Beat the heat on your deck with these cool tips!
The weather this time of year is just about perfect. We still have a little lingering spring left, but we are on the cusp of the brutal days of summer. If you’re lucky enough to have a deck in your yard where you can relax and enjoy the season, you know how nice it is to sit out on those still, cool evenings. But you also know that in a few short weeks, it will be so brutally hot that sitting outside will be anything but relaxing. So how do you keep your deck cool in the summer? Read on for some great tips.
Combat The Heat On Your Feet
The surface of your deck can potentially hold a lot of heat and hurt your feet (and also radiate the heat back out in the evening, making the whole space warmer.) If possible, choose a decking material that holds less heat. If changing the decking material isn’t in the cards now, consider repainting it a light color or even just laying down some indoor-outdoor throw rugs to protect your toes. You can also spray down the boards with water to cool them off (and cool off the whole area).
Add Shade
Whenever possible, block some of that scorching sun to cool off your seating area. Put up shade umbrellas, an awning, or even just a wind sail to provide shade over sitting areas. Even a privacy fence can provide some shade.
Increase Air Movement (And Add Mist)
Another way to cool off is to get the air moving. Add fans to your deck to cool things down and decrease the biting bugs at the same time. If the moving air alone doesn’t cool you off, consider adding misters.
Add Living Greenery
Don’t forget that plants naturally cool down an area. Add plants in pots or ledge planters, especially with lots of green foliage, to help bring the overall temperature down.
Remove Heat Sources
Finally, if you want to make the deck a cooler spot to relax, remove the stuff that is adding heat; grills, lanterns, and fire pits should find another home during the incredibly hot summer days so that they don’t contribute to the heat. One exception is citronella torches and candles – those are needed to keep the bugs away, unless you have a screened-in porch or deck.
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