Keep Cool This Summer with Your Aluminium Building Products

Make sure your al fresco, back deck or outdoor oasis is equipped to protect you from scorching summer days! If you are looking for products to keep you cool, aluminium products such as DecoWood® provide a beautiful timber or concrete-look deck, batten wall or fence – without trapping the heat in.

Doesn’t aluminium get hot?

It is a common misconception that aluminium gets extremely hot because it is a metal. This couldn’t be further from the truth – while aluminium does heat up, it will not reach the temperatures of other materials, including plastic and even wood.

How does aluminium stay cooler?

Aluminium is an excellent conductor of heat – when the surface warms, that heat is dissipated evenly across the surface of the metal, rather than concentrating in one spot (this is known as ‘hot spots’).  Aluminium can therefore heat up to the ambient temperature, but is unlikely to exceed it.

How does aluminium compare to other materials?

Aluminium is the cooler choice for your decking, fencing and other summer outdoor features. See below how it stacks up against other materials:

Concrete – concrete can reach up to 15°C hotter than the ambient temperature – meaning on a 45°C day, a concrete patio or pavement may reach temperatures as high as 60°C. At temperatures above 54°C, your skin will burn within 60 seconds, which explains the agony of running across concrete to reach your pool.

Timber – while timber is cooler than some materials, it can still heat up, reaching 5-6°C higher than ambient temperature and accumulating ‘hot spots’ on the surface.

Composites – wood-plastic composites, which are a common alternative to timber for decking, cladding and other products, are very susceptible to heat, reaching nearly 10°C higher than ambient temperature. This means on a 40°C day, composites could reach up to 58°C.

Aluminium – because aluminium is efficient at diffusing heat, it will not warm more than a couple of degrees above ambient temperature. This means on a 45°C day, it will not exceed 45-47°C. On average summer days, aluminium decking is able to be walked on with bare feet – and other aluminium products such as battens, fencing and cladding can also be touched or leaned on without risks of burns.

Talk to us today about your outdoor project, and how you can keep it cooler with aluminium.

Read More

DECO’s Top 10 Tips for Outdoor Living

Myth Busters: Does DecoDeck® Get Hot?

DecoDeck®: Comfortable for Aussie Bare Feet