Anyone who has ever sat outside on Lower Broadway surrounded by the lights and sounds of Nashville’s honky tonk scene will tell you that the best way to enjoy life is outside. Whether it’s from a rooftop bar or the the patio of your favorite establishment, everything feels better out of doors. Because of this, it makes sense that many people would want to add a rooftop bar or patio to their own living space. This is a stellar choice, but what kind of flooring material should you use for your outdoor space?
Best Floors for Rooftop Bars
Wood: Traditional and Treated, or Composite and Cheaper?
The first flooring material most people will consider for their rooftop space or outdoor patio is traditional hardwood flooring. This makes sense. After all, it is the most common material found in these spaces and, when installed correctly, it looks just right. Nevertheless, doing the hard work of ensuring that traditional hardwood flooring is adequately waterproofed for an outdoor space is essential for retaining the look you want.
If you want the traditional hardwood look without having to go through all of the other steps to make it waterproof, consider composite wood decking. Similar to the way laminate and vinyl luxury plank flooring can be used instead of traditional hardwood in most homes or offices anyone noticing the difference, composite wood decking looks and feels like the real thing.
Composite wood decking is also an all-around better choice than traditional hardwood in many other respects. Hardwood flooring is a standard building material. When properly cared for, it can last for decades. However, when hardwood flooring is installed outside, it requires a lot of maintenance from a homeowner. The wood needs to be refinished after it is installed, and then again every couple of years to make sure that moisture doesn’t make its way inside. It’s essential to check for termites and other bugs. With all of these factors taken into account, the long-term cost of outdoor hardwood flooring continually rises.
Composite Wood Decking Can Handle the Outside
Composite decking is a mixture of recycled plastic and wood fibers. As such, it is much more eco-friendly than traditional hardwood flooring and is better suited to handle the outside world. Composite decking can handle water and severe weather better than traditional hardwood flooring and it does not need to be resurfaced every couple of years. In fact, the only regular maintenance it needs is a good scrubbing with soap and hot water every so often. The only downside to composite wood decking is that it does retain heat at a much higher rate than traditional hardwood flooring, which might be a bit of an issue in Nashville in the summertime.
What about Carpeting?
Believe it or not, there is actually carpeting made for your rooftop or patio space. While it’s not as soft and plushy as residential carpeting, it is nicer on your feet than a hard surface. Outdoor carpeting is also very affordable, coming in at around $1 per square foot. However, outdoor carpeting is still carpet. To prevent any moisture issues, composite decking is your best outdoor solution.
If you’re thinking about a rooftop deck or patio so that you can enjoy your friends and family in the outdoors, make sure you install something looks good and will last. For all of your outdoor flooring solutions, make sure to give the professionals at Ozburn-Hessey a call.
