BROOKLYN, NY – September 02, 2026 – PRESSADVANTAGE –
Brooklyn Deck and Patio, a deck and outdoor living contractor serving Brooklyn and Manhattan, is drawing attention to surface temperature as a primary design consideration in rooftop terrace construction, following New York City data showing how hot an untreated flat roof becomes during the summer months.
According to NYC CoolRoofs, a city program promoting reflective rooftop coatings, flat black asphalt rooftops can reach temperatures of up to 190 degrees Fahrenheit on a typical summer day, roughly 90 degrees above the surrounding air temperature. The same source reports that New York City can run up to five degrees hotter than surrounding areas because of the volume of dark surfaces such as roofs and roads, combined with reduced shading from vegetation.
Those conditions change how a rooftop terrace performs compared with an outdoor space at ground level. Rooftop surfaces receive direct sunlight through most of the day without shade from trees or adjacent structures, and the roof membrane below can radiate heat upward into the finished surface. Material that performs acceptably in a shaded rear yard may behave differently once it is fully exposed.
“On a roof, the surface and the shade have to be decided together, before anything gets ordered,” said Dov Kohn, owner of Brooklyn Deck and Patio. “A homeowner who plans to use the space at seven in the evening has a different project than one who wants it at noon, and the material follows from that.”
The company builds rooftop terraces in ipe and cedar hardwood, Fiberon composite, and porcelain pavers. Tone influences how much solar energy a surface reflects, so lighter finishes tend to run cooler than darker ones within the same material. Density and thickness affect how quickly a surface takes on heat during the day and how quickly it releases that heat once the sun moves off it.
Hardwood carries weight that the framing beneath the surface has to support, which makes the structural approach part of the material conversation rather than a separate step afterward. Ipe and cedar also weather differently over time, and the finish a homeowner chooses to maintain influences how the surface looks after several seasons of full exposure.
Porcelain pavers install on pedestal systems that hold consistent thickness across a terrace without fastening into the roof below. That approach allows the surface to sit above the membrane rather than penetrating it, and it permits individual units to be lifted later if access to what sits underneath becomes necessary.
Shade structures form the second half of the decision. Brooklyn Deck and Patio installs pergolas that reduce direct exposure across a portion of a terrace, which allows a single space to hold both a sunlit area and a shaded one rather than committing the whole surface to either condition. Where and how a pergola sits depends on the path the sun takes across the roof through the day.
Deck lighting extends usable hours into the evening, a period when rooftop surfaces have begun releasing the heat absorbed through the afternoon and the space often becomes more comfortable than it was at midday. Lighting layout is planned alongside the framing rather than added after the surface is complete.
Drainage and waterproofing detailing accompanies every rooftop installation the company completes, along with allowance for thermal movement as surfaces expand and contract across the seasons. On a roof, water has a limited number of paths off the surface, and the detailing that manages heat expansion is closely connected to the detailing that manages water.
“Heat is the part people notice first, but it is connected to everything else on a roof,” Kohn said. “The same detailing that handles thermal movement is what keeps water moving off the surface.”
The company offers annual maintenance visits across Brooklyn and Manhattan, which provide an opportunity to check how a rooftop surface has held up through a full cycle of summer heat and winter freeze. Hardwood surfaces generally benefit from a light annual cleaning and oiling, while stone and porcelain surfaces require considerably less ongoing attention.
Repair and maintenance work on existing rooftop and ground-level decks forms a further part of the company’s services. Surfaces that have gone several years without inspection often show early indications at the points where water collects or where fasteners have been working against seasonal movement.
Brooklyn Deck and Patio designs and builds custom decks, rooftop terraces, patios, pergolas, porches, railings, and outdoor living spaces for residential clients across Brooklyn and Manhattan. The company was founded in 2014 by Dov Kohn, a carpenter who spent more than 25 years in New York construction before starting the business, and holds certification as a Fiberon Certified Installer. Every installation carries a five-year workmanship warranty. The company received Best of Houzz Service recognition in 2022 and 2023.
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For more information about Brooklyn Deck and Patio, contact the company here:
Brooklyn Deck and Patio
Dov Kohn
+13472185231
info@thebrooklynforest.com
199 Lee Ave Suite 808, Brooklyn, NY 11211, United States
