Pool Decks in Port St. Lucie, FL

Pool Decks take more abuse than any other concrete around a Port St. Lucie home. They sit in full sun most of the year, get splashed with pool water every day, collect rain from the screen enclosure and are walked on barefoot. A deck that drains toward the pool, gets too hot or turns slick when wet makes the whole backyard less pleasant, so the slope, finish and joints matter as much as the concrete.

What we build

• New pool decks around a newly built pool, coordinated with the pool contractor's schedule
• Deck extensions that add room for loungers, a table or an outdoor kitchen beyond the original deck
• Replacement decks where the old concrete is cracked, uneven or pulling away from the pool coping
• Resurfacing for decks that are sound but worn, stained or rough on the feet

Slope, drains and the screen enclosure

Pool deck water must go away from both the pool and the house. We slope the deck toward the yard or to deck drains, and we plan for the rain that runs off a screen enclosure roof. With about 51 inches of rain a year and June through September each averaging more than 5 inches in the local weather normals, a flat spot on a pool deck quickly becomes a puddle that grows algae. Where the deck meets the pool coping and the house, isolation joints let each part move without cracking the others.

Cooler and safer finishes

Bare concrete in full sun heats up. Choices that help:

• Light colors: the simplest way to keep a deck cooler
• Spray-on knockdown texture: a raised pattern that gives wet feet grip
• Cool-deck coatings: HomeGuide prices this kind of coating at roughly $4 to $6 per square foot and says it is non-slip and lowers surface temperature
• Broom or exposed aggregate: good traction for less money
• Stamped concrete: decorative, but near the water it needs grit added to the sealer

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Permits around pools

Pool construction in Port St. Lucie goes through permitting, and the City Public Works Department's residential and pool permit application asks for the pool deck material, such as concrete or pavers. For a new pool, we work with the pool contractor's permit and inspection schedule; for a deck extension or replacement, we check what your address requires before we start. HOA approval often applies too.

Signs your deck needs work

• Cracks that have opened past roughly 1/4 inch, or lifted edges that catch toes
• Sections that have dropped or now tilt toward the pool
• A widening gap where the deck meets the coping
• A coating that is flaking, worn through or rough underfoot
• Water that stands for hours after a storm

Sunken sections can sometimes be raised instead of replaced. For a 400-square-foot pool deck, HomeGuide's leveling guide gives $1,600 to $3,600 using mudjacking and $3,200 to $10,000 using polyurethane foam.

Care in salt and chlorine

Pool chemicals and salt-system water splash onto the deck every day. A good sealer, reapplied when water stops beading, protects the surface. Rinse the deck now and then to remove salt and chlorine residue, keep leaves from sitting and staining, and do not let pool water drain across the deck toward the house.