_list":["post-543","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-industry","tag-hollow-composite-decking-404e-916a99"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.modooro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/543","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.modooro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.modooro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.modooro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/254"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.modooro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=543"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.modooro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/543\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.modooro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/543"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.modooro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=543"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.modooro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=543"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.modooro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=543"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}