Concrete pool decks in Liberal KS - a finish chosen for wet bare feet and hot sun
If your pool deck is cracked, slick when wet or too hot to stand on, we can pour one that's easier on bare feet.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- Replies within 1 business day.
What goes into building a concrete pool deck in Liberal?
A concrete pool deck in Liberal is the slab around your pool that people cross wet and barefoot. We build and finish each one for grip and for how hot it gets in the sun, not only for how it looks.
Most homeowners who call us have a deck that's cracked, sunk or slick, or a new pool that needs one, and they want to know what it will cost and how long the backyard will be torn up. The price mostly turns on the deck's size and shape, how much old concrete comes out, how much work the base needs and which finish and sealer you pick. The schedule turns on the weather and on what the city needs before we pour. When I come out, I put all of that in a written estimate that explains what we'd do and why, so you can see your own figure before you decide anything.
How do you know your pool deck needs to be replaced?
Slick when it's wet
If the deck turns slippery once it's splashed, the texture has usually worn smooth or a glossy sealer is sitting on top. That's where someone falls, so it's worth dealing with before the next swim season rather than after.
Too hot to stand on
When people hop across the deck on a summer afternoon, the finish or its color is usually holding the sun's heat. That comes from the surface itself, so it's better to choose differently on the new deck than to put up with it every summer.
Cracks, sinking or puddles
Cracks that keep growing, sections that drop below their neighbors or water that sits in low spots usually mean the base settled or the deck wasn't sloped to drain. Water that gets under the slab keeps softening the ground, so the edges you trip on now tend to get worse.
How we build a concrete pool deck
Before anything else, I ask how the finish will feel to wet bare feet and how hot it will get in the sun. We go through the sealer choices too, since some look richer but lose grip when they're wet. Once you've chosen, our crew breaks out the old deck, digs out soft dirt and packs the subgrade, which is the ground the slab sits on, because a deck settles with whatever is under it. We pour in the cooler part of the day so the top doesn't come out weak and dusty. Then we finish it to the texture you picked and cut control joints, shallow grooves that give the slab a planned place to crack, before it can crack on its own. Next we let it cure, keeping it protected while it hardens, before it's sealed and the site is cleaned up. If the budget needs trimming, I'd rather trim the finish than the base. Nobody sees the base on the first day, but a nice surface over a poorly packed base cracks and sinks along with the dirt.
Pool decks often tie into other work. If the deck meets a back door or a raised patio, we can pour concrete steps at the same time so the levels line up. If you're adding a pool house or an equipment shed, that starts with slab foundation building on the same well-packed base.
Broom or textured finish
A broom finish is made by dragging a broom across the wet surface to leave light lines for grip, and other textured finishes work the same way. These suit families who want footing first, especially with kids running in and out of the pool.
Decorative or coated finish
Exposed aggregate, overlays, coatings and other decorative finishes suit owners who want the deck to match the house or the yard. Each one grips and heats up differently, so we compare them on wet footing and on how dark the color is before you choose.
Get a written pool deck estimate, free at your property
We reply within one business day to set a time for me to come out and look at your pool and yard. The estimate is free and done at your property, with no pressure and no obligation to go ahead.
(620) 482-9704Building a concrete pool deck in Liberal
The City of Liberal requires permits for a range of building and construction work, and its permit applications include one for concrete. We check with the city's Building and Code Enforcement Department about what your deck needs, take care of the permit when one is required and let you know what we learn. Seward County also requires a building permit for each project, and its Planning and Zoning office reviews plans before a permit is issued. Where the county's rules apply, we leave room in the schedule for that review. We're based in Liberal and do this work across Liberal and the cities around it.
The county's building code rates weathering here as severe and sets a frost depth for design, so we plan every deck for freezing and thawing. About a quarter of Seward County's soil is expansive clay, which swells when it's wet and shrinks when it dries. That's why we dig out and pack the base and shape the slab so pool splash and rain don't soak in underneath.
What happens when you call about a pool deck in Liberal?
Call or send the form
Call (620) 482-9704 or send the form, and we'll set a time that suits you. I'll come out and look at the pool and the yard myself.
I visit and write the estimate
I ask how you'll use the deck, check the ground, the slope and the pool edge, then send you a written estimate. It explains what we'd do and why, so you know what you're paying for before any concrete arrives.
We handle paperwork and build
Once you decide to go ahead, we look into the city paperwork and plan the pour around the weather. I'm on site with our crew from setup through cleanup, so you have one person to ask about anything along the way.
Frequently asked questions
Which concrete finish is safest around a pool?
The safest finish is the one that grips well when it's wet and stays comfortable in the sun. You can compare broom, textured, exposed aggregate, coated, overlay and decorative finishes on exactly those two things. Very dark finishes can get uncomfortable underfoot in full sun, so a lighter color usually helps. If you can, stand barefoot on a wet sample of a finish before you commit to it.
How long does a pool deck sealer last before it needs another coat?
One sealer maker's guide says a film sealer needs a fresh coat about every 18 to 24 months. A penetrating sealer lasts three to five years but does less to deepen the color. Film sealers can also get slick when wet, so on a deck people cross barefoot, the choice affects footing as well as looks. The same guide says you can walk on a newly sealed deck the next day, but furniture, pool chemicals and heavy gear should wait 72 hours, so plan resealing for a stretch when the pool can rest.
Do I need a permit for a concrete pool deck in Liberal, KS?
It may, because the city has a permit application for concrete work. As we explained above, we check with the city about what your deck needs and take care of the permit when one is required, so you don't have to sort it out yourself.
How much does a concrete pool deck cost in Liberal?
Across the US, installing a concrete pool deck usually costs about $10.10 to $12.40 per square foot. That's a national figure for the installation, not our price. Your own number depends on the deck's size, how much old concrete comes out, the base work and the finish and sealer you choose. My written estimate sets that number out for your yard.
What causes a concrete pool deck to crack next to the pool?
Cracks along the pool edge usually come from the deck and the pool shell moving differently. One pool deck guide advises following the pool designer's details for isolation joints, the breaks that let the deck and the pool move separately, rather than tying everything together with random reinforcement. That's a good question to ask every contractor who bids your deck, us included.
How should water drain off a concrete pool deck?
Water should run away from the house and toward or away from the deck drains, the way the deck was designed, without carrying dirty runoff back into the pool. The slope is set when the slab is formed, so it's something to settle before the pour, not after. If water stands on your deck now or runs toward the house, the new deck's slope needs to change.
Liberal, KS
Start planning your new pool deck
Have the deck's rough size, your address, what's there now and any finish ideas handy, then call (620) 482-9704 or send the form so we can get started.