6 Inch gap between existing concrete patio and pool deck

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Nelliepie03

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Dec 12, 2017
15
SACRAMENTO
So i need some ideas on a 6 inch gap we have between the stamped concrete pool deck and our homes existing concrete patio (not stamped and a slightly different color). My husband opted for the gap because he didn't like 2 different looking concretes butted up against each other. So now I'm sitting here with a 6 inch gap and not sure what to fill it with. We are planning on getting a child proof fence and this is where the poles would most likely be staked in at. If there was no pool i would probably fill it with small pebbles but since the pool is about 5 feet from this gap i do not want the pebble blowing or getting pushed into the pool when walking. Any suggestions? I was thinking Mexican beach pebble or having my husband custom cut some matching stone that we have on our raised beam on the pool and setting it in some type of leveling sand.. I am open to any suggestions!

Picture of the gap is included! 9159 (1).jpg
 
You could put some larger rocks in there, or put landscaping on each end and cover the crack with potted plants.

I'd fill the crack with pavers though -- my neighbor did that between a plain concrete walkway and stamped pool deck and it looks really nice. They won't go anywhere, either.
 
Hmm... I think you should have brought the concrete all the way over. That gap is going to be hard to hide I fear it will always look off. The irregular shape is going to make it harder. Perhaps put a transition strip of concrete that is contrasting to both the new deck and existing. Like color it black?
 
I write about this elsewhere. I can elaborate if you go with stone or tile. Be sure to allow for expansion. If you use mortar to set stones, it will crack out eventually. Stone and two types of concrete will all expand and contract at different rates. Mortar won't withstand that, it'll pop out. You need to use expansion joints between the stones and the concrete.

I like the stone idea. Or depending on your other landscaping, what about fake grass?
 
MinerJason said:
I like the matching stone set on sand idea the best personally, but it'd hard to say for sure without knowing what all of the other nearby finishes look/will look like.
Click to expand...

If he uses pavers or stones set in sand, he won't have the expansion issue. If done right, it'll solve for the two different concrete looks as well. It'll make for a nice transition.

'nother idea. If there's to be a fence there anyway (so it won't be a walkway), he could plant a ground cover or very low hedge or a little succulent garden. That would soften the transition between the slabs better than stone or concrete would, and it would also soften the fence a bit, too. Concrete and stones and metal fences do not a comfy, natural look make... It'll also bridge the two separate landscaping areas in a way that hardscaping will not. It'll be the least expensive solution, which he could try out without too much consequence. He can always go with hardscape later, if it turns out the landscape doesn't end up working as planned (better than the other way around). And if he uses the right plants (like succulents), they can be transplanted elsewhere in the garden. Nothing to lose, really...
 
Dirk said:
If he uses pavers or stones set in sand, he won't have the expansion issue. If done right, it'll solve for the two different concrete looks as well. It'll make for a nice transition.

'nother idea. If there's to be a fence there anyway (so it won't be a walkway), he could plant a ground cover or very low hedge or a little succulent garden. That would soften the transition between the slabs better than stone or concrete would, and it would also soften the fence a bit, too. Concrete and stones and metal fences do not a comfy, natural look make... It'll also bridge the two separate landscaping areas in a way that hardscaping will not. It'll be the least expensive solution, which he could try out without too much consequence. He can always go with hardscape later, if it turns out the landscape doesn't end up working as planned (better than the other way around). And if he uses the right plants (like succulents), they can be transplanted elsewhere in the garden. Nothing to lose, really...
Click to expand...

Yeah, some nice looking ground cover succulents would be great if there's no walkway there. Even if there will be a walkway there, they could put stones just wide enough to demarcate the walkway, and plant the rest of the gap. I've got aptenia (AKA baby sunrose) as ground cover in several of the planters around my pool.
 
Dirk said:
If he uses pavers or stones set in sand, he won't have the expansion issue. If done right, it'll solve for the two different concrete looks as well. It'll make for a nice transition.

