Concrete pool decks in Santa Ana CA - a sound, sealed deck around your pool
Pool deck cracked, flaking or soaking up water? We'll tell you whether to coat it or pour new, then seal it to keep water out.
Find out what your pool deck needs
Call (714) 439-5472 or use the form, and you'll know whether your old deck can be coated before you spend money tearing it out.
What goes into a concrete pool deck in Santa Ana?
A concrete pool deck is the flat slab around your pool, and in Santa Ana we either pour a new one or put a fresh coating over the old one when it's still sound. After that, keeping it sealed and dealing with cracks early is most of what keeps a deck in good shape over the years.
Most calls start with a deck that's cracked, flaking or soaking up water, and the first question is whether it has to come out. That answer moves the price more than anything, followed by the size of the deck and the finish you pick. The schedule mostly depends on whether there's tear-out, the weather, and the wait for the concrete and sealer to set up, and you'll see your own figure in the written estimate I send after I've looked at your deck.
Why Santa Ana pool owners call C&M Santa Ana Concrete Company
I look at every deck myself
I come out to look at every job myself, and our crew forms, pours and finishes with me on site for most of it. That way you're not explaining your deck twice.
New cracks sealed early
Some parts of Orange County have clay soil that swells with sprinkler and rain water, enough to crack and lift a slab. We seal new cracks early so water stays out of them.
Licensed and insured on every job
We're licensed and insured, and we've been in business since 2017. That counts when a crew and a loaded concrete truck are working a few feet from your pool.
Concrete is hard to undo once it sets, so I'd rather answer every question before we pour. If you're in Santa Ana or one of the cities around it, tell us about your deck and I'll come take a look.
How we build and resurface concrete pool decks
On a new deck, we dig out and pack the subgrade, the soil and base the slab sits on, because a slab laid on raked dirt settles along with it. We set the forms so water runs away from the pool and the house, lay rebar, the steel that keeps cracked sections from pulling apart, and pour early in the day, since midday heat can leave a weak, dusty top. Then we give it a broom finish, light brushed lines that help bare feet grip, cut control joints, shallow grooves that tell the slab where to crack, and let it cure, the wait while concrete gains its strength before you use it. Before we seal, I go over the sealer types with you and how each one feels underfoot when it's wet, since one maker notes a film-forming sealer can get slick. If the budget's tight, I'd rather you cut back on the finish than on the base, because you can redo a surface later but you can't fix the ground under it without tearing the deck out.
A deck usually connects to other work around the yard. If you step down from the back door to the pool, we can build concrete steps that match the deck, and if a pool house is part of the plan, it will need slab foundation building of its own.
Pour a new deck
This suits a deck that's broken up or sinking, or a new pool with bare dirt around it. You get a fresh, packed base underneath, which no coating can give you.
Coat the deck you have
This suits an older slab that's still solid, so the first thing we check is whether yours is sound enough to take a new coating. It keeps the old concrete in place and usually costs less than tearing it out.
How do you know your pool deck needs work?
Water no longer beads up
Sprinkle a little water on the deck, and if it soaks in instead of beading, the sealer has worn off. Waiting lets pool splash and sprinkler water work into the concrete.
New cracks that keep growing
Hairline cracks show up in most slabs, but new ones that widen or branch out let water under the deck. Left open, they keep growing and can break the edges loose.
Chipping or flaking surface
A top layer that peels, chips or turns dusty usually means a worn coating or a weak top from the original pour. It spreads underfoot and leaves less sound surface for a new coating.
Uneven slabs or pooling water
One section sits higher than the next, or water pools toward the house, which usually means the base settled or the soil moved. Waiting makes the trip edges taller and the puddles bigger.
What happens after you call about your pool deck?
Call and set a visit
Call (714) 439-5472 or send the form and we'll set a time. I come out, look at the deck, walk you through the options and send a written estimate.
Prep, form, pour and finish
Once you say go, we clear or clean up the old slab, prep the base and set the forms, then pour and finish. On a coating job, the cracks get repaired before anything goes on top.
Walk the finished deck together
We walk the deck with you at the end. One sealer maker's guide says foot traffic is fine the next day, but furniture, pool chemicals and heavy gear should wait 72 hours.
Questions about your pool deck
These are the questions Santa Ana pool owners ask most before a deck goes in. If yours isn't here, ask me when I come out to look at the deck.
How do I know if my old pool deck can be resurfaced?
An old deck can be resurfaced only if the slab is a good candidate for a new coating, so that's the first thing to find out. When it qualifies, resurfacing covers the cracks and bonds them, which adds strength. If the slab is broken up or heaving, a coating won't fix what's underneath, and a new deck is the better use of your money.
How often does a pool deck need a fresh coat of sealer?
One sealer maker's guide says most film-forming acrylic sealers need a fresh coat every 18 to 24 months, while penetrating sealers can last three to five years. Splash from a saltwater pool and heavy foot traffic wear it out sooner, so if you'd rather recoat less often, ask about a penetrating sealer. Between coats, Santa Ana's stormwater program asks residents to sweep, or mop with a little water, and keep wash water out of the street and gutter.
How much does a concrete pool deck cost in Santa Ana?
The price depends most on whether your old deck can take a new coating or has to be torn out and poured new, since tear-out, hauling and a fresh base add a lot of work. After that come the deck's size and curves, how easy it is to get concrete into your backyard, and the finish you choose. The sealer matters over time too, because some need a fresh coat far more often than others.
How much of a deposit can a contractor ask for in California?
Under the rules of California's contractor board, a contractor can't ask for more than $1,000 or 10 percent of the total contract price, whichever is less. Plan your first payment around that limit, and if someone asks for more up front, ask why before you sign anything.
What license does a pool deck contractor need in California?
Two of the board's license classes come up on pool jobs. The concrete contractor class covers forming, pouring and finishing flat concrete, and the swimming pool contractor class covers building pools, spas and hot tubs. Ask whoever you hire which license they hold and how it fits the work you're planning.
How do I find out if my yard has expansive soil?
Start with your home buyer's disclosures, and if they don't settle it, the city's building department or a soil engineer or geologist can tell you. Expansive soil is clay that swells when it gets wet, so it's worth knowing about before a new deck goes in.
Get a written pool deck estimate
Tell us about your deck, and send photos of any cracks and whatever you know about the current sealer. We reply within one business day to set up a free on-site estimate, with no pressure and no obligation.
Pool deck work up close
Work that goes with a deck
Concrete steps construction
If you step down from the house to the pool, solid concrete steps built to match the deck make that trip easier with wet feet.
Learn moreSlab foundation building
A cabana, outdoor kitchen or small shed by the pool needs a slab built to carry walls and a roof, not just bare feet and lounge chairs.
Learn more