4 Tips for Keeping Concrete Patios Cool

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Concrete patios are lovely additions to any yard or outdoor space. They provide a platform that is suitable for a variety of different activities and furniture settings. However, when the sun is shining and the weather is hot, concrete patios can heat up quickly and be painful or difficult to walk on. As a result, many of these patios go unused during the summer months. Here are a few enough to walk on and to use that you can use:

Install a Gazebo or Umbrella

One of the easiest ways to keep a concrete patio nice and cool is to install something that offers shade from the sun. When the concrete surface isn't in the direct sunlight, it generally stays much cooler. Gazebos are popular choices for large concrete patios, but these can be a bit unwieldy on smaller patios and are also too expensive for some people's budgets. If you'd prefer not to set up a gazebo to help shade your patio, consider purchasing a large patio umbrella to do the same job.

Patio umbrellas can be installed along with a table set or as a freestanding piece of furniture. You can adjust the umbrella to shade the area that you walk over the most, and you can also remove it and place it inside if the weather turns bad or during colder times of the year.

Paint the Patio

Bare concrete tends to get hotter than painted concrete surfaces. Use this to your advantage by painting your patio a color that is less likely to heat up. Darker colors tend to become slightly hotter than lighter colors when exposed to direct sunlight, so it's best to paint your patio a shade of white or off-white. Consult with the paint department at your local hardware or home improvement store for more advice about how to most effectively paint the concrete surface of your patio.

Lay Down a Rug

Rugs are excellent ways of keeping your patio cool to walk on while simultaneously adding a touch of style. If you do decide to set up a rug on the concrete patio outside of your home, be sure to select your rug carefully. All-weather rugs are designed to withstand a variety of climates and types of exposure. Still, you'll probably want to roll the rug up and bring it under cover or inside if it begins to rain, as well as during the colder times of the year when overheating is not a problem.

Use Water

Although it is wasteful, spraying or pouring a small amount of cold water on the hot surface of your patio will cool it down for a few minutes. Because this method of cooling the patio is temporary and not environmentally-friendly, however, it is probably better to wear shoes when crossing a hot patio than to pour excessive water over the concrete.