Concrete Pool Decks in Port Charlotte, FL

Concrete pool decks in Port Charlotte work harder than almost any other slab on the lot. They sit in full sun, get splashed with chlorinated water, carry patio furniture and bare feet, and have to shed heavy summer rain without sending it into the pool or against the house. Many decks here were poured with the original home in the 1970s or 1980s and are now cracked, stained or uneven, especially where they meet the pool coping or the screen enclosure footing.

When a deck needs work

• Cracks that run from the pool edge out across the deck
• Sections that have sunk and now hold puddles after rain
• A gap opening between the deck and the pool coping
• A spray-texture coating that is peeling, chalky or worn smooth in walkways
• A surface that gets too hot to walk on barefoot
• A pool remodel that is a good moment to enlarge or replace the deck

If the slab underneath is sound, resurfacing is often enough. HomeGuide's resurfacing guide notes that cracks wider than a quarter inch usually point to problems below that will show through a new coating, so wide or moving cracks call for repair or replacement first.

How we build a new deck

We remove the old deck if there is one, take out soft or organic soil, and compact the base. The deck is formed to slope away from the pool and the house, toward the yard or a drain, so rain and splash water do not collect. Joints are laid out to line up with the pool shape and the screen enclosure, giving shrinkage cracks a planned place to go.

Pool decks often sit within a foot of the house, and Charlotte County's residential slab page says flat work one foot or less from an existing structure must be termite treated. The county also requires a permit and inspections for concrete flat work, so both go on the schedule before the pour. If your screen enclosure footing has to come out or be rebuilt, we flag that early so it can be coordinated with the enclosure company.

Finishes that work around a pool

• Spray texture or knockdown: a thin textured coating over the slab that gives grip and comes in lighter colors that stay cooler in the sun.
• Broom finish: simple and slip-resistant, often in a light gray or tinted color.
• Stamped concrete: stone, slate or tile patterns with a slip-resistant additive in the sealer.
• Exposed aggregate: a textured, stony surface with good grip.

We avoid smooth troweled finishes on pool decks because they turn slick when wet.

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Timing a pool deck

HomeGuide's pool deck guide says a 100 to 300 square foot deck takes at least 5 to 7 days to build, and replacing an existing deck adds about $5 a square foot for removal and disposal. If you are resurfacing or replastering the pool, plan the deck at the same time so the coping and deck edge meet cleanly. In summer we pour early in the morning and keep the slab moist so it cures evenly in the heat.

Keeping a deck looking good

Rinse the deck regularly to clear chlorine, salt and sunscreen residue. Reseal sealed and stamped decks on schedule, and keep the joint between the deck and coping sealed with a flexible joint material so water does not get underneath. Keep downspouts and sprinklers from soaking the deck edges, which can soften the base over time.