Pool Decks Are Not Regular Patios
Hey folks. So I want to talk about pool decks because I've been fixing a LOT of bad ones lately and it's driving me crazy. A pool deck is not just a patio with a pool next to it. It's got different requirements and if your contractor doesn't know that, you're gonna have problems.
I've been pouring pool decks around Sarasota for 20-plus years. Siesta Key, Osprey, Palmer Ranch, Gulf Gate - you name it. And I've seen every mistake in the book. So let me save you some headaches.
The Dos
DO Get a Non-Slip Finish
This is NON-NEGOTIABLE in Florida. Your pool deck is gonna be wet. People are gonna be walking on it barefoot. Kids are gonna be running on it no matter how many times you yell at them to walk. If that surface is slick, somebody's going to the ER. We use a knockdown texture or a broom finish that gives good traction even when wet. Cool deck coatings are great too - they actually keep the surface cooler so you don't burn your feet in July.
DO Make Sure the Drainage Slope Is Right
Water should flow AWAY from your pool and away from your house. Seems obvious right? You'd be amazed how many pool decks I've seen where water pools right at the edge of the pool or worse, runs toward the lanai. The slope doesn't have to be dramatic - about a quarter inch per foot is plenty. But it's gotta be there.
DO Use Proper Joints
Control joints aren't just decorative lines in your concrete. They tell the concrete where to crack. Because concrete IS gonna crack - the question is whether it cracks along a nice straight joint or right through the middle of your deck in a random zigzag. We place joints at regular intervals and around the pool coping.
The Don'ts
DON'T Cheap Out on the Base
I got called out to a house in Venice last year where the pool deck was cracked in about fifteen places. Turns out the contractor who poured it didn't compact the base properly. Just threw some fill dirt down and poured on top. The concrete was fine - the ground underneath wasn't. That's a tear-out-and-start-over situation.
DON'T Pour Too Thin
Pool decks should be 4 inches minimum. I've seen guys try to get away with 3 inches to save on concrete costs and it just doesn't hold up. Not with the heat expansion we get here. Not with how saturated the ground gets during rainy season.
DON'T Forget About Expansion Between the Deck and Pool
The pool shell and your concrete deck are going to move at different rates. There needs to be an expansion joint between them. If somebody pours your deck tight against the pool coping with no joint, the concrete is eventually going to push against the pool and something's gonna give.
One More Thing
If you already have a pool deck that's in rough shape, sometimes we can resurface it with an overlay instead of full replacement. Depends on the condition. Saves a bunch of money if the base slab is still solid.
Planning a pool deck project? Give us a call and we'll come take a look. Free estimates, no pressure, and I'll tell you exactly what I'd do if it was my pool.