When summer heat turns up the temperature, a deck can quickly become unbearable. But with the right approach, your outdoor space can stay comfortable and cool, even during the hottest months.
The secret lies in the combination of thoughtful material choices, shade strategies, and design features that promote airflow. Let’s dive into the best ways to ensure your deck remains a refreshing retreat all season.
Why Does Your Deck Get Hot in Summer?
The summer sun can cause deck surfaces to absorb and trap heat, making it uncomfortable to walk on, especially in the afternoon. In Jamison, PA, where the sun’s heat can be intense, decks without proper shade or ventilation can feel 30 to 50 degrees hotter than the surrounding air.
Key factors that increase deck temperature include:
- Darker Materials: Dark-colored decking absorbs more sunlight, resulting in higher temperatures.
- Limited Airflow: Decks with poor ventilation trap heat, making it hard for the deck to cool down.
- No Shade: Without shade structures like pergolas or roofs, decks are exposed to direct sunlight for hours, which leads to heat buildup.
Cool Decking Materials for Summer Comfort
Composite decking is ideal for keeping your deck cool during the summer months. Its heat-resistant technology helps it reflect sunlight better than traditional wood, keeping your outdoor space comfortable.
Best Composite Decking Materials:
- Trex: Known for its sustainable, low-maintenance composite boards, it offers lighter colors reflecting sunlight and resisting heat buildup. It’s a perfect choice for hot summers.
- TimberTech: This brand’s capped polymer boards are designed to stay cooler than traditional wood and resist moisture, making them durable and heat-resistant.
- Deckorators: Using Mineral-Based Composite (MBC) technology, Deckorators boards include microscopic air pockets that reduce heat retention, keeping your deck cooler longer.
- AZEK: Known for its PVC composite decking, AZEK is highly heat-resistant. Its smooth surface reflects more sunlight and resists fading, making it ideal for keeping your deck cooler during peak summer temperatures.
Composite decking materials outperform traditional wood in heat resistance, providing a cooler deck surface and minimizing the need for ongoing maintenance.
Wood Decks and Heat: What You Need to Know
While wood decking can add a beautiful, natural look to your outdoor space, it tends to absorb and retain more heat than composite materials. The heat buildup can make wood decks uncomfortable underfoot during the summer, especially during the hottest parts of the day.
- Hardwoods like Ipe and Cumaru are dense and retain heat, staying warm well into the evening.
- Softwoods like cedar and redwood cool down faster, but dark stains or finishes can still cause heat buildup.
- Pressure-treated pine starts cooler but darkens over time, increasing heat absorption.
If you prefer a wood deck, pairing it with shade structures is key to ensuring its comfort. For long-term comfort and minimal maintenance, composite decking remains the ideal choice.
Shade Solutions to Keep Your Deck Cool
Creating shade on your deck is one of the most effective ways to reduce heat and make your outdoor space more comfortable.
Permanent Shade Solutions:
- Covered Roofs: A fixed roof provides full coverage, reducing sunlight exposure and creating a cooler space for gatherings and relaxation.
- Pergolas: Open-beam pergolas offer partial shade and ventilation. For enhanced sun protection, add climbing vines or retractable fabric.
- Louvered Roofs: Adjustable louvered roofs allow you to control sunlight and airflow, perfect for changing weather conditions.
Flexible Shade Solutions:
- Retractable Awnings: These are extendable awnings that can be adjusted based on the sun’s position, providing shade exactly where needed.
- Cantilever Umbrellas: These umbrellas pivot to provide shade without obstructing seating areas.
- Shade Sails: UV-resistant fabric sails can be installed in creative patterns, offering flexible shade solutions for varying sun angles.
Green Cooling for Your Deck
Incorporating natural elements like plants is another way to keep your deck cool. Greenery helps block the sun, providing shade and naturally cooling the air.
- Tall Planters: Planting fast-growing shrubs or trees in tall planters can create shade and enhance the beauty of your deck.
- Climbing Vines: Trellises or pergolas adorned with vines such as Virginia creeper or clematis can add dense, natural shade.
- Potted Trees: Trees like serviceberry or birch offer shade and can be moved to follow the sun’s path, ensuring that your deck remains cool throughout the day.
Combined with the right decking materials, these natural solutions create a cooler, more inviting outdoor space.
Enhance Airflow for Comfort
Good airflow is essential to maintaining a comfortable temperature on your deck. Stagnant air can trap heat, making the space feel even hotter. To improve airflow, consider these options:
- Ceiling Fans: Installing fans under pergolas or covered decks helps circulate air, preventing heat buildup.
- Misting Systems: Low-pressure misting systems can cool the air several degrees, creating a refreshing environment for hot days.
- Open Deck Design: Decks with open spaces or slatted floors allow air to flow freely, reducing trapped heat.
