Will critters damage WPC decks?
Sep 22, 2023
Will critters damage WPC decks?
Our WPC decking is often used in outdoor gardens. In addition to the wind and sun, there is also a threat that is easily overlooked, and that is the small animals from the jungle.
Next, imagine two scenarios.
1. On a cool morning, you want to take a walk in the garden, but you find an inexplicable amount of feces and claw marks of different lengths on the deck, so you have to clean it.
2. On a sunny afternoon, you are sitting on a chair on the deck, and suddenly a small furry animal jumps out and darts away from your feet, scaring you so much that you scream.
Soft and furry doesn't always mean cute, and that's something to be aware of when it comes to that WPC decking or even garden you've put a lot of effort into creating.
So, to sum up, we conclude that critters can ruin your outdoor decking, even though they look cute and funny. In the eyes of animals, there is no issue of garden ownership. Everything is a gift from nature.
We can neither watch our carefully crafted decks being destroyed, nor can we be too cruel to these little guys. So, how do we protect our gardens?
Animals on deck
What harm can small animals do to your floors?
Some people may think that little animals are so cute, what can they do wrong? So, first we need to figure out what kind of damage these little guys will cause to our WPC decking.
Scratching: Animals such as feral cats, wild dogs or small mammals may scratch outdoor flooring surfaces, especially if the flooring material is soft or easily damaged. Their claws can cause scratches, peeling, or cracking.
Gnaw: The teeth of many rodents grow indefinitely, and they need to constantly chew on everything in sight to prevent their teeth from growing too long and affecting their ability to eat.
Digging: Some animals, such as rodents, rabbits, or birds, may try to burrow under outdoor floors or chew on flooring materials. This can cause flooring materials to loosen, break, or deform.
Excrement: Animal waste, such as urine or feces, on outdoor floors can cause corrosion, discoloration or odor issues on flooring materials. Certain fecal matter may also cause the growth of bacteria or mold.
Activity stress: Large animals, such as wild deer or cattle, can exert significant activity pressure, causing indentations, cracks, or deformations in some types of flooring.
Nesting: Some animals that hibernate in their habits like to hide or burrow under your deck, porch, or shed due to colder weather or the need for nesting in the spring.
Mouse's nest
Classification of threat levels
First, we need to classify their threat to decking into a level so that you can better respond when facing them.
CLASS
ANIMALS
HAZARD TYPE
S
Raccoons, opossums, prairie dogs, skunks, mice, chipmunks, otters, mice and other rodents
Scratching, gnawing, digging, excrement, nest building
A
Wild deer, cow, bear
Activity stress, scratching, excrement
B
Wild cats, wild dogs, hares
Gnaw，excrement，scratching
C
Snake
Nesting，excrement
D
Birds
excrement
Raccoons, skunks, and most rodents:
We classify raccoons, skunks and most rodents as Level S, which is the level that poses the greatest threat to WPC decking.
If rodents like raccoons, skunks, and prairie dogs find their way into your garden, you may want to be wary. Not only do you have to pay attention to controlling the volume of your screams when encountering them, but you also have to beware of them completely destroying your WPC decking. They can cause up to 6 types of damage to the decking.
Small rodents will crawl on the decking and find a crack in your decking, open an opening, and build a nest underneath the decking. They destroy the foundation, leave droppings everywhere, and due to their ever-growing teeth, they must constantly chew on anything in sight, including your decking.
Wild Deer, Cows and Bears:
Five different species of deer live in North America. These include white-tailed deer, mule deer, caribou, elk and moose. Among them, the smallest of them, the white-tailed deer, can reach 300 pounds, while the largest, the moose, can reach an astonishing 1,600 pounds. The most common cattle can also reach over 2,000 pounds. The weight of these behemoths is concentrated on 4 small hooves. Just imagine how much pressure they will put on your decking when they move their bodies and take a leisurely walk on your WPC decking. If the wild deer happens to see itself in the glass door again and is frightened, it may be a disaster for your decking.
