Sharon Mihalsky Kool deck is more a function of color than coolness. It lowers temp some but not drastically. It comes with a planned maintenance-- first in keeping it clean and replacing the texture/color typically 3 to 5 years. Consider using the lightest colors. Dark colors absorb more heat.and as far as the least maintenance, pavers are the best option. In this photo our customer was opting for a more natural look.
A stone wall similar to this look, but with the travertine looking decking. We want the decking around pool to co-ordinate with wall but not be stone. I think the stone decking is to much texture.