Answer and Analysis from PFS: How Hot Does Patio Furniture Get In The Sun?

When considering the material type or color of patio furniture our customers often ask a recurring question: “How Hot Does Patio Furniture Get in The Sun?” This is a great concern to address when ordering commercial patio furniture as establishments such as HOAs, hotels, waterparks, beach resorts, and country clubs keep the comfort and safety of their guests at the utmost importance.

So the experts here at Pool Furniture Supply conducted an experiment using an array of commercial materials and colors to document their temperatures. Data was collected in Fahrenheit at 3:30 pm in Florida’s 90° weather during the month of August on both a cloudy and full sunny day. Below are the results collected from these tests:

Material Temperatures - Florida - 90 deg - 3:30pm
Materials		Cloudy	Sunny
Sling Seating
White		92	106
Indention		97	124
Royal Blue		98	125
Dove Gray		99	128
Dark Brown		100	130
Dark Gray		102	135
Black		103	136
Vinyl Strap Seating
White		93	107
Royal Blue		98	124
Adobe		99	130
Leisure Brown		100	133
Black		101	135
Powder Coated Aluminum Frame
River White		93	104
Greco		97	125
River Black		100	128
Plastic Resin
White		93	104
Platinum Gray		97	118
Black		102	131
Recycled Plastic / MGP
White		93	104
Weatherwood		97	116
Blue		101	125
Charcoal		103	134
Black		104	136
Fiberglass - White		94	107
HPL - White		94	107
Melamine - Grey		99	120

What's Hot and What's Not?

The results from this study are both obvious and surprising. It is a well-known fact that color absorbs heat. The darker the color the more energy it retains. It is no surprise that white would be cooler than black, but the sheer temperature difference was quite unexpected. On average under the same conditions black reads at an increase of 30° in full sun and about 5 to 10° in cloudy conditions over its white equivalent! In addition, the type of material amazingly had little to no impact. Plastic resin held the same temperature as the powder-coated aluminum. The protective coating managed to prevent the metal from absorbing additional heat from the direct sunlight. 

Does the Pool Furniture Get Hot to the Touch?

While this study was conducted we also wanted to answer another popular question that is often asked: Does the pool furniture get hot to the touch? Or will the metal frame burn your skin? After the temperatures were collected in sunny conditions an open hand was placed and held on both the white and black powder-coated aluminum samples for 5 seconds. Below is the recorded data:

Black was considered “Hot to the Touch”, but not to the point where the skin was in jeopardy of sustaining any damage. It is reported that 1st-degree burns can occur when the temperature of the skin reaches 118°. The temperature of the material exceeded this threshold from the start, however, the heat from the material transferring to the pressed hand would eventually reduce the intensity to harmless levels. 

Keeping it Cool

Darker colors are proven to get hot in full sun, but not to the point of harm. However, the surface heat may still be uncomfortable for those with fair, sensitive skin such as young children or elderly patrons. One solution is to furnish the pool deck in all white or lighter colors to keep the overall temperature of the furniture low. This resolve is very limited and may not work for all establishments that won’t benefit from such a light-toned color scheme. To incorporate vibrant, dark colors while keeping guests comfortable, consider including shade. Adding umbrellas will take the furniture out of direct sunlight, reducing the heat absorption and overall temperature. It will also provide an area for people to go to beat the heat. The average commercial umbrella has enough coverage to shade 2 chaise lounges while freestanding or an entire dining set. For more information about Making the Best Choice for Your Commercial Umbrella please visit our Blog for full details. 

If you have any questions regarding pool furniture temperature, feel free to contact the professional at Pool Furniture Supply by commenting below or calling 1-877-646-6320.

People also ask, how can they improve comfort for their elderly guests?  We have a fitting solution!