Decks around swimming pools can be made of various materials and have aesthetic elements added that will add a great decor to your back yard space. Traditionally decks around inground vinyl liner pools have been made out of concrete, which is typically a broomed finish. When pools were being installed in the backyards of many Southeastern Michigan homes, it was typical to find a 4′ deck around the swimming pool. This didn’t leave much room for lounge chairs and patio furniture. Now when a pool is designed by Michigan Swimming Pool Services, the deck around the swimming pool is usually created to be much larger since entertainment and a place for lounge chairs is almost more important than the size of the pool itself.
Decorative finishes can also be used in the decks around swimming pools. Concrete can still be used, but it can also be textured and colored to take on more of a custom look. Some people may be inclined to use dark colors around the edges of their swimming pool. We don’t recommend this for the deck around an outdoor swimming pool because it can be very hot on the feet. We also recommend that a homeowner keeps in mind that while walking on the deck around the swimming pool it can become very slippery, so a finish that has a little bit of texture is going to be preferred to one that is smooth.
If you do have an existing pool and you would like to update the look and feel of your pool, a new deck can be a great addition. Inground vinyl liner pools are constructed in several ways with variations to the coping. It’s important to have someone work on your pool who is familiar with the way that this is done. If someone doesn’t understand the structure of a pool and the way the deck braces are built, when they attempt to remove the deck around the pool they could cause some unnecessary issues. Gunite pools are constructed in a different way than vinyl liner pools, and care should be taken with the deck around those pools as well.
When you are doing any work to the deck around your pool, you should also have someone on hand who can install the ladder cups for the ladder if any, and the cups for any handrails. These should also be bonded with a special copper that will help to prevent any issues during your pool use.
Ask the Pool Guy is glad to help with any of your swimming pool deck questions. Please call or email if we can be of assistance to you. You can also see some decks around swimming pools in our photo gallery to see some of the options that are available to you.