Five tips for remodeling your Arizona pool deck

Now that the weather is cooling off, it’s likely that you’re using your pool less.

With the arrival of autumn, it’s time to turn your attention to the deck around your pool. For those of you thinking of resurfacing your pool deck, we’ve compiled a few tips and guidelines.

Of course, the most popular decking is Kool Deck, invented by a Tucson company back in the 1960s for use on concrete pool decks. It is very durable and withstands expansion and contraction in the sun. In addition to Kool Deck, there are dozens of other choices that pool owners may want to consider: concrete pavers, acrylic applied over concrete and acrylic decking shaped to look like flagstone, Saltillo tile or even bricks. Travertine, slate, flagstone and granite are among the natural stone choices some homeowners are using.

No matter the material or approach you take, here are five important things to remember about choosing your deck resurfacing material:

1. Go light for feet in the heat

For a cooler deck, make sure the coloring is light (this is why so many are beige or natural colored). Dark-colored choices can be fiery-hot when July and August roll around. Click here to see my temperature test for different patio materials.

2. Think durability

Concrete pavers, for example, resist cracking or deterioration caused by foot traffic, sun, pool chemicals or salt. A paver that gets damaged is easily replaced. Compared to Kool Decks, acrylic decks are usually finished with a solvent-based sealant to make them stain resistant and easy-to-clean. Natural stone is particularly hard-wearing.

3. Avoid slips and falls

A smooth deck surface may be slippery when wet; a mottled surface, such as stone, pavers or textured acrylic, is safer to walk on with wet feet.

4. Overlays can be cheaper

Depending on the condition of your pool, acrylic surfaces and pavers can be laid over new or old concrete. Kool Deck is more complicated to install; it must be applied to fresh concrete before the concrete cures. Explore the pros and cons of Acrylic Decks vs. Kool Decks.

5. Try to be a better housekeeper

Once you have your new deck, take regular steps to keep the surface in great shape: Cover frequently-traveled areas with no-slip mats, keep metal furniture that can leave stains off the deck, clean up spills as soon as they happen and keep leaves and fruit from nearby trees off the deck.

For more tips, help and information for your house, home, castle or cabin, visit Arizona’s largest collection of homeowner DIY advice and information at RosieontheHouse.com.

And if you are in need of a quality contractor you can trust, visit our list of Arizona’s very best contractors or service providers for your home improvement projects at RosieontheHouse.com, Arizona’s most trusted referral network.

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