Cool Your Decks: 5 Ways to Beat the Heat This Summer

June 8, 2023 Outdoor Living

As the scorching summer sun takes center stage, spending time outdoors can become quite challenging. However, with a well-designed patio, you can create a comfortable and refreshing oasis in your backyard. So whether you’re looking to upgrade your existing patio or start from scratch, here are some fantastic ways to stay cool and beat the summer heat:

Custom Built Patio Cover

A patio cover is an excellent addition to your outdoor space, providing shade and protection from the sun’s rays. Our custom patio covers ensure you’re getting the exact look you want, while still effectively blocking the sun. Not only will a patio cover keep you cool, but it’ll also enhance your patio’s overall look and functionality.

Add Outdoor Fans

Beat the heat with the gentle breeze of outdoor fans. Install ceiling fans or freestanding fans strategically to circulate the air and create a cool and comfortable environment. Not only do fans provide relief from the heat, but can also help keep pesky bugs at bay.

Opt for Heat-Reflective Materials

When choosing materials for your patio, go with heat-reflective options like light-colored concrete, natural stone, or composite decking. These materials absorb less heat, ensuring a cooler surface for your patio. Additionally, consider adding rugs or mats made from natural fibers to prevent your feet from getting too hot.

Embrace Greenery

Incorporating greenery adds a touch of natural beauty to your patio and helps create a cooler environment. Strategically place potted plants and trees around your patio to provide shade and improve air quality. In addition, plants release moisture through transpiration, which cools down the surrounding area.

Choose Comfortable Seating

Opt for patio furniture that offers comfort while staying cool. Look for chairs and loungers made from breathable materials like mesh or lightweight aluminum. You can also add cushions made with moisture-wicking fabrics to provide extra comfort while preventing excessive heat retention.

Adding any – or all – of these options to your patio design allows you to create a comfortable and cool outdoor space to beat the heat. Whether entertaining guests or enjoying a peaceful afternoon, a well-designed patio will become your go-to retreat during the hot summer months. Stay cool, relax, and make the most of your patio oasis.

No HOA Hassle Here

September 30, 2021 Patio Contractor, Patio Design

Improving your home can be both exciting and stressfull, but we try to take away the stress so you can focus on the fun. The red tape gets rolled out when you have to work with the HOA and since most areas require a permit or HOA approval for outdoor living projects, headaches can happen. Leaving you thinking, “is this even worth it?” The answer is YES! Texas Custom Patios will handle the headache for you, so all you have to do is be excited for your new custom outdoor living space.

Your project developer will work with your HOA and get approval for you. Just provide a lot survey to us and we will do the rest! If you live in a municipality that requires a building permit, we will handle every submission, inspection, and approval required. Depending on the location, this process can take between four and six weeks, so patience is a virtue!

Once we get the green light, the building process can begin and the fun is within reach! At Texas Custom Patios, we really get to know our customers. When you choose to build with us, you get your own project team who will get to know you, your goals, and your style, and will oversee your entire outdoor living project, from start to finish.

We also get to know your budget! When we say “exact quote,” we mean it. This quote is not an estimate, and there will be no surprise expenses during the course of your project. If changes or additions are made during the construction process, we will address those changes as they occur. If there are options you would like to see in the design process, your project developer may give you some pricing that addresses those options prior to signing the contract.

Schedule your free consultation today by calling our office (below) or filling out our contact form, here. We will set up a virtual appointment with one of our experienced project developers – after your initial appointment they may need to visit your home to gather additional information. If we can provide an outdoor living project that meets your budget, then we will create a proposal for you.

Not sure how to budget for your outdoor living project? Look at our dream patio budgeting guide for some ideas.

Contact us:

HOUSTON AREA   /   MAP

  • (281) 265-1994
  • hou@texascustompatios.com
  • (281) 265-1996
  • 11391 Meadowglen Ln., Suite B
    Houston, TX 77082

DALLAS – FORT WORTH AREA   /   MAP

  • (972) 915-2727
  • dfw@texascustompatios.com
  • (214) 614-4742
  • 8412 Sterling St., Suite 100
    Irving, TX 75063

The Outdoor Living Wish List

August 29, 2020 Outdoor Living, Promotion

Texas Custom Patios is currently featured in Hearth & Home magazine, we are among several gorgeous projects built across the country. So many different styles and prices, but we have one thing in common… the appreciation for design and a quality build.

