Patio & Pool Deck Coatings in Los Angeles, CA

Patio & Pool Deck Coatings cover the outdoor concrete in Los Angeles backyards: pool decks, patios, covered outdoor rooms, walkways and the steps between them. Outdoor slabs here take a beating from sun and heat for most of the year. Wikipedia puts downtown at about 3,254 hours of sunshine a year and notes that summers are usually rainless, so a pool deck may see months of strong sun with no break. Pool deck resurfacing and a good outdoor coating bring back an even surface, add grip for wet feet and protect the concrete from water and pool chemicals.

Outdoor concrete needs different choices than a garage

The things that make a garage floor look great can make an outdoor floor fail. A glossy, smooth finish is slippery around a pool. Standard epoxy yellows and chalks in UV; HomeGuide grades its UV resistance poor to fair. Dark colors get hot underfoot. So outdoors, we lean on UV-stable polyaspartic, textured finishes and lighter colors. For pool decks where bare feet are the main concern, a cool, textured surface such as a Kool Deck style finish is often the right answer; HomeGuide calls Kool Deck non-slip and credits it with lowering surface temperature.

Heat across the city

How hot a deck gets depends a lot on where you live. Wikipedia notes an average July high of about 70 degrees at the Santa Monica Pier and about 95 degrees in Canoga Park, 15 miles inland. In the San Fernando Valley and other inland areas, heat waves are common in September and October, and the city's record of 121 degrees was set in Woodland Hills. A dark, smooth coating on a Valley pool deck can get too hot to walk on. We steer inland pool decks toward light, cool-to-the-touch textures and keep the deeper colors for shaded patios.

Wind, dust and the coast

Santa Ana winds bring hot, dry air in fall and winter, along with dust and leaves that settle on decks and get ground in by foot traffic. A textured finish in a mid-tone hides that between cleanings. Near the coast, damp mornings and the marine layer are the bigger factor during install. Outdoor coatings are sensitive to surface moisture and dew, so on Westside and South Bay jobs we often start once the slab has warmed and dried, and we check the dew point before each coat.

Cracks, settling and drainage

Outdoor concrete cracks more often than a garage slab because it sits on soil that is watered by sprinklers, dries out in summer and soaks during winter rain. Earthquakes add to that. We fill stable cracks and repair chipped edges before coating. Where a section has sunk or lifted, or water ponds against the house or pool coping, no coating can fix that, and we tell you so. Expansion joints along the pool coping and between slabs are left as flexible joints so the coating does not tear when the concrete moves.

Resurface, overlay or seal?

Not every deck needs the same treatment:

• Sealing suits concrete in good shape that just needs protection and a refreshed look.
• A textured coating covers stains and worn spots with an even, grippy color.
• A decorative or stamped overlay rebuilds a rough surface with a new texture or pattern.
• A cool deck finish is about comfort for bare feet on a sunny pool deck.

We look at the concrete, ask how the area is used, and explain the options before you choose.

Prep outdoors

Outdoor concrete is often coated with old sealer, paint or a worn texture, and pool decks collect chemical residue. We grind or pressure clean, depending on the system, to get to sound concrete, then repair cracks and edges. We test moisture where the slab sits against planters or lawns. Pool decks are coated with the pool's operation in mind, and we cover drains, skimmers and coping.

Planning around the pool and the yard

A pool deck job means the pool area is closed while the coating goes down and cures. We will tell you when people can walk on it barefoot and when it is safe to put furniture and planters back. Turn off sprinklers that hit the deck a day or two before we start and until we give the OK, because water on a curing coating causes cloudy spots. If the pool has a cover or equipment on the deck, plan to move it. For patios that connect to the house, we can stop the coating at a clean line at the door threshold so it meets the interior floor neatly.

Care

Rinse decks regularly to clear dust and pool chemicals, and sweep away leaves before they stain. Clean with something pH-neutral instead of harsh acids. Avoid dragging heavy planters or furniture across the surface. Outdoor coatings in full sun eventually need a fresh topcoat, which is much simpler than resurfacing from scratch.