Pool Decks in Gainesville, FL

Pool decks in Gainesville work hard. They are wet most of the summer, they sit in full sun when July highs average 91 degrees, and they collect pool water, rain and sunscreen. A good concrete pool deck slopes water away from the pool and the house, gives bare feet some grip, and stays comfortable enough to walk on. HomeAdvisor's pool deck cost guide lists poured concrete decks at $4 to $8 per square foot and stamped concrete decks at $12 to $20.

New decks and extensions

We pour new decks around new pools and replace decks that have cracked, settled or pulled away from the coping. A lot of homeowners also want more space: room for loungers, a table in the shade or a path to the screen door. Extending a deck means tying new concrete to the old slab, matching the height and keeping the slope going the right way. Inside a screened enclosure we plan around the screen frame and its footings.

Drainage around a pool

A pool deck has to move a lot of water. Splash-out, rain and wet feet all end up on the deck, and that water needs to run away from the pool, the house and the screen footings. If it runs under the slab instead, it can wash out sand and leave hollow spots. We slope the deck and plan where the water goes. Where a deck is large or hemmed in, deck drains can carry water away. We also look at downspouts from the house and the enclosure gutters.

Surfaces for bare feet

• Knockdown texture: a textured coat troweled flat on top, with good grip and a lighter, cooler color.
• Broom finish: simple and grippy, but rougher on bare feet.
• Stamped patterns: stone or slate looks with texture for grip. Sealer can make them slick, so we add grit to the sealer.
• Cool-deck style coatings: light-colored coatings made to reduce heat underfoot. HomeGuide's resurfacing guide lists a Kool Deck coating at about $4 per square foot extra.
• Exposed aggregate: good grip, but some people find it rough for bare feet.

Lighter colors stay cooler than dark ones in full sun, so we steer people toward light tans and grays.

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Resurfacing a worn deck

If a deck is solid and level but looks worn, stained or rough, resurfacing may be enough. HomeGuide lists pool deck resurfacing at $3 to $6 per square foot for a basic overlay and $6 to $12 for decorative designs. HomeGuide also says to replace, not resurface, concrete with large cracks, crumbling or structural problems, because those cracks come back through the new layer. If sections of your deck have sunk, we can price leveling, replacing those sections, or a full new deck.

Working around the pool

We protect the pool, the coping and the equipment pad while we work. Concrete dust and wash water stay out of the water. The deck is jointed so cracks follow planned lines, and we leave a proper joint between the deck and the coping. Before the pool is used again, we give you dates for foot traffic and furniture.

Care

Rinse the deck often to clear chlorine, salt and sunscreen. Reseal on the schedule we give you. Keep heavy planters and furniture on pads, and keep downspouts and enclosure gutters clear so water runs off the deck the way it was built to.