When consumers were asked for their outdoor living feature wish list, these were the top contenders:

  • Fire Pits/fireplaces
  • Built-in gas grills
  • Patio heaters
  • Pizza ovens
  • Beverage centers
  • BBQ islands

So as you can see with four of the six items, outdoor kitchens continue to be a hot item! No matter the space you have, creating an outdoor oasis is doable and can increase the value of your home substantially. The foreseeable future forecasts “staycations” as a hot commodity, so the time is now to improve your home!

Our experienced personal project developers will work one-on-one with you to create a custom-designed outdoor kitchen that blends seamlessly with your home’s exterior.

You can choose stone, brick, or stucco finishes; and granite, tile, or concrete counters; but we’ll always use a high-quality framework underneath. We build all outdoor kitchens with tubular steel framing and fiber-cement sheathing to give you a durable, non-expansive, and heat-proof foundation.

For a look at some of our beautiful outdoor kitchens, click here.

Two of our projects were featured in Hearth & Home, both beautiful but very different! The first one beams with wow factor!

The second featured project in the magazine is cozy, quaint, but still says, “wow!” This project is 450 square feet of beautiful outdoor living space in Houston, Texas.

For a more in depth look at our monthly featured projects, click here!

Don’t Make this Mistake

November 26, 2019 Patio Contractor, Patio Design

There are so many things to be aware of while planning your outdoor living space that it can be overwhelming. Texas Custom Patios is with you every step of the way, but here are some things to consider when it comes time to build your dream covered patio.

Timing of your project… do you have a special event coming up? Or just want it done before summertime? Check out our timing schedule:

How much room do I really need? Great question… But you need to ask yourself a few more questions. What do you want to use the space for?

Do you want just a couch and chair to hang out and watch TV… plan on about 200 SF— you need room to move around the furniture but be placed far enough from the TV for the perfect view.

Do you want to have a small dining table as well (seating for 4 or 6)? Add another 100/150 SF. Or will you be entertaining more and need a table for more (8-10)? Make it another 200/250 SF.


What about an outdoor kitchen? Just make sure you have room to include a counter area with serving space and plenty of room for the grill master to move around. A good rule of thumb is to measure your indoor living room or kitchen or dining area and plan accordingly. Outdoor furniture takes up the same amount of space as indoor furniture. And you need to make sure there is space on the edges to keep everything dry.

When planning for your outdoor kitchen, you need to think about how much entertaining you will be doing or how you will be using your grill. If you are mainly looking to just grill for your family of 4, then a smaller counter area with limited storage and a small grill will work great. If you like to entertain and have people over, then you need to plan on having
the space available to lay out all the food (either food that you have prepared or dishes the guests bring). Make sure you have plenty of counter space for the buffet.

Lighting – how much light is needed? Once the sun goes down, it gets dark outside… make sure you have enough light on your patio. Can lights overhead (1 per 100 SF) and carriage lights on the columns are a good start. If you have an outdoor kitchen, lighting above the grill is
important so you can see how the steak is doing. Hanging a great chandelier is also a nice add not only for light, but a beautiful focal point.

There are many more things to consider, but this is a great start! Your project manager is there from start to finish, so you can enjoy the process and watch your dream patio become a reality!

2018 Star Awards Winners

August 29, 2018 Awards, Patio Design

The Texas Association of Builders (TAB) announced and presented the 2018 Star Awards winners on Thursday, Aug. 9 at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas, Texas. The highly-coveted Star Awards are given annually in conjunction with the Sunbelt Builders Show™ to recognize excellence in all areas of the home building industry. More than 500 entries were submitted for consideration for this year’s awards. Entries were judged by industry experts from across the nation, including Aaron Crowe (Benton, Ark.), Mike Goodrich (Beaverton, Ore.), Gretchen Palmer (Scottsdale, Ariz.) and Bill Sager (Tacoma, Wash.).

In 1992, TAB launched the Star Awards – the only statewide tribute to excellence in the home building industry. The annual competition showcased the outstanding work of builders, remodelers, architects, designers, and sales, marketing, and construction professionals in Texas.

We are proud to announce we are the winners in three categories:

Remodeler – Best Outdoor Living Space – $100K-$150K

Remodeler – Best Outdoor Living Space – Under  $60K

Remodeler – Best Outdoor Living Space –  $70K-$95K

Check out our website for details on all our featured projects, learn more!  

Have a project in mind? We work throughout the Houston and Dallas - Fort Worth areas.

Our Customers Love Us

We love our new patio cover and would definitely recommend Texas Custom Patios. Our contractor, Mark, and everyone that worked on our project was professional. The patio cover looks like it was built when the house was built. They used top quality materials, the roofline is seamless, and everything matches very well. Great job completed in a timely manner and we are totally satisfied with the whole experience.

© 2024 TCP Custom Outdoor Living

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