Deck Resurfacing to Keep Your Deck Cool
If you have an older wood deck that has become too hot or shows signs of wear and tear, deck resurfacing is an excellent option. Resurfacing your deck with composite materials like Trex, TimberTech, or Deckorators can significantly reduce heat retention, extend the life of your deck, and lower maintenance requirements.
- Composite Materials for Resurfacing: When you resurface your wood deck with composite materials, you can enjoy a more comfortable, cooler surface without the extensive upkeep that wood requires.
- No More Warping or Splintering: Composite decking resists warping, cracking, and splintering, ensuring a smooth and safe surface that remains cooler underfoot.
- Minimal Maintenance: Composite decking only requires occasional cleaning, reducing the need for frequent refinishing, sealing, or sanding.
Deck resurfacing is a cost-effective way to upgrade your outdoor living space while ensuring it stays cool and durable during summer.
Deck Temperature Comparison: How Materials Stack Up
The material you choose for your deck can make a huge difference in comfort in extreme heat. Different materials absorb and retain heat in various ways on a typical sunny summer day.
The table below compares the temperatures of common decking materials when exposed to direct sunlight, highlighting why composite decking is the ideal choice for keeping your deck cool.
| Material | Surface Temperature (°F) | Heat Retention | Comments |
| Composite (Trex, TimberTech) | 95°F – 110°F | Low heat retention, stays cool longer | Made with heat-resistant technology, composite boards reflect sunlight better than wood. |
| Wood (Ipe) | 120°F – 140°F | High heat retention, stays hot for hours | Dense hardwoods like Ipe absorb and retain heat, making them extremely hot underfoot. |
| Wood (Cedar, Redwood) | 100°F – 115°F | Moderate heat retention | Softwoods cool down faster but can still heat up under direct sunlight, especially if stained dark. |
| PVC (AZEK) | 90°F – 105°F | Low heat retention | PVC materials stay relatively cool, but may expand slightly under extreme heat. |
| Aluminum | 85°F – 95°F | Low heat retention | Aluminum reflects most of the sunlight, keeping the surface cool and stable. |
As you can see, composite decking and PVC materials are ideal for keeping your deck cooler, while wood decking—especially hardwoods—tends to absorb and retain significantly more heat.
Cost Savings: Why Cooler Decking Materials Pay Off
The upfront cost of composite decking may be higher than wood, but the long-term savings are significant. Here’s how:
| Material | Initial Cost (per sq. ft.) | Maintenance Costs | Lifespan | Total Lifetime Cost |
| Composite Decking | $3 – $12 | Low (cleaning only) | 25-30 years | $4,500 – $14,400 |
| Wood Decking (Pressure-treated) | $1 – $3 | High (annual staining, sealing) | 10-15 years | $6,000 – $10,500 |
| Wood Decking (Ipe) | $7 – $15 | High (annual sealing, staining) | 25-30 years | $9,000 – $20,000 |
As shown in the table, composite decking comes with a higher initial cost but requires far less maintenance than wood decking. Over its lifetime, composite decking can save you significantly on upkeep and replacements, making it a cost-effective option in the long run.
Moreover, because composite materials stay cooler, they can increase the comfort of your deck without requiring expensive cooling systems or frequent repairs.
FAQs
How to deal with a hot deck?
Install shade solutions, like a covered roof or louvered pergola, and use misting systems or fans to improve airflow. Consider adding UV-resistant outdoor rugs to reduce heat transfer.
How do I protect my deck from the sun?
Add permanent or movable shade structures, such as pergolas, retractable awnings, or shade sails to protect your deck from direct sunlight. For added UV protection, reapply protective sealants to wood decks.
Does wood decking get hot in the sun?
Yes, wood decking can absorb and retain heat, especially hardwoods like Ipe. Pair wood decking with shade structures to keep it cool, or consider upgrading to composite decking, which stays cooler.
How can I reduce thermal expansion on composite decking in hot climates?
Leave proper expansion gaps between the boards during installation to reduce thermal expansion. This allows the decking to expand and contract without warping or buckling in extreme temperatures.
What is the difference between capped and uncapped composite decking regarding heat resistance?
Capped composite decking has a protective outer layer that resists heat absorption and prevents moisture damage, offering better heat resistance than uncapped composites, which can retain more heat and deteriorate faster in hot environments.
Is a UV-resistant coating necessary for composite decks?
While many composite decking materials have built-in UV resistance, adding a UV-resistant coating can protect the surface from fading and heat absorption, especially in prolonged sun exposure.
What decks don’t get hot?
Composite decking, especially from Trex, TimberTech, and Deckorators, stays cooler than wood under direct sunlight. PVC decking is another great option for reducing heat.
Build a Cooler Deck with Precision Decks
At Precision Decks, we specialize in designing and building custom composite decks that stay cool and comfortable throughout the summer. Whether you’re looking for a new deck or considering a remodel, we’re here to help you select the best materials, shade solutions, and airflow strategies to create the perfect outdoor space.
Contact us today to schedule a free estimate and transform your outdoor living space into a cool, comfortable retreat!
