Best Pressure Washer for Composite Decking: Three Electrics Gentle Enough for Trex and Its Rivals

Why composite is washed differently

Composite decking is a wood and plastic blend with a textured cap, and a pressure washer used the way it is used on concrete etches that cap, raises fibers and voids the warranty. Makers such as Trex publish limits, typically about 1,500 PSI at the surface with a fan tip held eight to twelve inches away, and the washer that suits composite is a modest electric that delivers that with a 40-degree nozzle and applies a composite-safe cleaner first. The three machines here are all in the 1,800 to 2,000 PSI class and differ in soap handling, size and price.

This guide is built from the published specifications and manuals of each washer and from recurring owner feedback. We have not run these washers ourselves.

How the three compare

Greenworks 2000: the right class, honestly rated

The Greenworks 2000 is rated to the PWMA standard, which means the 2,000 PSI and 1.2 GPM figures are measured rather than marketing peaks, and with a 40-degree nozzle a foot off the boards it lands inside the composite makers limits. A 14 amp motor starts at a button and the pump stops when the trigger is released, which lets the operator check a section before continuing. It is simple, light and cheap; add a 40-degree nozzle if the kit lacks one.

Westinghouse ePX3100v: foam first

Composite is cleaned by the cleaner, and the ePX3100v detachable foam cannon lays it on thick so it can dwell before the rinse. The machine is rated 1,800 PSI and 1.2 GPM, weighs 18 pounds with a carry handle for a deck up a flight of stairs, and runs a 20-foot braided hose. The pump auto-stops. It is the compact pick for a townhouse deck.

Sun Joe SPX3000: two tanks, low price

The SPX3000 works at about 2,030 PSI and 1.2 GPM, ships with the 40-degree nozzle composite wants plus four others, and carries two 0.9-liter detergent tanks so deck cleaner and a general soap are both on board. The 34-inch stainless lance with brass fittings reaches the far boards. It is the best-selling budget electric for a reason, and its 20-foot hose is the main complaint.

Washing composite well

Sweep the deck and wet it. Apply a composite-safe cleaner with the foam cannon or soap nozzle and let it sit a few minutes without drying. Rinse with the 40-degree nozzle held a foot off the boards, moving with the grain in long strokes and never stopping in one place. Rinse again with the garden hose. Test a hidden board first, and never use the 0 or 15-degree nozzle on composite for any reason.

Which one should you buy

Buy the Greenworks 2000 for an honestly rated washer in the right class. Buy the Westinghouse ePX3100v for a foam cannon and a carry handle. Buy the Sun Joe SPX3000 for two soap tanks and five nozzles at the lowest price.