Concrete Pool Decks
One of the biggest trends in outdoor design today is a decorative concrete pool deck—an inviting, multipurpose area surrounding the pool where people can entertain, sunbathe or just hang out when they aren’t doing the backstroke. According to statistics from the Association of Pool & Spa Professionals, we actually spend more time on our pool decks than in the pool itself. Of the 7.5 million or so people in the continental U.S. who own pools, only 24 percent use them primarily for swimming. That makes the pool deck even more essential as an element in swimming pool design.
Decorative concrete has opened the door to creating pool decks that complement the exterior of the home, meld with the outdoor environment, and replicate traditionally more expensive materials such as slate, stone or even wood. Pools are becoming more specialized with a stronger emphasis on aesthetics, transforming the pool and backyard area into a mini resort with lighting, sound systems, spas, waterfalls and fountains. Today’s space-challenged backyards have also led to a trend in smaller swimming pools, enhanced by leisure areas that extend the indoor living space.
While a pool deck may essentially look and function like a patio, it has unique requirements for slip resistance, sun reflectivity and orientation. Use this site for guidelines to designing a concrete pool deck that suits almost any setting, budget and lifestyle, whether you want to entertain, keep cool, exercise or create a peaceful water-themed oasis.
