Hot composite decking

[tremas]

Hi!

We were set to get a composite deck until we visited an outdoor showroom today. It was a sunny day in Melbourne, 22-24 degrees about 12pm in direct sun and all the composite brands were so hot underfoot that we couldn't stand on them. The wood options were much more bearable (e.g. merbau, jarrah etc).

Wondering what others experiences are with composite decks re heat? We're building it in an area that will get full sun.

We've asked about the temp difference to wood prevously and didn't get any indication that it would be an issue and that there's not much difference between composite and wood (maybe once they all get to 40 degrees or so!).

[MitchellMc]

Hi @tremas,

I can only give you feedback on our Ekodeck products and could only presume that most composite deck products might be similar.

Ekodeck will retain and transfer heat more readily than timber. This is most evident if you select an Ekodeck colour which is darker than traditional timbers used in decks as any darker colour will have a tendency to absorb more heat. 

In terms of use, it should be treated with the same caution as walking on bricks/tiles that have been exposed to strong sun. Ekodeck is recommended to be installed with suitable ventilation as this helps the boards to cool. Ekodeck has run tests to determine the temperature difference between their boards and timber.  They report that Ekodeck is comparable heat-wise to sealed timber. Tests were done on a 35-degree day in full sun, Ekodeck was 52 degrees and sealed Merbau 50 degrees.

You might like to view these previous discussions: 

• New Ekodeck decking project by @Trying

• Composite Decking by @EmmaBourke

• Timber-free deck by @Adam_W

We look forward to hearing more about your decking project and we'd encourage you to let us know if you need any assistance or would like to share it with us. I trust you'll find loads of inspiration within the community as our creative members are contributing their own projects here all the time.

Mitchell

[ProjectPete]

Bamboo decking is a beautiful alternative giving you a point of difference and a material which absorbs less heat than most composite decks.

[ProjectPete]

Ultimately you need to consider the specific composition of the decking board you're looking at. Dense hardwoods will take longer to heat up but will get to a higher temperature. Composite decks have varying compositions of plastic and timber fibres. And within that, there are varying types of plastics, some of which cause the higher temperatures and the longer retention of that heat, however some reduce these extremes.

[Adam_W]

I agree @tremas 
This is the main reason that when you look at the installation instructions for composite products they recommend quite substantial expansion gaps.
I've also used HardieDeck. Quite like it but it too gets seriously hot even when painted a light colour.