Kool Deck or Spray Deck

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jim121

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Aug 5, 2007
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I've just started talking to PB's to build our in ground gunite pool in South Florida. The first decision I would like to make is the finish for the deck. Each of the pool companies have their opinion, but so far I haven't been able to decide. One PB said that Kool deck is far superior, and if other's don't offer it it's becuase they can't do it. The companies that suggested a spray deck claim that Kool Deck is too porous and will stain.

I would like something with a lot of texture, but not too rough. Can anyone shed some more light on the pros/cons?

Thanks,

Jim
 
I have a 26 yo pool with cool decking and have absolutely no stains.

Personally - out here in Arizona, I'm not sure I'd consider anything else - only because as hot as it gets, it is cooler to the touch than other surfaces. It still does get hotter than a pistol, though.
 
I can just comment on what i have and that is plain concrete with a broom finish. we dont slip but if you fall you will be bleeding. I dont like it but it was our choice and we live with it. The heat in the north isnt that big of a problem. good luck on the new pool Ric W
 
i am in boynton and will get decking next week. when i was interviewing builders it seemed that most of them really push the pavers however i decided to go all concrete. the first thing i will tell you is do not decide based on how hot the deck gets. so-called kool deck is no cooler than spray deck. after talking with many people we went with an acrylic deck (spraydeck). acrylic decking is supposed to be superior to kool deck with regard to chipping/staining. we are using increte systems. we also are going with a cantilever edge. where are you located and who is your builder?
 
Our PB offers both kool deck and an acrylic (they call it Excel Deck)... they told us the same thing about the kool deck is succeptable to stains. Just feeling samples I can believe it. If you keep it clean I bet it'll last you a long time, but if you have kids and they are dropping stuff on the decking and you don't clean it off right away I'm told it'll stain. I'm in southern AZ and am sure our kids will be spending many afternoons by the pool surviving on popsicles and I figured the acrylic decking will be tougher in the long run.
 
Thanks for the quick responses.

Shauney,

We recently moved from Boynton Beach up to Stuart. I've talked to several PB's so far. Non have really pushed for pavers since we indicated we wanted concrete from the begining, but there is definitely a difference of opinion between kool deck and spray deck. The PB's who suggested Kool deck also said that spray deck may be more slippery.

I talked to a couple pool owners, and most didn't know there was a difference.
 
decking

jim121- the acrylic decking probably is more slippery than traditional kooldeck but thats the point. acrylic will have better resistance to staining and chipping. i did not care about deck temps or slipperiness. my main concern was the durability and look. i will not allow any running in the pool area so i am not worried. have you selected a builder yet? mine is based out of jupiter and so far they have been great. i get decking next tuesday so i will let you know further about the acrylic. i wanted a different color than the wife so you know how that worked out. i wanted to go a shade darker for a more dramatic look.
are you going to do cantilever edge or standard coping?
 
We are still trying to decide between a couple builders. One of the builders we talked to is based in Jupiter - Almar Jackson Pools. They gave us a very nice proposal, but were a bit pricey compared to others. What builder are you using? We are probably going to choose a cantilever edge, but I may change my mind after we look at tile options. Are you planning to screen yours in?
 
By spray deck, are you talking about a Sundek type product?

If so, the main differences between that and Kool Deck, as I understand it, is that Kook Deck can only be applied to new concrete, whereas Sundek can be applied to existing concrete.

We have Sundek and have not had any issues with staining. I have not used anything other than a water hose to clean it, but most stains should come off with a light powerwashing - not too strong though or you can damage the surface.

I think Kook Deck may be even more durable in terms of pressure washing.
 
decking

yes- spraydeck and sundeck are both acrylic but kooldeck is not. jim121-we decided not to go with a screen. it was an easy call for me as i have seen what my nieghbors are going through. with the increased hurricane activity i just did not want to take the risk. please e-mail me at [email protected] and i will tell you what builder we are using. i interviewed 13 builders and was happy i decided on this one. we went with him because of his many years of experience in the pool business. also, i found him to be the most creative with regard to pool/spa design.
 

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We have Spraydeck by Increte systems. Although its only been on the decking since May, there are no stains and it is very easy to clean with water from a hose. It can be a little slick in some areas. We discourage running as well but sometimes kids will be kids. Our PB applied it for free due to a hairline crack in the decking.
 
I have had Kooldeck for 2yrs. It has chipped off in some places on the outer perimeter. I went with a light grey color. There is a sealer for it, which I plan to apply this fall. Have power washed it a few tiimes, with no problems. I don't use a winter safety cover. I would assume it would chip very easily drilling holes to anchor safety cover. The pool is the sun all day and you can sit on the Kooldeck anytime.
 
I am in sunny Az where the deck temp can really be tested, yes you can sizzle an egg on the blacktop in mid-summer!

My first pool deck had acrylic lace (spray) applied to my concrete deck. The color was very light tan and it did stay substantially cooler than walking on bare, broom finished concrete. I went with acyrylic lace since it is more standard in the area than cool-deck that is applied to fresh concrete. The other reason I used acrylic is the fact that it can be touched up, recolored, color changed or other new areas applied to match vs. cool deck that has a tendancy to chip more and cannot be re-colored without a complete chip out and redo.

We went bold with the color selection for acrylic this time, terra cotta is one of excel's darker colors. It still is much cooler than pavers and bare, broom finished concrete next to it.

I think you can obtain a wider variety of color with acrylic lace, texture variations and easier touch up and maintenance than cool-deck allows. IMHO, cool deck was great until acrylic deck coating systems were launched on the market. I go to the World of Concrete show every few years and it amazes me as to how many various companies now have acrylic decking products!
 
I also live in AZ and have had pools with both KoolDeck and Acrylic type covering. KoolDeck is cooler in the
hot sun. It is not as durable as the Acrylic finishes and will chip and can come up if you use a pressure washer.
With KoolDeck you can walk on the deck all year whereas with the Acrylic finishes you will burn your feet in the
summer.

The Acrylic finish is supposed to have 3 coats, a primer, the texture coat and the finish coat. Some deck
companies just use the texture coat and skip the primer and finish coats. If they quote 3 coats be sure they
actually put down all three coats.

Interesting, was that I had my back patio covered with ceramic floor tile and it was almost a cool as KoolDeck.
I was surprised how much cooler it was than just the plain concrete.

I am considering having Durango Stone overlaid over my current Acrylic decking. I find the Acrylic decking hard to keep clean,
a real dirt collector and I can't walk on it in the summer without shoes. The company(Shasta Pools) that did the Acrylic decking did a really
sloppy job. Now, all I have to do is find a stone mason that can do a neat job.

Cliff s
 
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