How to Change the Pavement Around the Swimming Pool

Clean the swimming pool deck with a high-pressure washer. This not only cleans the concrete, but it also removes any loose material in the cracks on the pool deck. If there are stains on the concrete from grease or other contaminants, use detergent with the pressure washer to remove the spots. Rinse well with clean water.

Repair any large cracks in the pool deck with self-leveling concrete repair mix. Follow directions on the package for mixing and applying the repair mix. Allow the repair mix to dry following manufacturer’s recommendations.

Create a roughened surface for the concrete overlay by etching the surface. Place 5 parts water in a plastic garden sprayer. Add 1 part muriatic acid. Spray this mixture on the concrete and let it set for a few minutes. Rinse the acid mixture off the concrete deck. Clean the sprayer.

Neutralize the acid by mixing 5 parts water and 1 part ammonia in a garden sprayer. Soak the deck and let the ammonia mixture set for a few minutes before rinsing it off with clean water.

Cover the control joints with duct tape to keep the overlay from interfering with them. Place duct tape along the edges of the pool’s deck to serve as a barrier to keep the overlay from flowing into the water or onto the grass.

Pour a 40-pound bag of concrete overlay mix into a 5-gallon bucket. Add approximately 3 1/2 quarts water. Stir until the lumps disappear with a paddle attachment on a drill.

Pour the overlay from the bucket onto the pool’s deck. Use a long-handled squeegee to spread the overlay evenly across all of the exposed concrete. Wait 5 minutes and then rub a broom lightly over the overlay to provide a roughened surface. After 20 minutes, use an edge tool to create crisp edges along the edges of the concrete.

Avoid contact with off the overlay until dries and sets. Follow the overlay manufacturer’s recommendation for drying time. Weather conditions affect how quickly the overlay dries.