Photo courtesy of Architectural Concrete Design.

Perfecting Concrete Pool Decks
and Swimming Pools
Pool decks are a great place to show off your decorative concrete skills. Decorative finishes on a pool deck add safety, durability and beauty to this important area. Here are some tips on slope, colors, textures and more.
by Amy Johnson

One of the most popular applications for architectural concrete is the pool deck. Concrete decks have been around for as long as there have been modern swimming pools, and we all remember the hot, scratchy surfaces of our childhood. But new decorative finishing techniques make pool decks comfortable, durable, safe and — most noticeably — beautiful. "The pool deck is the largest thing that people will see in the context of pool and deck," says Tom Ralston of Tom Ralston Concrete, Santa Cruz, Calif. "Done right it can be all the more enhancing; done poorly and it can make a nice feature turn to extreme 'blah.'"

Pool decks may look like patios, but because they must perform differently there are some differences in how they are installed and finished. "Good quality concrete practices, slope, climate and safety should be the main factors considered when designing and installing a pool deck," says Scott Thome, director of product services for L.M. Scofield Co.

Choice of color for a pool deck goes beyond mere aesthetics. Color affects how much heat the deck retains, so it is important for comfort too. "Dark colored pool decks are going to be hot," says Chris McMahon, president and CEO of Architectural Concrete Design in Levittown, Pa., "so you want to use as light a color as possible. Also, chlorine can leave a white residue on the deck and this is less visible on a light-colored concrete."

While a lighter — and cooler — color may be important in the South, it can be a different story in the North, where darker-colored concrete can act as a heat sink and retain its warmth on a cooler day.