This morning, I went outside to go for a leisurely walk. No sooner did one of the warmest morning temperatures of the season hit my face, than I did a 180 and went back inside the house.
This is the time of year when we need shade. And a new screened covered porch or a 3-season room is just what the shade doctor ordered.
The Finest Porches, Screened Porches And 3-Season Porches
Moving into the hottest part of the year, the benefits of having a shaded spot to enjoy in your backyard are immeasurable. Shade structures as part of a deck or patio space are priceless.
It’s interesting how hot outdoor living space surfaces can get when not protected by a shade cover. We actually put this hypothesis to the test. The results are rather surprising. Read on to learn more …
How Hot Does An Outdoor Living Space Get Without Shade?
• All synthetics get hotter than concrete. That surprised us.
• Wood decking is cooler than almost all synthetic decking in the hot summer sun.
• Light colored wood, like Alaskan yellow cedar and STK red cedar (Select Tight Knots) are cooler than all synthetics.
• Pressure Treated decking and even Ipe are cooler than all but a few synthetics.
What is interesting is that the warmest deck boards are also the lightest. The light weight all-PVC boards from Zuri, AZEK, and Fiberon are the hottest.
What Are The Coolest Deck Boards To?
The coolest deck boards are the Landscape and Hardwoods series from DuraLife and the Reliaboard from TimberTech. Ironically, these are older technology composites, with core material that is a combination of wood fibers and plastic. This old technology is cooler because wood holds and conducts less heat than plastic.
The newer, all-PVC boards perform better — resist food stains, mildew, and scratches better — but they are hotter. Our temperature readings confirmed this.
Why DuraLife Is The Coolest Deck Material
DuraLife decking, featuring CoolTrac, was designed specifically to provide a unique solution to the heat problem. It has a hard plastic cap, and is slightly cooler than TimberTech’s all composite boards, which have no plastic cap.
3-Season Rooms Offer A Shaded Paradise
A perfect adjunct to your interior living spaces during the warmer months of the year, 3-season rooms offer more benefits than shade.
These spaces can include windows, either of glass or clear vinyl. We will design your 3-season room specifically to increase or decrease the amount of airflow through the room for your comfort. You can switch your outdoor room into a screened porch by removing the windows or sliding them open to reveal the maximum amount of screen. When the temperature outside feels chilly, you can shut the chill out by closing all of the windows. Our 3-season rooms deliver the ultimate in outdoor living space versatility.
Learn More About Shaded Spaces
For a comprehensive shaded outdoor living space consultation, just click here. It’s complimentary and our pleasure to meet with you. We look forward to hearing from you!
