Prior to beginning construction on your outdoor deck, it is essential to choose the best material. If you're fortunate enough to reside in a perpetually warm and sunny environment. The next step is to choose a decking material that can withstand the heat all season long. Composite decking, in contrast to other outdoor decking materials, holds up well to prolonged exposure to direct sunlight.
Traditional Wood Decking
For a number of reasons, traditional wood is not a good choice for decking in direct sunlight. The honeycomb structure of wood decking is susceptible to damage from UV rays, and wood decking will naturally weather when exposed to the sun. Traditional wood decking also tends to absorb and retain heat more than other materials. However, wood dries out more rapidly when exposed to direct sunlight. This can cause the wood deck to splinter and crack. In addition, wood decks exposed to direct sunlight are more likely to lose their original color due to the effects of ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

Using pressure-treated wood decking will necessitate more frequent upkeep to preserve its visual appeal. In addition to frequent pressure washing and staining, cracked wood decking should be replaced as soon as possible. This means you'll have to keep putting in time and effort even after the wood deck has been built.
South-facing decks weather the fastest, followed by west-facing decks. Composite deck boards are a good option for a south-facing deck. These days, composite decking boards are one of the most well-liked options for outdoor flooring. Composite wood decking is an excellent choice for outdoor flooring because it is low maintenance, long lasting, and visually appealing. To further reduce your costs, the composite decking material requires almost no upkeep.
All-Day-Sun Composite Decking
Any material used for outdoor decking will heat up when in direct sunlight. Decking materials can vary in how much heat they absorb, though. Unlike its predecessor, today's composite decking is not affected by heat to the same degree as it was in the past. Modern composite decking materials are thermally equivalent to wood. Composite decking, in addition, cools off in the shade quicker than wood does.
We take a look at how to choose a high-quality composite decking material based on the three factors below when thinking about composite decking for full sun areas.
- cool composite decking
- no discoloration due to strong UV rays
- the amount of expansion and contraction due to temperature changes
Using these three groups, we can determine which types of composite decking perform best in direct sunlight. The aesthetic quality of a deck, like that of any other home improvement project, is of paramount importance. A beautiful deck design is a great way to increase your happiness. An unblemished appearance is more likely to be maintained for a longer time by high-quality composite decking that does not fade.
Coolest Composite Decking
When exposed to sunlight, the temperature of any given deck will rise. As a flat surface, decking both soaks up and radiates the sun's rays as it warms it. For this reason, the decks on the southern and western sides of a boat are the warmest.
You can't go barefoot outside without a deck that can withstand the sun's heat. Decks can absorb more or less heat depending on their construction material. Therefore, we need composite decking that is cool to the touch in order to make outdoor living more bearable.
When compared to other brands of composite decking, the Hollow Composite Decking series is a cooler option because of the material change and the resulting cooler touch.
The Hollow Composite Decking series is also notable for its hollow construction. Composite decking boards are more effective at dissipating heat due to their hollow construction. Moreover, the hollow structure of composite wood decking lessens its weight, which facilitates both transportation and installation.
Outdoor composite decking can be made cooler by selecting a lighter color. There's composite decking in a variety of shades of gray, including white.
Strong UV rays will not cause it to fade
Sunlight's ultraviolet rays can significantly discolor outdoor wood decking. This will make the overall appearance of your outdoor space unpleasant. So, it's important to choose fade-resistant composite deck boards.
Most companies that make composite decking also make products that are fade-proof. With the addition of UV inhibitors, the composite decking now offers increased protection from the sun. To further reduce your impact on the environment, consider capped composite decking instead of uncapped.
The amount of temperature-related expansion and contraction
Virtually every substance undergoes a change in volume as the temperature is applied or removed. The heat from the sun causes outdoor decking to expand and contract more than it would in shaded areas. To what extent does a deck's thermal expansion affect a homeowner? In other words, make sure to leave enough room between decking boards when constructing an outdoor deck. Squeezing and warping could occur to the outdoor deck due to thermal expansion.
Consequently, we should go with composite material when building our deck. We need to make sure to buy a high-quality composite decking brand. High-quality composite decking will expand and contract much less when subjected to drastic shifts in temperature. Composite decking may be more durable than traditional wood, but it's still important to follow the manufacturer's guidelines and install expansion joints as needed.