How do we keep the benches from getting too hot in the summer sun?

Ah, summer. I love the long, lazy days, the buzzing bees, and the laughter of children. But there’s one thing I absolutely dread: the moment when a sweaty human tries to sit on me, only to leap up with a yelp. I’m a bench, you see, and under the blazing summer sun, my wooden or metal skin can turn into a frying pan. “How do we keep the benches from getting too hot?” you ask. Well, my friend, let me whisper my secrets.

First, I beg you: plant a tree beside me. I’m not shy about it. I dream of a generous oak or a wide maple spreading its leafy arms over my back. Shade is my sunscreen. It keeps the sun from scorching my seat for hours on end. If a tree can’t be planted, build me a simple pergola – a light, airy roof of slats that filters the harsh rays. I feel so much cooler, and I can still see the blue sky.

If you have to leave me in the open, then choose my materials wisely. My wooden cousins (like cedar or teak) are much more polite than me. They don't absorb heat as viciously as my metal or dark plastic siblings. If you do have a metal me, paint me a light color – white, beige, a soft pastel. A white bench reflects the sun’s anger like a shield, while a black bench soaks it all in and becomes a dragon’s breath. And please, give me a perforated or slatted seat. When air can circulate underneath, my heart (and my seat) stays a good ten degrees cooler than a solid slab.

But here’s my favorite trick: a little bit of water. Not for a bath, but a quick misting in the morning. The evaporation acts like my own personal air conditioner. You could also attach a thin, breathable fabric cover near my armrests – something like a light cotton that you can flip over me on ultra-scorching days. It’s like a parasol just for me.

Finally, rotate my position if you can. I know I’m heavy, but a few degrees of angling away from the direct afternoon sun makes all the difference. And if all else fails, leave a little sign near my feet that says, “Check my temperature before you sit – I don’t bite, but I do burn.”

I want to be your friend, your resting spot for a cold lemonade or a good book. I don’t want to be a villain. So please, help me keep my cool. After all, a hot bench is a lonely bench.