Sealcoating concrete surfaces is an important step to make sure that they continue to look beautiful for years. Concrete sealer creates a barrier on the surface of the concrete that prevents water and oil from being absorbed by the concrete, and it also blocks the discoloring effects of ultraviolet light. Sealcoating a concrete pool deck is especially important because pool decks constantly have water being splashed on them when people are using the pool. This water contains chemicals such as chlorine that can discolor your concrete. To help you sealcoat your concrete pool deck effectively, follow these three tips.
1. Use Slip-Resistant Concrete Sealer
The most important thing you need to do when sealcoating your concrete pool deck is to make sure that the sealer is slip-resistant. Pool decks can become incredibly slippery when they're wet, and adding sealer to concrete can magnify the problem. This is especially true of polyurethane-based sealers. Using regular concrete sealer on your pool deck can easily lead to injury.
One source of slip-resistant concrete sealer is sealer made specifically for pool decks. Unfortunately, there aren't too many of types on the market, so you don't have many choices available to you. However, you can turn any concrete sealer into slip-resistant sealer by purchasing grit separately and adding it to the sealer mix. The best type of grit to use for this application is micronized plastic as other types of grit can reduce the effective lifetime of concrete sealer. You simply mix the grit into any concrete sealer of your choosing before sealcoating your pool deck in order to give it a rough, textured surface that reduces its slipperiness.
2. Wait Until Your Pool Deck Is Completely Dry Before Sealcoating
You should only sealcoat concrete surfaces when they're completely dry. Pool decks are a challenge to sealcoat because they're right next to the pool, and the humidity from the water vapor can greatly increase drying times. You need to clean your pool deck thoroughly with soap and water before you sealcoat it. After cleaning it, wait at least two days without using the pool in order to allow the deck to completely dry out; this is longer than you would have to wait after cleaning a driveway, but the humidity of the pool makes the extended wait time necessary. If you don't wait until the pool deck is completely dry, your concrete sealer will trap moisture underneath it and fail to adhere to the concrete. This will often cause unsightly white streaks in your pool deck.
3. Never Get Any Concrete Sealer in the Pool
Concrete sealer contains solids that can clog your filter or ruin your pool pump if any accidentally gets in your pool water. You need to be extremely careful while applying concrete sealer to your pool deck. It's best to use a roller brush in order to work the sealer into your pool deck instead of spraying it on as a sprayer can lead to small amounts of sealer drifting into your pool water. You may also want to consider hiring a professional company like Precision Roadway Services to sealcoat your pool deck as they will be able to keep any stray sealer from entering your pool.
By following these tips, you'll keep your pool deck looking beautiful without making it slippery or causing damage to your pool equipment. If you're worried about damaging your pool, contact a local sealcoating contractor to perform the task for you. They can also mix slip-resistant concrete sealer for you in order to ensure that your newly sealed pool deck doesn't become as slippery as ice when it gets wet.
