Concrete pool decks in Dallas-Fort Worth

What makes a pool deck different

A pool deck gets wet every day all summer, gets walked on barefoot and sits right against a concrete shell that moves differently than the deck does. That changes how we slope it, where the joints go and which finish makes sense.

Underneath, it's our standard build: a compacted base, 4 inches of 3,500 PSI ready-mix, rebar on 18-inch centers set on chairs and control joints. The details below are where pool decks get their own treatment. For the slab basics, see our spec in the concrete guide.

Slope: water goes away from the pool

Every pool deck we pour slopes away from the pool. Water that hits the deck, whether it's a cannonball splash or a thunderstorm, should run out to the yard or into a deck drain. If the deck pitched toward the water, every rain would wash dirt, fertilizer and grass clippings into the pool.

The deck also has to slope away from the house where it meets the foundation, at least 1/8 inch per foot, with an isolation joint at the foundation. On a big deck between a house and a pool, that sometimes means the deck has a high line in the middle and falls both ways. We work that out on paper before the forms go in.

North Texas clay makes drainage a bigger deal. Water that soaks in along the edge of the deck makes the soil swell, and that's what lifts and cracks slabs over time. Getting it off the concrete and away from both the pool and the house is the best thing you can do for the deck's life. The soil section of the guide explains why.

Joints around the coping

The pool shell and the deck are separate structures. They move separately as the clay swells and shrinks. The standard approach is a flexible expansion joint between the coping and the deck so the deck can move without pushing on the coping or the bond beam.

Control joints in the deck get planned around the coping too. Concrete cracks at outside corners and at narrow spots, so we lay out joints that run from the corners of the pool and line up with steps and benches. On a 4-inch slab, joints land roughly every 8 to 10 feet. Planned joints give the slab a straight place to crack instead of a random one.

Non-slip finishes

Wet broom concrete has decent grip, but pool decks are where people tend to pick something more decorative. The two most popular choices around pools are:

• Salt finish. Rock salt is pressed in and washed out, leaving small pits across a smooth face. It grips well and is easy on bare feet.
• Exposed aggregate. The top paste is washed off to show the stones. It has a lot of texture, hides dirt and stays grippy when wet.

Stamped concrete is sealed, and a sealed surface can be slick when wet. It can work on a pool deck, but it's not the first thing we'd suggest right at the water's edge. Our stamped and decorative page compares all the finishes side by side.

Heat underfoot

In a Dallas August, any concrete in full sun gets hot. Color makes a difference you can feel. Lighter surfaces reflect more sun and stay more comfortable than dark ones, so if you're adding integral color to a pool deck, lean toward the lighter end of the chart. Shade from a cover or umbrella helps more than any finish does.

Working with your pool builder

We pour the deck. We don't build pools. On a new pool, the deck is usually one of the last steps, and a few things need to be settled between us and the pool builder before we start:

• Who sets the coping, and whether it goes on before or after the deck.
• Where the pool plumbing, lights and equipment lines run under the deck area.
• Whether there are deck drains, and where they tie in.
• The finished height of the deck at the coping.

We call 811 before we dig, but 811 only marks public utility lines. Pool lines, sprinkler lines, landscape lighting and anything else private won't be marked. We'll ask you, and your pool builder if they're still involved, to point those out before we start.

On a deck replacement around an existing pool, the same questions apply. We'll want to see the coping and any existing deck drains in your photos.

Getting concrete to the backyard

Pool decks are almost always in the backyard, behind a fence and a gate, and usually well past the 15 to 20 feet a truck chute can reach. That means a pump or buggies. A pump usually adds roughly $1,000 to $1,600, and it's its own line on your estimate so you can see it.

Other things that move the price on a pool deck: the square footage, tearing out an old deck, the finish you pick and how much forming the pool shape takes. Curves and lots of corners take more time to form than a simple rectangle. If you have another contractor's quote, run it through bid check and we'll tell you what's missing.

Cure time before the party

A broom deck usually takes 1 to 2 days. Stamped or other decorative work takes 2 to 3 days. After the pour:

• Walk on it after 24 hours.
• On decorative finishes, keep furniture and grills off for 7 days.
• Sealer needs 48 dry hours.

Ask your pool builder about water chemistry and startup timing if the pool is new. They know what a new pool needs during startup.

Send us photos of the yard, the pool and the path from the street, and start your estimate. We usually have a written, itemized number back within one business day.

Questions people ask