Concrete pool decks in Saint Charles MO - a deck that grips wet bare feet
Cracked coping, a slick surface or water pooling by the house? We plan the finish, joints and drainage before we pour.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- We respond within 1 business day.
What goes into a good concrete pool deck?
A concrete pool deck is the slab around your pool. In Saint Charles we build it to grip wet bare feet, stay comfortable in summer sun, keep the pool edge from cracking and carry rainwater away from your house without washing dirt into the pool.
Most pool deck calls I get start one of two ways. Either a new pool is going in and needs a deck, or the old deck has cracked, sunk at the edge or started holding water by the house. The price depends on the size of the deck, the finish you choose, whether old concrete has to be broken out and hauled off, and how many drains, steps or lights the plan includes. The schedule mostly turns on whether your address needs a permit, the weather around pour day and the curing time after. I'll put a price on your job once I've seen the pool.
How we build a concrete pool deck
Wet bare feet and a pool edge that can crack are the two things I plan around, so that's where we start. Before anything is formed, we go over finishes for grip and heat, and we plan the joint between the deck and the coping, the cap along the pool edge. Concrete moves with heat, settling and freezing and thawing, so a deck poured tight against the coping can crack it unless a gap and flexible sealant keep the two apart. Then we dig out and pack the subgrade, the ground the slab sits on. We set the forms so water runs away from the house and the pool, and we pour in the cooler part of the day so the top doesn't dry out weak and dusty. After finishing, we cut control joints. These are shallow lines that give the slab a place to crack where we chose, not across the middle. The base is the part you'll never see, and it's usually the first thing people want to trim from the budget. I won't cut it, because sunken, broken concrete over a bad base is what I spent years repairing.
A deck rarely stops at the pool. If yours steps down to the yard or up to a back door, we build concrete steps that match the deck's finish. If the plan includes a pool house or equipment shed, we pour the slab foundation under it too.
A deck for a new pool
This suits you if the pool is going in now, because we can plan the coping joint, drains and slope from the start. We don't have to work around what's already there.
Replacing a cracked or sunken deck
If the old deck has sunk, cracked or pushed against the coping, we break it out, haul it off and rebuild from the base up. Tear-out adds cost, but pouring over a failed base usually just brings the same cracks back.
Adding on to the deck you have
Extending a sound deck for a lounge area or grill spot can make sense. We separate the new section with a joint so the two slabs can move on their own, and we'll tell you up front if the color or texture won't match exactly.
Concrete pool deck permits in Saint Charles
Whether a concrete pool deck needs a permit here isn't spelled out. The city's Building Division says decks and swimming pool installs generally require permits, but its list names pools and decks, not concrete pool decks. You can ask the City Building Commissioner or an inspector through Community Development at (636) 949-3222. For homes the county covers, St. Charles County's residential building permit applies to swimming pools, pool barriers and decks on residentially zoned property. If the job includes electric work like deck lighting, a permit is required no matter the size of the structure. Before we start, we check with the city or county office that covers your address. When a permit is needed, we handle the filing, keep you posted and tell you if another office has to sign off too.
We're based in Saint Charles and work in cities across St. Charles County and nearby St. Louis County. A lot of the older backyard decks we see were poured right against the coping or tip back toward the house. We build the fix for both into every new deck, including the pool decks we pour in O'Fallon and St. Peters. If you don't see your city on our list, call and ask.
Why Saint Charles homeowners call K&L Saint Charles Concrete for pool decks
I come to every estimate
I come out to every estimate myself, and our crew lead runs the work on site. The plan you agree to with me is the plan the crew builds, with nothing lost passing between salespeople.
Since 2013, fixing what failed
Before I started on my own in 2013, I spent years repairing cracked walks, sunken steps and broken driveways for a property management company. Watching what failed, and why, is the reason I explain every step to you before we pour.
Licensed and insured, easy to check
We're licensed and insured, so the risk of a crew working in your backyard isn't yours to carry. St. Charles County also requires pool installers to hold a license from the county before any work there that needs a permit, and its licensed contractors must be bonded and insured, so it's worth checking whoever builds the pool itself.
If you're planning a new deck or the old one is giving you trouble at the edge, send us a few details or call (636) 277-0973.
Request a quoteGet a free on-site estimate for your pool deck
Tell us a little about your pool, and we'll get back to you within one business day to set up a visit. The estimate is free and done on site, and nothing gets written up until I've walked the pool with you. There's no pressure to book.
What happens after you call about a pool deck in Saint Charles?
Call or send a message
Call (636) 277-0973 or use the form, and we'll set a time for me to come out. It helps to know roughly how big the pool is and what shape the current deck is in.
Walk the pool together
I look at the site with you, ask how you'll use the deck and explain your finish and joint options before I write anything up. Your written estimate lists each part of the job separately, so you can see what you're paying for and why.
Permits, then the pour
Once you say yes, we check what your address needs. County plan review for a residential permit typically takes about 10 working days, so we set the start date around it. Our crew lead runs the job from digging out through cutting the joints.
Walk the finished deck
When the deck is done, I walk it with you and go over how to care for it. That includes sealing and keeping the joint at the pool edge clean.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best finish for a concrete pool deck with wet, bare feet?
A broom finish, a light texture dragged across the surface for grip, is enough for most outdoor concrete and is a solid choice around a pool. Textured, exposed aggregate, coated, overlay and decorative finishes all grip and heat up differently, and very dark finishes can get uncomfortable to stand on in full sun. Overworking the top to make it smooth also squeezes out the tiny air pockets in the surface layer, so we finish only as much as the texture needs.
How often do I need to seal a concrete pool deck?
One sealer maker says film sealers need a fresh coat every 18 to 24 months, while penetrating sealers last three to five years but bring out less color. So you're choosing between richer color with more upkeep and less work with a softer look. One coping maker's guide also says to check the joint at the pool edge every year and replace the caulk when it cracks, pulls away or wears out, since most stretchy elastomeric caulks last five to ten years.
Do I need a permit for a pool deck in Saint Charles?
You may. The city says decks and swimming pool installs generally require permits, and the county requires one whenever electric work is part of the job. We check with the office that covers your address before we start and handle the filing when a permit is needed, as the permit section above explains.
How much does a concrete pool deck cost in Saint Charles?
A concrete pool deck in the St. Louis area usually costs about $3.50 to $7.90 per square foot. That's the going rate around the area, not our quote. Where your deck lands in that range mostly comes down to the finish you pick and whether an old deck has to be torn out first.
How long does a new concrete pool deck take to cure?
Concrete trade guidance says curing, the early care new concrete needs while it gains strength, should start right after finishing and last at least 7 days, and longer in cooler weather. Rushing it is how you end up with a weak, flaky top later. We'll tell you when it's ready to walk on and when the chairs can go back, based on the weather that week.
What should I ask a contractor before a pool deck is poured?
Ask how the plan handles the coping, skimmers, drains, equipment pads, pipes and movement joints, because all of those need to be worked out before the forms go up. Ask where the water will go after a rain too. It should run away from the house and toward or away from the deck drains as designed, not back into the pool. I'll walk you through each of these at the estimate.
Other concrete work around the pool
Concrete steps construction
When a pool deck sits higher or lower than the back door or yard, poured steps with the same texture make the change in level safer to walk barefoot.
Slab foundation building
Planning a pool house, cabana or equipment shed near the water? A well-prepared slab foundation gives it a flat, solid floor that sits level beside the deck.
St Charles, MO
Get your pool deck planned before swim season
Between a possible permit review and at least a week of curing, starting early keeps the new deck from cutting into your time in the pool.