does azek decking get hot

Surface = Alloy Armour Technology Core = Polymer (no wood fibers) Warranty = Limited 30-year fade & stain, limited lifetime against material defects, termite & rot damage.  But acrylic is clear and has a thermal conductivity value nearly identical to PVC. A word of caution here.  If you want to know which decking will feel coolest to your bare feet, my measurements are not the complete answer.  Ultimately, how hot decking feels is a function of both its surface temperature and its thermal conductivity.  My measurements do not address “thermal conductivity”. Let’s try something simpler.  I stole this from the internet just for you: “When you touch something hot, you don’t feel how hot the thing is; you feel how hot it makes your hand. Hardwoods series from DuraLife and the Reliaboard from TimberTech. Unlike Trex, Azek does not specifically warn its customers about using a fire pit on a composite deck. It’s because of this resistance that Azek is the clear winner. So another area I want to talk about is color. Lighter colored boards tend to be slightly cooler than darker composite boards. MR: So all of the composites will be a composition of a wood species as well as high-density polyethylene. Common complaints about Azek decking are that it stains easily, fades quickly and sags under the weight of heavy objects such as barbecues. They call it Armor Allow Technology.. whatever that means. Resistance to staining and scratching Are you feeling pressured to treat your pressure treated deck? Decking seems to be uncomfortable for me when it gets upwards of 150 degrees. (My girls might think a lower temp as they are tenderfeet.) BR: So if you were comparing the four of these decking products next to each other under a heat lamp or in the middle of summer under the sun you may feel that the Azek is the hotter of the three but as soon as a shadow comes over it will immediately cool while the others could take minutes or hours to cool.  But acrylic is clear and has a thermal conductivity value nearly identical to PVC.  Wow, let’s not set this little guy down on Brazilia: Its core material is PVC, like Azek and like Fiberon’s Paramount.Â, Unlike these and any other synthetics, however, it has an acrylic coating. BR: So if you were comparing the four of these decking products next to each other under a heat lamp or in the middle of summer under the sun you may feel that the Azek is the hotter of the three but as soon as a shadow comes over it will immediately … How hot does composite decking get? Hot surface: Probably the top complaint about composite decking is that it tends to get very hot in direct sunlight. MR: Well the Azek should be cooler even to the touch under the same circumstances compared to a composite but absolutely the temperature will dissipate far quicker with a PVC. Will AZEK Deck get mold on it? [3]   I did notice that hot as Zuri is, it cools down quickly when clouds pass overhead.Â. My deck is made from Ipe and I have walked barefoot on it for years. Some negative reviews on Decks.com report that greasy spots on the decking are hard to remove and that power washing damages the deck finish. In fact, the only regular maintenance that needs to be done is to gently clean it when necessary. Trex decking does not typically get hotter than pressure-treated wood, although on a hot day with a blazing sun, nearly any surface will get uncomfortably hot. Is there a decking product that can beat the summer heat and not burn your feet? The 5 factors you need to know that determine a deck’s cost, 8 Pros & Cons of 5/4 treated Decking Plus Things to Consider – Decks By E3, Is Cedar or Composite Decking Better with Dogs? we found it on the internet, used it and it worked great. It is low-maintenance, very durable and doesn’t get too hot in the West Coast sunshine. Additionally, the darker the decking color, the hotter it will … Posted by bostondecksandporches | Aug 30, 2017 | Decking, Plastic decking, PVC decking, Synthetic Decking, Technical, Wood decking | 0. With the rise in popularity of composite and capped composite decking which offer a low-maintenance lifestyle, this is something to consider when making your product selections. by Chris Marquand | Aug 2, 2016 | Blog. – consider a wood deck or a patio.  Don’t burn your feet on PVC.Â. BR: So there you have it. They claimed that AZEK charged a premium for its advertised qualities which were supposedly better than competitors and paid between $4,200 and $18,500 for installation of their product. Hot enough to fry an egg?  Possibly, but…. The surface gets extremely hot in direct sunlight and susceptible to mold and mildew in shade. We applaud Azek for making customers aware of the issue. So the denser the wood is, like Ipe, the longer it is going to take to heat up but the higher the temperature will reach. AZEK Decking Class Action Lawsuit. AZEK will be slightly cooler, but head outside to enjoy your deck barefoot on a full-sun, 90-degree day, your feet will not know the difference between the 2 brands. There's none that are going to escape the heat but in terms of which is going to stay hotter longer, and which ones gonna get hotter faster, that's what we're looking at with these. There are a lot of other factors that go into purchasing a deck and choosing what products to use but this is strictly about temperature and heat absorption.   That sounds like a term from physics.  Perhaps some physics will help us: Here’s Fourier’s Law of Heat Conduction:  The time rate of heat transfer through a material is proportional to the negative gradient in the temperature and to the area.  More clearly stated: OK,….that didn’t help.  Besides, I didn’t have any spare negative gradients hanging around when I measured the decking. we will be buying more when the deck needs it. Ok, this is boring.  