What To Add To the Pool Deck

[crokett]

My wife says I never plan ahead. So to spite her, I am posting this now but won't start the deck till next March. :-D

Here's the pool. That's me smoothing sand. The pool is done and we have been swimming in it. Next big project is a deck all the way around. On the right side, width has not been established, but probably 4'. That is the width of the roof for the solar panels. On the left, the width will be about the width of the dirt area, around 3'. One thing I want to do is bench seats somewhere with lids to store the chemicals. I will also have some sort of rack for the brush, leaf rake, etc. Any other suggestions or features to add? The new deck will connect to the existing one at the back of the pic. I will have a proper self closing gate for the pool area.

 

[techguy]

Can you takes some shots over by the old deck and the area in question?

 

[JohnT]

Before you put the liner in, you may want to double check for level. The side closest to the house looks a little high, and one of the uprights doesn't look vertical. May just be the camera angle.

 

[techguy]

Before you put the liner in, you may want to double check for level. The side closest to the house looks a little high, and one of the uprights doesn't look vertical. May just be the camera angle.

OP said the pool is finished and they are swimming in it.

 

[crokett]

Before you put the liner in, you may want to double check for level. The side closest to the house looks a little high, and one of the uprights doesn't look vertical. May just be the camera angle.

Already swimming. It was the camera angle. The top was level when I started filling. That upright still isn't vertical. It was when I started filling, then we were gone for a few days and got some t-storms. That did something cause now the top rail is now 1/2 to 3/4" at that side and the upright was leaning out just about the time I got it full. It won't stay vertical and I am not sure why. I can push it vertical and have tried adjusting the rails on top but that hasn't really worked.

Here's the other end with the existing deck. It looks like Crud because I don't want to landscape since there will be a deck there, plus I don't have any place to store the 1000 floats until the deck is built... The solar heat will move to a roof over the deck. The new deck will tie into the existing. There will be a step down to be level with the pool plus I will add a self-closing gate.

Oh, if anyone knows how to get those panels flat let me know.

 

[harleysilo]

Thought About relocating that ac unit?

 

[crokett]

Yes, several times for various reasons including when I changed out the main panel. The original panel is above the condenser and is now just a big junction box. I can do the plumbing and electrical it would take but can't capture the coolant or purge. The best estimate I got on that was 500.00. There isn't really a better place to put it anyway.

 

[techguy]

I don't think the top rail is really a "structural" part of the pool. I know they connect together and to the uprights but I think the steel wall band does the majority of the work. My guess the risers/uprights primary job is to give the top rails somethng to connect to and to keep swimmers from putting too much weight at a single point along the wall. That being said, I would look into "why" that riser is not staying upright. Is the band at the bottom wrong? Is there a high or low spot there? Is the back edge of the riser unlevel and flexing it out? Is the wall bulging there or out of round??

 

[techguy]

Down by where the garbage cans are seems like a better place to me for the AC unit. The refrigerant recovery cost is nearly as much as the physical move anymore with the new laws and refrigerants. You would also need to add driers to the AC lines.

 

[BethyM]

We were reading a deck book and they talked about trap doors with wire baskets under the deck for storage. I love the idea. Hubby mentioned milk creates but i haven't looked to see how available they are.

 

[crokett]

I don't know why the riser isn't staying upright. That is the low spot but simply being out of level shouldn't be the problem. It could be plumb but not level. I think maybe in addition to being moved out of level the bottom track that section sits in got pushed in, by some combination of rain and backfilling.

Thanks for the suggestion on the trapdoors. I will look into it for storing the inflatables, but that would have to be a really big trap door. For the chemicals, I think I am going to do the bench seats, that gives people something to sit on.

 

[BethyM]

It was intended for smaller items, like all those misc tools i seem to be collecting by my pump area.

 

[techguy]

You can find real milk crates for purchase online...or behind your local market if you want them free with a little liability.

 

[techguy]

Here is what I did for my decking.

http://www.troublefreepool.com/my-deck-and-it-s-ever-increasing-scope-t49910.html