Cool deck around pool

Some Deck Coating Keeps the Surface Cool, yet Buyer Beware

By Bobbi Holmes

            I’ve found that most Havasu pool companies routinely promote a cool deck coating over the concrete deck around the pool.  It is attractive, and cool to walk on during the scorching summer months. If you've toured pool homes installed in the last decade, chances are a majority have such a coating.  Except ours. 
       We specifically requested no coating.  Instead we went for the old fashioned rock salt finish concrete, and plan to seal the concrete in the fall.  Why would we do such a thing? 
          We had the coating on our first decking, and by the third year it had already begun to peel off.  We were told that the proper way to repair the deck included sandblasting, and the cost for the total project was in the thousands.  Eventually we sold the house, without the decking being repaired, and the damaged coating  negatively impacting our home's value.
       What we did discover was that our situation was not uncommon.  As Havasu real estate agents, we’ve frequently viewed homes with similar cool deck issues.  If you decide to go with the cool decking, investigate the warranty and your contractor’s ability to back up the warranty.