Concrete pool decks in McAllen TX - a deck that grips when wet and drains away
Deck slick, cracked or holding puddles? We build pool decks in McAllen that grip when wet and send the water away from your house.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- We respond within 1 business day.
What goes into building a concrete pool deck in McAllen?
A concrete pool deck is the slab you walk on barefoot around your pool. In McAllen, a good one grips when it's wet, sends water away from your house and out of the pool, and stays comfortable enough to use in the sun.
Most people call us because the deck they have is slick, cracked or holding puddles, or because a new pool needs a deck around it. The price mostly moves with the deck's size and shape, the finish you pick, how many drains it needs and whether an old deck has to come out first. The schedule turns on that tear-out, any repair underneath, city inspections and the weather on pour day. I'd rather look at your yard and ask a few questions before guessing at either, and your written estimate gives you the price for your own deck.
How can you tell your pool deck needs work?
Slick when it's wet
If bare feet slide on the deck after a swim, the texture has usually worn smooth or a glossy coating is sitting on top of it. If you wait, sooner or later someone falls on concrete next to the water.
Water that won't drain
Puddles that sit, or water that runs toward the house or back into the pool, usually mean the deck has settled or never had the right slope. Until the slope is fixed, every rain carries dirt into the pool and pushes water against your foundation.
Cracks and raised edges
A crack across a panel, or one section sitting higher than the next, usually means the ground underneath is moving or the joints were cut late or in the wrong places. Raised edges are a trip hazard, and cracks let water under the slab, which tends to make the movement worse.
How we build concrete pool decks
We start by digging out the old deck or loose soil and packing the subgrade, the ground the slab sits on, because a deck poured on raked dirt settles right along with it. Around a pool I care most about grip when it's wet and where the water goes, so we work out the finish and the drains together and set the forms so the deck slopes away from your house and the pool. I'll show you the joint layout before we pour, since control joints, the cut lines that give concrete a planned place to crack, decide where the slab breaks if it ever does. We set rebar, the steel that holds the slab together, and pour early to keep the midday heat off it. Then we cut the joints on time and keep the surface damp while it cures, which is the wait that lets concrete harden fully instead of drying out weak and dusty on top. If the budget gets tight, I'd cut back on the finish before the base, because you can redo a surface later but you can't fix the ground under it without starting over.
A pool deck usually connects to something else. If your back door sits higher than the pool, we build concrete steps in the same job so the step heights match and the water still runs the right way. If you're adding a covered area or a small building beside the deck, that needs its own slab, and our slab foundation building work makes sure the two slabs meet at the right height.
Broom finish
A broom finish is a brushed texture we drag across the fresh concrete, and it suits most families because it gives bare feet something to grip and keeps the cost down. The trade-off is that it looks plain.
Exposed aggregate or textured finish
Exposed aggregate means we wash off the top layer so the small stones show, which gives a rougher grip and hides dirt well. It suits owners who want more look than a broom finish while keeping good footing, but it usually costs more and can feel rough on some feet.
Get a free written estimate for your pool deck
We'll get back to you within one business day to set a time. Then I come out, look at the deck and take my own measurements. The written estimate is free, and there's no obligation.
- Based in
- McAllen, TX 78501
- Hours
- Mon–Sun: 7 AM–11 PM
What happens when you call about a pool deck in McAllen?
Here's who does what on a pool deck job, from your first call to the final walk-through.
Call or send the form
Call (956) 331-0213 or use the form and tell us a little about your pool and deck. We set a time for me to come out to your house.
I look, ask and measure
I walk the deck and the yard, ask a lot of questions and take my own measurements, including where the water runs now. You get a written estimate that lays out the work and the price, and if the job needs city paperwork or inspections, we help you line them up.
Our crew builds your deck
Our crew does the work, and I'm on the job with them from the base to the cure. The one thing we'll ask of you is to keep people and pets off the fresh concrete while it cures.
We walk the finished deck
When we're done, I walk the deck with you so you can see the work and ask anything before we leave.
