Great Pool Deck Ideas - Pool Pavers

A modern luxury home with a brick paver patio around a rectangular custom pool with a sunny and cloudy sky.

If you are thinking about having a pool installed in your yard or you already have a pool and want to make some upgrades, choosing the material for your pool deck is one of the biggest decisions you will make.

In this post, we’ll discuss some of your most important topics about inground pool decks like:

• What is pool decking?

• What kinds of materials can be used for pool decks?

• What is a pool paver?

• Things to consider before building a pool deck with pavers

• What are the best pavers for a pool deck?

• Pros and cons of each type of paver pool deck

• What types of pool coping are there?

• Can you install pool pavers over concrete?

• What pool deck colors are there for pavers?

• What’s involved with pool deck repair?

• Why are pool fences important?

What is pool decking?

First, let’s define what we mean by a pool deck.

Pool decking is the hard surface (pavement, wood, or other material) that is around a pool. It’s a sturdy surface for walking and can also be called a “pool surround.”

It may extend to a patio or deck area with space for outdoor seating, dining, or grilling.

Ready to install a paver pool deck in Columbia, SC?

If you need help installing a poured concrete or a paver pool patio in Lexington or Richland Counties, we can help!

We do all kinds of patios and pool decks including pavers, poured concrete, and stamped concrete. We can also provide landscaping, hardscaping, and fence-building services to help you create the backyard oasis of your dreams.

Simply contact us today for a FREE quote.

Phone: 803-521-4978

Email: bootsonenterprises@gmail.com

A light-colored natural stone paver pool deck with a rectangular custom pool, landscaping and two cream-colored pool chairs with a large umbrella over them.

What kinds of materials can be used for pool decks?

For above-ground pool decks, composite or wood are generally the most popular choices. However, for inground pool decks, most people opt for one of the following choices — pavers or poured concrete.

Poured concrete is the least expensive option of the two and is the most popular choice for pool decks.

If you’d like to build a paver pool patio or pool deck, you’ve got a lot of beautiful options. Brick, natural stone, or concrete pavers are all available to you through a pool deck installer near you.

What is a pool paver?

A paver is a type of paving material that comes in small pieces (often ranging from about 6 inches to a foot in length or width) rather than being poured all at once like poured concrete or asphalt.

Pool pavers are any type of paver that can be used around the outside of a pool as a walkway. It’s really just the same thing as a patio paver but used near a pool. Sometimes, these pavers might be called, “pool patio pavers.”

Close-up view of beige, brick-shaped pavers by a luxurious blue pool.

Things to consider before building a pool deck with pavers

Your backyard pool is a hefty investment. So you want to be sure you make all the best choices. You don’t want to have regrets down the road.

Each type of pool deck material has its advantages and disadvantages. For the pros and cons of poured concrete pool decks, check out this post.

Now let’s look at the pros and cons of a paver pool deck.

Advantages of a paver pool deck

• Very durable and strong.

• Lots of patterns, shapes, and colors.

• Individual pavers can easily be removed and replaced if plumbing work is needed underneath.

• Easy to replace a paver if it becomes damaged (if you keep some extras on hand that match).

Disadvantages of a paver pool deck and the solutions

• Some pavers could be slippery. It’s good to seal-coat them with something to add skid resistance if they don’t have a lot of texture naturally.

• Pavers generally have sand underneath them as a foundation. Sometimes the surface can get a bit sandy as the pavers shift. Thankfully, sandy pavers can be handled by installing a “sand lock” over the pavers to keep the sand in place. The sand lock also keeps ants from building nests between the pavers.

• Sometimes some pavers may sink into the sand and become uneven. They can be removed and more fill added underneath then the pavers can be replaced.

• Weeds may grow between the pavers. Non-oil-based weedkillers can do the trick.

What are the best pavers for a pool deck?

When you are planning to build a swimming pool deck, be sure to consider the following issues when choosing the type of material you want to use for pavers around the pool.

Qualities to look for when choosing materials for a deck around a pool:

• Heat reflectivity - Choose materials with lighter colors that reflect heat away rather than absorbing the heat so that people won’t burn their bare feet.

• Aesthetics - Go for a material that matches well with the rest of your home and landscaping.

• Durability - Look at materials that can hold up to rain, wind, UV rays, salt, chlorine, stains, and chemicals the best.

• Fire resistance - If you will be using an outdoor grill or firepit on your pool deck, something that is non-flammable or fire resistant.

Below, we’ll discuss the different materials you can use for pool pavers and the advantages and disadvantages of each kind.

A custom pool with a natural stone paver pool deck and hot tub, waterfall feature, and fire pit in the free-form shaped pool at twilight.

Pros and cons of each type of paver pool deck

When thinking about what types of pool deck pavers to use, it’s critical to dive into the advantages and disadvantages of each type of material. You want to be sure you understand what you are committing yourself to before investing in a specific kind of paving material. Then you’ll have no surprises or regrets.

Brick pool decking in the foreground with red flowered flip flops in front of a large, blue pool and surrounded by white pool chairs and palm trees.

Brick pool deck pros and cons

A brick paver pool deck has charm for days and is extremely welcoming. Brick pavers look warm, classy, and timeless. They are quite durable and strong, lasting for many decades. And, especially with lighter colors, don’t get too hot to the touch even in summer. 

The texture of brick helps reduce slips and falls. And there are a lot of ways to lay the brick and colors and styles of brick to choose from. Brick can look right at home with almost any style of architecture.