The same is true for bears. Not only are bears heavier, but they are also more destructive to decking. Their sharp claws can easily leave a mark on your decking. This seems to tell you, "The bears are here to visit."
Deers
Wild cats, wild dogs, hares:
These small mammals are the most common visitors to gardens, and they live in areas that overlap with humans. The smaller size of cats, dogs and hares means they can look for damage in the decking and amplify it.
They scratch and chew the decking and give birth to a litter of pups in a suitable location.
Snakes:
Snakes have the habit of hibernating, and they will look for a suitable place to take shelter from the cold as winter approaches. Their shape allows them to easily burrow under your WPC decking and lay eggs underneath.
Birds:
Birds are the animals that may pose the least threat to your decking among all common animals. They usually have degenerated bladders and large intestines, so they have no ability to control bowel movements and will leave excrement on your deck at any time. But other than that, birds will hardly cause any harm to your decking, so don’t worry too much.
Note: The above ranking only refers to the threats to your decking caused by small animals, and does not include threats to humans and other personal belongings.
How to keep animals off your floors？
1. Clean up plants and garbage promptly:
The biggest thing that attracts critters to your yard is an abundance of wildly growing plants. Once these critters discover these plants, especially near decks, they will swarm them.
These natural plants not only provide food for herbivores, but also provide shelter for all animals, and the remaining plant remains also provide nesting materials for some animals.
Therefore, timely lawn construction has become an essential behavior. The turf needs to be mowed when it reaches a height of 3 inches, which is high enough to provide a food source for many small animals and insects. Once insects become prevalent, they will attract more insect-eating carnivores to your garden and decking.
Don’t forget to dispose of lawn clippings, leaves and branches, and dispose of them together to prevent them from being used as nesting materials by small animals.
For those who enjoy decking and grilling, be aware of food and drink residue left on the deck. Leftover human food is a favorite of raccoons, cats, dogs and even bears. After the party is over, remember to clean up the deck, put all food remains into garbage bags and put them in the trash can with the lid closed, and also wipe up any soups and drinks on the deck, as necessary Please refer to our article "Clean the difference between WPC embossed decking and WPC straight decking." to solve the problem.
2. Set up barriers and repair loopholes:
Installing a fence is one of the most common ways to effectively keep animals out. Choose a fence of the appropriate height to prevent small animals from jumping over or crawling through.
Check yard boundaries and decking joints for possible entry points such as cracks, gaps, and open doors and windows. Seal and repair them to ensure there is not enough space for critters to enter.
3. Use sound and motion sensing devices:
Small animals are sensitive to sudden sounds and motion. Set up some sound devices in the yard, such as sprinklers, bells or speakers, which are triggered when small animals approach, creating noise or movement to make them feel uneasy and move away.
4. Use natural repellents:
Certain natural gases can drive away some small animals, such as certain plants, herbs and flowers that can repel wild cats; for example, the smells emitted by plants such as basil, thyme, mint and mosquito repellent have a certain deterrent effect on wild cats; peppermint oil, Chili powder, camphor flakes, and lemon peel will repel rodents.
Spray these products on areas where small animals may pass or stay, and they often don't like the smell.
5. Set up a humane trap
Special traps can be set for some small animals, such as rodents and wild cats. What is noteworthy about this method is purchasing reliable and professional equipment and ensuring your own safety. After all, a small animal trapped in a cage will fight to the death, regardless of whether you have any intention of harming it.
Place the trap in an area where rodents are most active, but make sure it is out of direct sunlight as trapped pests may die from dehydration or heat stress.
Please be aware that when dealing with animals, respect and consider the welfare of the animals. Avoid using abusive, cruel or inhumane methods to solve problems and instead seek to humanely resolve situations where animals get under floors.
Trap
6. Seek professional help:
If you still don’t know what to do or are very worried after reading this, you may wish to seek expert help.
The best way to deal with unwanted visitors is to seek professional animal control services. They will have the experience and professional equipment to safely remove animals and nests. They can also provide advice and measures to prevent other animals from establishing nests again.
By the way, our co-extruded decking is more durable and resistant to gnawing and scratching by small animals.
Read More