I am reading this blog for the good stuff.  Surprise me. [2] I can’t explain what’s happening here.  I measured Brazilia in the sun to be 76º above ambient air, which agrees with Zuri’s published “heat buildup” factor of 78º. Unlike these and any other synthetics, however, it has an acrylic coating. )  Instead, consider the larger variations — 10º and more – among different manufacturers’ series.Â. The material is also better which makes it skid resistant. Having a deck that is uncomfortable on your feet can be quite inconvenient especially if you have a pool and plan on walking on the deck while using the pool. (enlarged so we all can read it).  My lawyer made me say this.  These temperatures are not guaranteed, and merely reflect individual test results on 3 different days in August of 2017 in Lexington, MA.  The temperatures of your deck under your bare feet may vary.  Indeed, decking manufacturers will probably claim better results for their decking.  Except DuraLife.Â,  Final Thoughts. High-quality modern composite boards don’t become hotter than traditional wooden deck boards. AZEK decking is engineered to last longer than any other composite decking, with a natural hardwood look and feel. Oh, can you fry an egg on a deck?  That depends on how well-done you like your eggs.  Eggs begin to cook at 130º and the whites harden at 158º.  But an egg would partially shield the deck from the overhead sun, so you’d need air temps of maybe 100º.  Then, if a Zuri deck  in Arizona or Texas reached 170º or 175º at mid-day, you could enjoy a late breakfast. AZEK Deck/Porch is a PVC/polymer deck plank and not a wood/plastic composite. You may be able to save time and money by using AZEK Deck to simply resurface your existing deck structure instead of starting over from scratch. If you want the coolest decking product you probably want to go with a light color Azek. Excessive heat from Low-E glass is potentially a problem for composite decking made by any manufacturer. Do your research to anyone who’s reading and I hope this helps. We install a lot of composite decking as well as hardwood, cedar, and to a lesser degree, PVC. PVC is a little hotter than your wood decking but significantly cooler than your composites. © 2018, 2019 Advantage Design & Construction, Inc. It's approximately 50% wood to plastic ratio. Duralife has a hard plastic cap, and it’s slightly cooler than TimberTech’s all composite boards, which have no plastic cap.  I suspect Duralike’s advantage is in the materials:  it uses polypropylene plastic for its cap and in its core.  The other manufacturers use polyethylene or PVC, both of which conduct more heat than polypropylene. You’re probably less interested in cooking eggs on your deck than you are walking barefoot on it.  Your concern is reasonable – especially if the bare feet on your new deck will look like these:                               Or these: To find out, I put a wide selection of synthetic decking [1] on 2xs in the hot August sun and measured the surface temperatures.  I admit, I am limited by geography.  The Boston suburbs this August barely reached the low 80s on sunny days.  OK, temperatures did get to 88ºF on a few cloudy days, but overcast is no test of hot decking.  You need the relentless sun to raise the temperatures to their realistic maximum.  In all, I measured 63 synthetic deck samples from six manufacturers, in 17 product groups.  For comparison, I included several wood species, concrete, brick, and asphalt.Â. Options for restoring your PT deck. I can’t explain what’s happening here.  I measured Brazilia in the sun to be 76º above ambient air, which agrees with, Here’s Fourier’s Law of Heat Conduction:Â, As I noted above, these surface temperatures are not the full story.  Thermal conductivity plays a role in how hot your deck feels. Additionally, the darker the decking color, the hotter it will … hope this helps. Azek Decking. Yes. It’s just a much better product in every way than it used to be.                                                        Or just wear…. It’s not a true PVC deck board however it is Vinyl.  The warmest boards I tested also use the most conductive materials (PVC and polyethylene), so the all-plastic deck boards will probably feel even hotter to your skin than their higher temperatures suggest.Â. There’s a reason why Redwood is California’s predominant decking material. AZEK decking is engineered to last longer than any other composite decking, with a natural hardwood look and feel. We have Ipe, Cedar, TimberTech, and Azek and all four were affected by heat in different ways. While early composite decks were very sensitive to temperature and did get notoriously hot, any new composite decking will be much more resistant to heat. BR: So how does that differ from PVC products like Azek? A common question that comes up is whether or not composite gets too hot in the summer to walk barefoot on. In BTU / (hr ft ºF): acrylic is 0.20, and PVC is 0.19.  See: https://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/185997/different-materials-have-different-temperatures, ttp://www.designbuildersmd.com/blog/how-is-zuri-premium-decking-manufactured. I measured surface temperatures with a Fluke 62 Max infrared thermometer.  Fluke claims it is accurate to 1.5%, which amounts to about 2º F. Real Heat.  A few years ago, a colleague measured some deck temperatures in central Texas, in the mid-day sun of early August, when it was 100º in the shade.  His results were consistent with mine, only hotter because the air was 20º hotter. Cap stock decking is cooler than all-PVC deck boards. We chose TimberTech but all of these composites tend to function in the same way.  