Concrete pool decks in Petaluma CA - a surface that holds up and protects the pool edge
Is your pool deck cracked, worn or pulling away at the edge? We'll tell you whether to resurface or start over, and build it right.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- Replies within 1 business day.
What goes into a concrete pool deck in Petaluma?
A concrete pool deck is the poured surface around your pool. In Petaluma, CA, we build new decks and resurface sound old ones, using concrete that can be made slip resistant and water resistant. A deck that's properly placed, sealed and kept up can last a lifetime.
Most people who call about a pool deck have one of two jobs in front of them. It's either an old deck that's cracked, sinking or chipped at the edge, or a new pool that needs a surface around it. If your deck is worn but solid, resurfacing may save you a tear-out. If it isn't solid, a new pour with a properly built base is the better place for your money. The price moves with the deck's size, how much old concrete has to come out, how much ground prep the site needs and the joint work at the pool edge. The schedule turns on the weather, the cure and any city steps. If you'd like a seating area past the deck, we can pour it as a concrete patio in the same job. My written estimate lists what's included, so you'll see your own figure in plain terms.
How can you tell your pool deck needs work?
Cracks or sunken spots
Cracks running across the deck, or a section that's dropped below the one beside it, usually mean the ground underneath has settled or the joints weren't cut where the concrete needed them. Left alone, water works into the cracks, edges break off and a sunken lip becomes something to trip on with wet feet.
Gaps or chips at the coping
Sometimes the line where the deck meets the pool's edge opens up or cracks, or the cap stones start chipping. That usually means the deck is moving against the coping with nothing to take up the push. If you wait, a joint repair can turn into a coping repair, which is harder work than the deck itself.
A worn, rough top
A surface that's gone chalky, feels rough on bare feet or looks patchy usually means the sealer wore off a while ago and the top is wearing down. Caught while the slab is still solid, that's often a resurfacing job. The longer it goes, the more likely the concrete underneath is past saving.
How we build and resurface concrete pool decks
On a worn deck, I check the concrete first, because if it's still sound, resurfacing can make more sense than starting over. For a new deck, our crew breaks out and hauls off any old concrete. Then we dig out and pack the subgrade, the soil and gravel the slab rests on, since a base that's only raked level settles and pulls the deck down with it. We set forms and lay rebar, steel that holds the slab together if it does crack. We pour in the cooler hours so the top doesn't dry too fast and come out weak and dusty. While the slab is still young, we cut control joints, shallow grooves that give the concrete a chosen place to crack. Where the deck meets the coping, the cap along the pool's rim, we leave room for movement and seal that joint to protect it. The slab then cures, kept damp and left alone while it gains strength, before it gets sealed. If the budget gets tight, I'd rather you trim the look of the surface than the ground prep, because a top can be redone later and a bad base means tearing out the whole deck.
Pool jobs often touch other concrete around the yard. If steps come down to the deck from the house or a terrace, building the concrete steps in the same job lets the levels meet cleanly. A pool house or a room near the pool starts with slab foundation building, and we can plan it alongside the deck so the two work together.
Get a written estimate for your pool deck
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a time. I'll come out, look at the deck and give you a free written estimate that lists what's included, with no pressure to book.
- support@petalumaconcretecontractor.com
- Based in
- Petaluma, CA 94952
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 8 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 6 AM–9 PM
What happens after you call about a pool deck?
Here's how a pool deck job runs with us, from your first call to the final walk-through, and who you'll deal with at each step.
Call or send the form
Call (707) 283-3110 or send the form with a few lines about your deck. We'll get back to you and set a time for me to come out.
I look at your deck
I check whether the old concrete can be resurfaced and ask how you use the space around the pool. You get a written estimate that lists what's included, so you can see where the money goes before you decide.
We plan around the city
Once you're ready, we sort out any city steps and set a date. If a permit is needed, the wait for it decides the start, because in Petaluma some permits come over the counter or in a few days, but most take a few weeks or even several months.
We pour and walk it
Our crew forms, pours and finishes the deck. Before we pack up, I walk the finished job with you, show you the sealed joint at the coping and tell you when it's ready to walk on.
Why Petaluma pool owners call Allied Petaluma Concrete
On a pool deck, the ground underneath and the joint at the edge decide how it holds up, and I'd like to walk you through both on site. Request an estimate or call (707) 283-3110, and thank you for considering us.
