ForConstructionPros.com

When people think of summer, they often imagine relaxing by a swimming pool. That experience can be even more enjoyable when the pool deck has been enhanced through the use of decorative concrete.

Why decorative concrete?

Decorative concrete is not the only available material for pool decks. But decorative concrete offers significant advantages. "Most people use it to save money," explains Mike Logsdon of Land Design, Boerne, Texas. "It's a budget-conscious alternative to laying natural stone or cut tile. If you lay cut stone, it can be $15 to $20 per square foot. I can do the same thing with decorative concrete for $6 to $8 per foot. It's also a quicker process. We can do a pool deck in half the time because we still have to pour concrete. If you use stone, you have to bring in a stone mason. Good subcontractors are hard to find. It takes more people, time and resources from materials to labor if you use another type of decorative material."

Mike Speach of Tropical Toppings, Winston, Ga., likes decorative concrete because "it's cool to the feet. It protects and seals your concrete, giving the concrete a longer life by putting a decorative coating over it." He also points out that tile breaks, while decorative concrete can be used to fix cracks or hide other problems in existing concrete.

Decorative concrete's durability and flexibility appeal to Cindy Coy of Showcase Concrete, Inc, Neenah, Wis. "You can create a real work of art using concrete," she says.

Mike Ganos of Ganos Decorative Concrete, Oconomowoc, Wis., points out the long-term picture. "It's permanent," he says. "There's little to no maintenance. It drains the water well, so no moss grows. It's a nice clean product."