Since concrete pool decks are prone to damage from both mother nature, harsh chemicals found in the pool and heavy use during the hotter months, a common question that we get from all of our clients is how do we make our concrete pool deck last longer? Since concrete is prone to damage when used outdoors, this question is one of the most asked questions across the entire county, and today we are going to be taking a deeper look into what you can do to make sure that your concrete pool decking lasts as long as possible.
Remember, the is no magical cure or method that you can do to make your concrete last forever without repairs or even the eventual replacement. There isn’t technology that takes the cracking out of concrete, but we are on our way. Since this is so, you can follow these simple steps to make sure that your pool decking lasts as long as it can.
The first measure you can take to make sure that your concrete pool deck coating lasts as long as possible is to make sure it is clean on a regular basis. Debris and other foreign objects that are left to sit, drag or soak on your pool deck can cause the effects of wear and tear to accelerate. So we recommend that the pool decking be pressure washed at least once a month to make sure your pool decking is squeaky clean. Pressure washing is the most efficient way to remove all unwanted filth and can even be used to remove slippery and unsightly mold or algae with ease!
Another way you can prevent your pool decking from becoming damaged is to remove all furniture and other liftable objects from your decking in times of intense winds. While this seems obvious, there are cases of pool decks becoming heavily damaged due to chairs, table and even gazeebos being blown around the decking. Both your decking and poolside furniture can be expensive to repair or replace, so do yourself a favor and make sure to put away your furniture!
If you’ve had a concrete coating installed on your pool decking, you probably know about sealers. While they are used to protect your feet from UV rays, they also play a major role in keeping your concrete pool decking safe from whatever life can throw your way. We will always urge that you keep a fresh coat of sealer on your pool decking to keep it protected. While some high-grade sealers can last upwards of 7 years, we will always recommend that you check for imperfections or fading areas in your sealer every year as a part of annual maintenance. This will make sure that your concrete coating has its protected layer to keep your pool decking safe, especially in times of high usage.
Not all pool decks have sealers though, many pool decks use paint on their coatings in place of sealers. This in a way makes it much easier to identify where and when your pool decks protection becomes compromised. When pool deck paint becomes faded, the entire pool deck usually gets 2 brand new coats of paint as preventative maintenance.
Sadly, cracks are just a part of life when you are dealing with concrete or concrete coatings. While they tend to come out of the blue, we will always urge our clients to react immediately when they see a crack forming. When caught in the beginning stages, a crack can be rapidly repaired with minimal interference in other parts of the pool deck. Cracks can lead to moisture reaching the underneath of your concrete leading to serious problems down the road, so cracks need to be repaired ASAP.
Now that you know how to prevent damage from occurring on your prized investment, you can have faith knowing there are ways to keep your pool deck in service. Unfortunately, there comes a time when all preventative maintenance won’t make a difference and your pool deck is going to be resurfaced. For more information on pool deck resurfacing, take a look at our main page!