The owner writes your estimate
I come out to look at each job myself and write the estimate. I'll tell you plainly when something can't be known until the old deck is out. That way, the person who priced your job is the one answering your questions.
Our own crew pours it
Our own crew does the forming, pouring and finishing, not a crew brought in for the day. They know how I want the base packed and the coping joint left with room to move.
Licensed and fully insured in California
California's state licensing board counts forming, pouring, placing and finishing concrete as a concrete contractor's work, and a pool deck takes every one of those steps. Insurance matters on these jobs because our crew works close to your pool, your fence and your house.
In business since 2013
I learned the trade on a flatwork crew, the kind that pours driveways, walks and patios. I spent years in other work, then came back to start this business because I missed building things meant to last. The ground prep, the joints and the curing are still what I care about most.
Pool decks, steps and slabs in Petaluma
In Petaluma, the city's Building Division doesn't require a building permit for concrete flatwork, the flat slabs like decks, patios and walks, with three exceptions. A permit is needed when the concrete is in the public right-of-way, forms part of an accessible path or supports structures or equipment that are permitted themselves. Other city departments can also require approval for work the Building Division doesn't permit. Whether your deck needs a permit depends on those conditions, so it isn't settled until we check your plan against them. When a job does need a city permit, we help with the application and plan our start around the city's approval and inspections.
We're based in Petaluma and work in the cities around it across the North Bay. Many of the pool decks we're called to see are older ones that have chipped at the coping or worn thin on top. We get the same calls on jobs in Novato and Rohnert Park, and the first question is the same there too, whether the old slab is sound enough to resurface.
Questions about concrete pool decks in Petaluma
How much does a concrete pool deck cost in Petaluma?
Across the US, installing a concrete pool deck usually costs about $10.50 to $12 per square foot. That's a national figure, not a Petaluma price and not ours. Your own price comes from the written estimate I put together after seeing the deck, and it lists what's included.
How do I know if my pool deck can be resurfaced instead of replaced?
It comes down to whether the concrete underneath is still in good shape. A coating over existing concrete is a cost-effective way to refresh the surface and fix small flaws when the old slab is a good candidate. A deck that's cracked through or sinking usually needs replacing, and that's what the site visit sorts out.
How often should the joint between the pool deck and coping be checked?
One coping maker's installation guide says to inspect that joint every year and replace the caulk when it cracks, pulls away or breaks down. The same guide says most elastomeric caulks, the flexible sealant in that joint, last five to ten years. It also warns that without a gap and that flexible sealant, a moving deck can crack or flake the coping and the bond beam, the concrete ring along the top of the pool wall.
How much can a contractor ask for up front on a pool deck in California?
In California, a contractor's down payment can be no more than $1,000 or 10 percent of the total contract price, whichever is less. Any other payments have to be listed clearly in the contract and based on work already done or materials already delivered to your home. The Contractors State License Board sets those rules.
What should I ask a contractor before hiring them for a pool deck?
Ask how they'll build the joint where the deck meets the pool edge, because that joint decides whether the deck's movement reaches your coping. It's also fair to ask who comes out, who does the pour, and whether the estimate is in writing and lists what's included.
Will my new concrete pool deck crack like the old one?
It may get fine cracks, because all concrete shrinks as it dries and moves a little with heat and cold, and I'd rather tell you that plainly. What we work toward is cracks that land in the joints we cut and a deck that stays level, which comes from the packed base and timed joints described above.
Related concrete work around a pool
Concrete steps construction
Steps down to a pool take wet feet and heavy use, so even step heights and a solid base matter there as much as on the deck.
Slab foundation building
A pool house, cabana or workshop near the pool needs a slab foundation poured to carry a building, not just foot traffic and lounge chairs.
Service areas for concrete pool decks
Allied Petaluma Concrete is based in Petaluma, CA. We build and resurface pool decks in the cities around it across the North Bay. The 12 cities listed here, including Santa Rosa and Sonoma, have their own pages, and they aren't the only places we work.
Petaluma, CA
Book a look at your pool deck
If you send the deck's rough size in square feet, a few photos and whether the pool is new, I can come out already knowing what to look for.