ServicesConcrete Pool Decks
Concrete Pool Decks in Mission Viejo
We tear out worn pool decks and pour new reinforced slabs that slope water away from the pool, flex at the coping and stay comfortable on bare feet. Call during the slow season and we can plan the finish, budget and schedule well before summer.
A deck built for water, sun and bare feet
No slab around your home works harder than a pool deck. It is wet most of the year, it heats up in full afternoon sun and cools off overnight, and chlorinated or salt water finds its way into every joint. We break out the old deck, rebuild what sits under it and pour a new slab with the pitch, joints and surface needed to send water away from the pool shell.
Planning works best while the old deck is still usable. Fall and winter suit this job, since the pool gets less use and no summer gathering is waiting on the finish. That gives you room to compare surfaces, settle on a budget and choose a start date on your terms.
We bring 15+ years in business to every deck, and our work is licensed by the California State License Board (CSLB), so a state-recognized concrete contractor is responsible for the slab around your pool.
What a pool deck replacement includes
Careful demolition at the coping
We saw-cut the old deck where it meets the coping before breaking it out. That keeps the impact away from the coping stones and the tile line. All debris is hauled off.
Base and soil preparation
We check the subgrade, remove soft spots and compact a fresh aggregate base. Much of the soil around the area is clay that swells when wet and shrinks when dry. A properly compacted base keeps that movement from showing up in the slab.
Rebar set at the right height
Steel only works when it sits in the middle of the slab, so we set the rebar grid on chairs instead of letting it lie in the dirt.
Slope and drainage
The deck is pitched away from the pool so splash and rain run toward the yard or into deck drains. Water that runs back to the pool carries dirt and fertilizer with it. Water that sits on the deck stains it and makes it slick.
Expansion and control joints
A flexible expansion joint at the coping lets the deck and the pool shell move independently. We seal it with a flexible sealant made for this joint. Control joints are tooled or cut on a layout we show you before the pour, so cracks form in the joints instead of across the open slab.
Your choice of finish
Options include light broom, salt finish, a textured cool-deck topping or a pattern from our stamped concrete work. Lighter colors and textured toppings stay noticeably cooler than dark, smooth surfaces.
Signs it is time to plan a new pool deck
- Cracks that keep growing
- Fine hairline cracks are part of how concrete behaves. Cracks that get wider every year, cross several panels or have one side higher than the other point to trouble in the base or soil below.
- Trip edges and sunken panels
- A panel that drops or heaves leaves a lip right where people walk wet and barefoot. That creates a fall hazard and usually means the base has given out.
- Water running toward the pool
- Puddles near the coping, or runoff draining back into the pool, mean the deck has lost its pitch. Getting the slope back takes a new slab.
- Coping joint pulling open
- Once the sealant is gone or the gap at the coping widens, splash and rain can soak into the ground behind the pool shell, where it does no favors to the soil or the wall.
- Flaking and scaling surface
- Over the years, pool chemicals and salt water wear down the top layer, leaving it rough on feet and hard to keep clean.
- A pool remodel on the calendar
- If new plaster, tile or coping is planned, that is the time to replace the deck as well, so each trade works in the right order.
From first call to finished deck
- 1
A call, then a visit
On the phone you describe what is wrong with the deck now and when you hope to swim again. We then come out to measure, check how water drains, look over the coping and see how equipment will reach the yard.
- 2
Line-item estimate and start date
The estimate lists demolition, base, steel, finish and drains separately, along with a proposed start date. No work gets added to the job unless you approve it first.
- 3
Tear-out and base work
With the pool and coping covered, we remove the old deck, then grade and compact the new base. Depending on size and access, this stage takes a day or two.
- 4
Forms, steel and pour day
Forms fix the finished height and slope, rebar is placed on chairs and drains are set. On pour day we place and finish the concrete, cut or tool the joints and apply the surface you chose.
- 5
Curing and final walkthrough
Most decks can take careful walking within 24 to 48 hours, while loungers and tables should stay off for roughly seven days as the slab gains strength. We clean up, walk the deck with you and go over the 1-year warranty on your new deck.
What sets the price of a pool deck
Two decks with the same square footage can land far apart in price, because pool shape, surface finish and drainage differ from yard to yard. Our estimate breaks each part of the job into its own line so you can see what drives the total. Seeing those lines early lets you choose which upgrades belong in this year's budget and which can wait.
- Size and shape
- Square footage sets the starting point. Free-form pools, raised spas and curved deck edges take more forming and hand finishing than a rectangle.
- Getting into the backyard
- When the truck cannot reach the pour, concrete has to travel by pump line or by wheelbarrow, and both add labor or equipment. Tight access slows the haul-out of the old slab in the same way.
- Finish selection
- Broom finish is the most economical surface. Salt finish, cool-deck topping, integral color and stamping each add material and finishing time.
- Demolition and soil condition
- An extra-thick old deck, buried footings or a soft, wet subgrade all mean more breaking, more hauling and more new base rock.
- Drains and permits
- Deck drains, channel drains and any permit the scope requires each carry a cost, and each shows up as its own line on the estimate.
Pool deck questions
- Will you have to empty my pool?
- In most cases the water stays in. We lay covers over the pool while the old deck is broken out so chips and dust stay out of the water. When new coping or tile is part of the project, the pool contractor may drop the water level for their portion of the work.
- Which finish stays coolest in summer?
- Light colors and textured cool-deck toppings run the coolest underfoot. A light-toned salt finish sits in between. Dark, smooth or deeply colored stamped surfaces soak up more heat, so we steer toward lighter options where people walk barefoot.
- Will the new deck crack?
- Concrete loses water and shrinks while it cures, so some cracking is expected. A compacted base, rebar held mid-slab and a sensible control joint layout keep those cracks narrow and inside the joints, where they are hard to spot.
- Do I need a permit for a new pool deck?
- That depends on what the job involves, such as changes to drainage or work close to structures. We confirm the requirements with the city for your specific project. If a permit is required, we pull it and show its cost in the estimate.
- How far ahead should I schedule?
- Reaching out a few months before you want to swim again gives you the widest pick of start dates. Fall and winter are the easiest seasons to replace a deck without giving up pool time.
Put your pool deck on the calendar before summer
Tell us about your pool, the deck you have now and when you want to swim. We will set up a site visit and give you a line-item estimate you can budget around.