Disadvantages of brick pavers for a pool deck include that brick needs to be sealed every so often and the texture can be a bit rough on sensitive feet. Also a brick paver pool deck can be more pricey than concrete pavers or poured concrete.

Concrete pavers around a pool with green trees and landscaping shrubs in the background.

Concrete pavers pros and cons

Concrete pool pavers also have a lot of pros. They can be molded into any shape. There are lots of styles and colors to choose from. Concrete is extremely durable and weather/salt resistant, lasting for 50+ years in many cases. It’s also less expensive than natural stone or brick pavers, in many cases.

Concrete pavers are not prone to cracking and can interlock, creating a very strong, flexible surface that can withstand a lot of use.

Concrete pavers can be treated to make them waterproof. However, it’s possible they may not need any sealant. That would be a good question for a pool pavers installer near you in your particular situation. Pavers provide slip resistance and safety, which is extremely important around a pool. You can have them treated to be even more slip resistant if you desire.

But there are disadvantages to a concrete paver pool deck, too. While concrete can look quite stunning, it is more expensive than poured concrete. And it can take longer to install pavers than to pour concrete.

Travertine tile pool deck with free-form custom pool and hot tub, blue pool chairs, and a custom fireplace in the background.

Stone pool decks pros and cons

Natural stone has a lot of advantages. It’s often available in light colors, is durable, and many types are naturally slip-resistant. Stone also looks gorgeous in almost any yard and can be weatherproofed to protect it from deterioration. You have a lot of materials to choose from like granite, travertine, limestone, and more.

Disadvantages of a stone pool deck include the heaviness of the material and the higher cost upfront. Additionally, some maintenance will need to be done to keep your stone in good condition — like sealant and proper cleaning.

White pool coping made of poured concrete and painted with a custom pool with bar and bar stools underwater.

What types of pool coping are there?

Pool coping is the material that lines the very edge of the pool. The coping protects the pool shell wall from water and damage. Often, people choose stone or concrete pavers with rounded edges to make it a bit more comfortable to get in and out of the pool. 

Natural stone coping, concrete paver coping, or poured concrete are all possible options for coping for a pool. You’ll just want to be sure to go with pool coping that complements the rest of your pool and hardscaping.

Can you install pool deck pavers over concrete?

Generally, your pool deck contractor will want to lay an appropriate foundation for pavers directly on top of well-prepared soil not on top of an old concrete slab. But this is a question for a professional paver contractor. 

It’s possible that a seasoned paver installer might decide to lay pavers directly on your old concrete patio or pool deck. But you’ll want to get their opinion before going forward with this idea. If the foundation is not right for your pavers, you may run into trouble down the road. Plus, adding pavers on top of concrete adds a lot of height to your patio or pool deck that you may not want.

Another option that is not as difficult to do would be to install outdoor tile on top of a concrete patio or pool deck. It won’t affect the height of your pool deck as much and would look very beautiful.

Brick-shaped concrete pavers in an assortment of colors on a white background.

What pool deck colors are there for pavers?

Concrete pavers are available in almost any color you can imagine. Or you can put in plain gray concrete pavers and stain them. Also, you can use different concrete sealants that can add additional texture or even a wet look to the pavers.

Natural stone pavers come in a variety of hues depending on the type of stone. For example, travertine comes primarily in gray, tan, cream, and white. There are even some kinds that come in yellow, pink, or red.

Granite pavers generally come in black, yellow, gray, and rose. Natural stone, like granite, can come in different finishes like polished (which is shiny, but could be slippery), honed, diamond, or thermal. The different finishes create very different appearances and textures. The thermal finish creates a rough texture that is great for pool decks with its skid-resistant qualities.

Other stone pavers are also available including limestone, marble, and slate. Each stone has its own breathtaking natural range of hues.

We recommend lighter colors for pool pavers to keep your stone or concrete pavers as cool as possible. Dark colors, especially black, can get extremely hot to the touch in the sunlight.

What’s involved with pool deck repair?

Poured concrete pool decks usually need to be seal coated every year or two to protect from the weather and pool chemicals/salt. Occasionally, you may want to have little cracks sealed before they get bigger. Those are minor things. But after a long time, they may need to be resurfaced. And, eventually, replaced.

Pool deck pavers usually need to be sealed, as well. This protects them from rain and chemicals and prolongs the life of your pool deck. When pavers are well-cared for, they can last 50-100 years or even longer.

For pavers, repairs usually include things like:

• Fixing settled pavers (that have sunk down too far below the others).

• Sealing cracks.

• Replacing damaged pavers.

Safety pool gate and fence near a rectangular pool with concrete pool deck and brick pool coping.

Why are pool fences important?

When you have a pool, most home insurance policies will require you to have a sturdy fence around the pool with a locking gate to help prevent children from getting into your pool unsupervised. This helps to prevent drowning accidents, which we all want to reduce as much as possible.

Pool fencing provides security and an extra measure of protection for your own young children and pets and for neighborhood children and animals, as well.

Ready to talk about having a paver pool deck installed in the Columbia, SC area? We can help.

We are ready to go to work for you repairing, resurfacing, or replacing your old pool deck or patio with the new pavement of your choice. We can also take care of your landscaping needs and build a pool safety fence for you, as well.

Please contact us today for a FREE estimate.

Phone: 803-521-4978

Email: bootsonenterprises@gmail.com