Beauty Meets Function for This Backyard Pool Deck & Patio

A family with young kids wanted a safe, comfortable space to hang out by their pool, but they also wanted it to look good—see how SUNDEK made it happen.
Posted by admin on October 3, 2022 in Blog

When a New Braunfels, Texas, homeowner was browsing photos of pool decks and patios online, she was inspired by a particular surface that SUNDEK installed at a residence in Alamo Heights. Although she didn’t want hers to look exactly like the one in the photo, she made note of the qualities she liked and used those as a starting-off point to begin discussions with SUNDEK of San Antonio about her own backyard project.

In this residential backyard, SUNDEK of San Antonio installed a patio and pool deck surface using SUNDEK’s Tuscan coating.

With young children, the homeowner and her husband wanted something that would be functional—cool enough for bare feet on hot summer days and slip resistant—but they also had a strong preference for a sleek aesthetic. SUNDEK of San Antonio proposed using SUNDEK’s Tuscan product. With Tuscan, the installer applies it in a thin layer to the concrete surface then hand-trowels the overlay. This application method creates a completely unique look on every project.

For the design, the clients wanted an Ashlar Slate pattern, a classic and elegant choice. SUNDEK of San Antonio knew that carrying the pattern throughout the whole patio and pool deck would make the space appear too busy. “It wouldn’t play to the eye as well,” says Craig Roohan, general manager at SUNDEK of San Antonio. So, SUNDEK suggested going with the desired Ashlar Slate design for the patio and then transitioning to a stacked block pattern in the pool area. SUNDEK crews used fiber tape and chalk lines to precisely map out the location of each scoreline.

For the patio space, SUNDEK created an Ashlar Slate pattern.

For color, the homeowners opted for neutral tones of white and gray, which are both ideal choices for a patio and pool deck, as light colors help keep the surface temperature down. Together, the colors also nicely complement the travertine tile pool coping. To color the coating, SUNDEK of San Antonio crews used SunH2O in Tweed Gray for the patio area and Oyster White for the pool deck. SunH2O is a proprietary blend of specialized water-soluble polymers and liquid pigments. Because of the product’s makeup, it has notable adhesion to concrete surfaces—making it a superior product to competitive water-based stains.

The clients wanted a very smooth finish for the deck and patio. With that in mind, SUNDEK installers added 80 grit aluminum oxide to the acrylic sealer when they applied it to the surface. Aluminum oxide serves to act as a non-slip agent by adding grit. This amount would add a non-slip element while also maintaining the desired aesthetic.

The design transitions from an Ashlar Slate design at the patio to a stacked block pattern for the pool deck.

After the family had about a week to try out the surface, they decided that they would feel more comfortable with their children using the surface if it had additional slip resistance. With safety being a high priority for both the homeowners and SUNDEK, crews came out to the project site to re-emulsify the sealer and add more aluminum oxide.

SUNDEK of San Antonio crews completed the pool deck and patio, which is right around 800 square feet, in about 10 days. Thrilled with their finished outdoor hangout spot, the family now has a space to spend time with family and friends that checks all boxes—comfortable, safe, and stunning.

If you’re looking to remodel your patio or pool deck and want help transforming your concrete into something beautiful, contact us!

Call us: (210) 491-0280

Email us: [email protected]

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We work in San Antonio and all the major cities in the area including Boerne, Bulverde, Canyon Lake, Castle Hills, Cibolo, Fair Oaks Ranch, Garden Ridge, Helotes, Hollywood Park, New Braunfels, Schertz, Shavano Park, Spring Branch, and Terrell Hills.