Concrete pool deck, paint or stain it?

[Melisa]

I am new to this forum and was hoping to find some real opinions about what to put on top of my pool deck. There are hundreds of brands out there so it's hard to know what is really good. We have a large concrete area. 13 years ago when we put it in, we added a color tint to the cement before it was poured and that faded the 1st year. It's never been sealed. I want to paint it cause there are a few cracks and stains.
any suggestions would be great!
Melisa

 

[compumasta]

I do not know what people do in Washington State, or what is popular there for this sort of thing, but I have always liked what we call cool deck down here. It can be a variety of colors and It always looks nice to my eyes. Check this thread for pics of what I am using, again the color can vary quite widely. This cool deck is 13 years old and still looks great.

 

[Casey]

Welcome.