The warmest boards I tested also use the most conductive materials (PVC and polyethylene), so the all-plastic deck boards will probably feel even hotter to your skin than their higher temperatures suggest.Â, Which decking should you choose?  All-PVC decking resists stains, mildew, and scratches, but it is hotter than cap stock with its composite core.  It can also be more expensive.  If your family will be barefoot much of the summer in warmer, sunny climates – Florida, Texas, Arizona, etc. One thing we found was the Trex deck in sunlight gets very hot, so you can't walk barefoot on it. MR: Most PVC decking is 100% PVC meaning there are no wood products in them. SYNTHETIC DECKS: No Maintenance, Low Maintenance, Mo’ Maintenance – What care will your synthetic deck need? A number of homeowners filed lawsuits against CPG International LLC and AZEK Building Products Inc., makers of AZEK decking. Many homeowners complain that composite decking gets too hot, especially in direct sun. So even after sundown, your composite deck will hold that warmth for a couple of hours. Only wholesale big box store product that is even somewhat decent and at least better than any of the others, is Timbertech Azek. So, does composite decking get hot in direct sunlight? And there's less of a difference with a polyvinyl again because it's not being truly absorbed. MR: Primarily you want to look at the cellular structure of the woods. Although AZEK Deck products are cooler to the touch than many other deck board products in similar colors, all decking products will get hot in the sun. Capped polymer decking designed for unrivaled high-performance and beauty. A special thanks to little Konstantino, who helped to test a synthetic deck (TimberTech Tigerwood).  And, no, we did not burn him.  We photographed him on a cloudy day in the low 70s. Both AZEK and Trex decking gets hot … hotter than wood. Best heat dissipation.Whatever decking boards you use, your deck will get hot in the sun. BR: So let's talk about the wood products first, how are Cedar and Ipe going to be affected by the sun and the heat in the summertime? Take note.  So if wood and metal are hot, the heat will flow more easily from the metal to your hand.” [4]Â,  That makes sense.  If you’ll agree that plastic conducts heat better than wood, we can move on to my chart of deck temperatures.Â, I’ve already mentioned some limitations – temperatures were taken on 80º days in August in Lexington, MA, just outside of Boston.  Don’t read too much into a difference of few degrees between two deck boards.  (My infrared thermometer’s error margin is about 2º. However, Azek gets a bit warmer, and that is because PVC does not disperse heat the way the natural substances present in Trex do so it can get a little less comfortable to walk on the Azek deck on sunny days with your bare feet. There is no reason to purchase decking that is going to be scorching hot … Wood composite decking products, as with most outdoor building products, can retain heat—especially after a long day in direct sunlight. Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by Powered by WordPress.com. Yup.  I summarized the test results in the table further on.  But first permit me a few observations. The expansion and contraction encountered may result in slight gaps, which might be noticed at the ends of boards or in splice joints. A special thanks to little Konstantino, who helped to test a synthetic deck (TimberTech Tigerwood).  And, no, we did not burn him.  We photographed him on a cloudy day in the low 70s.Â, A. Azek: ESR-1667: http://www.icc-es.org/Reports/pdf_files/ESR-1667.pdf, B. DuraLife: https://duralifedecking.com/news/article/2017/7/25/whats-inside-composite-decking-matters/, C. Zuri: http://www.designbuildersmd.com/blog/how-is-zuri-premium-decking-manufactured, D. Thermal Conductivity: http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/thermal-conductivity-d_429.html, E. To better understand thermal conductivity, attend Kahn Academy for about 10 minutes: https://www.khanacademy.org/science/physics/thermodynamics/specific-heat-and-heat-transfer/a/what-is-thermal-conductivity, F.  Bill Nye, the Science Guy, addresses sidewalk cooking here:  https://www.livescience.com/37860-hot-enough-to-fry-an-egg-on-the-sidewalk-this-weekend.html. Hot.  The warmest boards are Azek Vintage and Zuri.  Azek’s Dark Hickory (which is pretty dark) reaches nearly 144º, and Zuri’s Brazilia is the winner at just over 156º. As I noted above, these surface temperatures are not the full story.  Thermal conductivity plays a role in how hot your deck feels. On hot temperatures, both materials will heat up. BR: It's important to note that if its 100 degrees and you're in Texas like we are there all going to be hot. Composite decking is an excellent building material because it lasts longer than wood and looks great without staining, painting or sanding. Planning to renovate your pre-1978 house? Does composite decking get too hot? I use “synthetic decking” to include several artificial deck types: composite decking (the older technology which mixes wood fibers and plastic), PVC decking, and “capped composites” (which have a thick plastic coating bonded to and covering a less expensive core material). Today’s PVC decking brands like Azek, which is owned … Even in the most extreme cases, it is tolerable. MR: I'm a product manager for Gaiennie Lumber Company so there's a portfolio of products I manage the relationship with our manufacturers on. The light weight all-PVC boards from Zuri, Azek, and Fiberon are the hottest. Deck board however it is tolerable I summarized the test results in summer. If darker colors will absorb more heat than the lighter colors and it looks. To treat your pressure treated deck any outdoor surface the material is also better which makes skid! 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