While enormous cost can go into the installation and maintenance of the pool itself, the pool decks and patios are often overlooked, which can be a huge problem for homeowners.
It is important to properly seal the concrete surrounding the pool to ensure that mold, mildew, salt water and damage from UV rays do not deteriorate or damage the pool deck.
Pool decks are an important, if understated, aspect of your pool experience. If your pool patio is cracked and dirty, weeds will grow between pavers, leading to a very unpleasant visual fade. There can also be structural danger caused by damage that can be extremely costly to repair. Fortunately, there is a cost effective and relatively easy way to protect your concrete pool decks and patios, and that is to use a concrete sealer.
When it comes time to choose a concrete sealer there are a few factors to consider. Is your primary purpose for sealing to protect the pool deck from salt water and the related effects such as spalling, pitting and cracking? Or is your primary purpose decorative, to give the pool deck a nice glossy finish to enhance the colors and textures of the substrate?
If you are looking for the best protection from salt water, or if you are looking to keep the pool deck unchanged in appearance, the best product to use is the Siloxa-Tek 8500. By applying the Siloxa-Tek 8500 it will not change to co-efficiency of friction. Which means it will not change the surface texture and will not be slippery when wet. An added benefit is salt resistance. If the pool is a salt water pool, the Siloxa-Tek 8500 is able to effectively prevent chloride ion penetration, keeping the pool deck free of pitting and cracking.
If natural is not your thing and you are looking to spice it up, a solvent-based acrylic concrete sealer like the Cryli-Tek 5505 is the best option if you are looking for a high gloss, wet look finish. It can be slippery when wet so it is recommended that a slip resistant additive such as the Grip-Tek 250 be mixed in at time of application for added traction. If you want to take the finish down a notch, a matting agent can also be added to the Cryli-Tek 5505 to bring the gloss finish down to a satin or low sheen finish.