Why McAllen pool owners call us for their decks
I come out and stay on site
I'm the one who looks at your job, and our crew does the work with me there. That means the person who heard what you wanted is the same one watching the pour.
In business since 2017
I learned concrete on a crew here in McAllen, pouring foundations and flatwork, meaning the patios, driveways and other slabs that lie on the ground, and I started this business in 2017. We're best known for the jobs with a catch, like an odd slope or an old slab nobody can explain.
Licensed and insured, start to finish
We're licensed and insured. That matters on a job where a crew and equipment are working right beside your pool and your house.
On a pool deck, the parts that count are the ones you can't see later, so tell us about your pool and I'll come take a look.
Building pool decks and the slabs around them in McAllen
Pool deck permits in McAllen go through the city. The City of McAllen's Building Permits and Inspections Department issues them, and as a general rule a permit is required when you erect, construct, alter, repair or improve. I won't guess whether your deck needs one. Call the department at (956) 681-1300, which is the number the city gives for permit questions, or we'll check with the city office that covers your address. The city issues permits through its online permit portal and takes inspection requests at 956-681-1328, and when your deck needs an inspection, we plan the pour around it.
Sun shapes almost every deck decision here. McAllen summers run past 100°F for weeks at a time and the sun stays strong most of the year, so how hot a finish gets under bare feet matters as much as how it looks. The ground is the part I check myself. Soil scientists describe the Hidalgo soil series as deep, well drained and limy, but that's one soil type and your lot may not match it, so I look at what's under your deck before we settle on the base. We deal with the same heat and the same mix of yards on jobs in Pharr and Edinburg.
Questions about pool decks in McAllen
How much does a concrete pool deck cost in McAllen?
Installing a concrete pool deck usually costs about $10.10 to $12.40 per square foot across the US. That's a national figure, not our price. Your own number goes up or down with curves, extra drains, a fancier finish and any old concrete or settled sections that have to come out first, and I'll give you yours after I measure.
What is the best finish for a pool deck so it isn't slippery or hot?
A textured finish in a lighter color is usually the safer and cooler choice, because grip on a wet deck matters most and very dark finishes can get uncomfortable in the sun. Broom, textured, exposed aggregate, coated and overlay finishes all differ in traction and surface temperature, so weigh grip and color along with looks, especially in the McAllen sun.
How do I keep a new concrete pool deck from cracking?
Joints planned for your deck's shape are the biggest part of it, since concrete cracks and the joints decide where. Joints work best laid out around the curves, drains, columns and corners, and odd narrow panels are prone to cracking, so it's worth asking to see the joint plan before anyone pours.
Can an old concrete pool deck be resurfaced instead of replaced?
Yes, an older deck can take a decorative overlay, a thin new top layer, once whatever made it move or settle has been repaired. If the deck is still shifting or sinking, that repair comes first and belongs in the budget, because an overlay on moving concrete cracks right along with it. I'll tell you which side of that line yours is on after I look.
When should a new concrete pool deck be sealed?
One concrete supplier's guide says to wait until the concrete has cured at least 28 days before sealing it. After that, the same guide says pool decks should be resealed as the sealer's maker directs, since foot traffic and weather wear sealers down.
How do I take care of a concrete pool deck?
Rinse off splashed pool chemicals, care for any sealer or coating the way its maker says, and keep the drains clear. Chemicals tend to build up where water splashes over the edge, so those spots need the most rinsing.
Related services for the space around your pool
Concrete steps construction
If your back door sits above the pool deck, poured steps with even rises keep wet feet from catching an edge on the way down.
Slab foundation building
Planning a pool house, cabana or outdoor kitchen next to the deck? It needs a proper slab under it, built to carry walls and a roof.
Service areas for pool decks around McAllen
Craftsman McAllen Concrete Construction is based in McAllen, TX, and builds pool decks across McAllen and the cities around it. The 12 cities below each have their own page, including Mission and Weslaco, but they aren't the only places we work.
Book a look at your pool deck
Call (956) 331-0213 or send the form with your deck's rough size, the finish you like and whether it's new or a resurfacing, and I'll come out knowing what to look for.