'nother idea. If there's to be a fence there anyway (so it won't be a walkway), he could plant a ground cover or very low hedge or a little succulent garden. That would soften the transition between the slabs better than stone or concrete would, and it would also soften the fence a bit, too. Concrete and stones and metal fences do not a comfy, natural look make... It'll also bridge the two separate landscaping areas in a way that hardscaping will not. It'll be the least expensive solution, which he could try out without too much consequence. He can always go with hardscape later, if it turns out the landscape doesn't end up working as planned (better than the other way around). And if he uses the right plants (like succulents), they can be transplanted elsewhere in the garden. Nothing to lose, really...
Click to expand...

Sorry I should have explained more.. this will be primary area of actually getting to the pool. The other areas where the gap widens out will be for plants.. kind of planter area. Fence won't be permanent just the ones you can pull in and out.
 

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Nelliepie03 said:
Sorry I should have explained more.. this will be primary area of actually getting to the pool. The other areas where the gap widens out will be for plants.. kind of planter area. Fence won't be permanent just the ones you can pull in and out.
Click to expand...

Cool. It'll be nicer without the fence there, and safer when it is. Wish my pool had something like that. I just keep the doors bolted shut when the grand kiddies are visiting. So far so good (knock on head)!

Lots of other good ideas for ya, above. Let us know what you come up with...
 
In that case, something else to consider is this self-packing, almost mortar like material I saw at our local stone & soil place. It's used usually between paving stones or flagstone paths, and looks like decayed granite, but once you wet it, it becomes hard on the surface. Just a thought. A lot of the recommendations above are good as well. As with any pool or landscaping, it's all in the eyes of the beholder. :)
 
Other things to consider, if you haven't already...

A trench like that, from one side or your pool to the other, from one chunk of landscaping to another, can be a very handy thing. So either make plans, and lay things in it now, or fill it with something that you could take up if you had to (without a major redo). Such as pavers. Things you might want someday:

Plumbing:
- drip irrigation lines
- 3/4" PVC for extra hose bibs, fountains, water features, etc
- 2-2.5" PVC (flexible? or encroach under the deck if it hasn't been poured yet) for solar pool heater systems or a spa
- etc

Electrical:
- drip irrigation control wires
- wires for solar system temp senders
- speaker wire
- landscape lighting wire, low voltage
- 120V wire(s) for extra outlets and area lights
- ethernet wire(s) for video monitoring system, home automation, security, HD-TV, computer network, wifi extender
- etc

Mechanical:
- gas line for space heaters or BBQ
- etc

Or even some empty conduit so that you could pull one or more of the above through it. Whatever size could make those bends (or encroach under the deck if it hasn't been poured yet).

Easiest to do some of this now, even if you don't think you'll need it. But possible later if you fill that gap with something relatively easy to open up..
 
We are using XL Beach Pebble in landscape beds around our pool. It will fill the gap, transition nicely between the two patio surfaces, act as a drain and, due to the weight of the Stone, won’t move around when hosing off the patios.
 
I like what Dirk mentioned above as well. Whatever you do there for cosmetics, lay some PVC or something underneath so that you're not cut-off from one end or the other. At some point, you'll go, "Rats!" :hammer: You'll need something (hose, wire, etc) to go across that walkway. That happens to me all the time across patios, walkways, etc.
 
I personally like the look of river rock, a lot, I have it in my yard, and it satisfies my advice about being able to pull it up if you need to. That said, it does trap dirt and leaves and such (crackers! potato chips! cookie crumbs! got kids?), and can look unsightly because of that. It's not easy to clean, can't really be swept or hosed off (wet crackers!?!). Blown or vacuumed maybe, I guess. Weeds will grow through it. It's also not comfortable to walk on with bare feet. But people will step on it and kick out rocks onto your deck. I don't think it's the right stuff within a foot traffic area, near where you'll entertain and serve food...

I like pavers or stone, with some sort of expansion joint as I mentioned above, or installed with just that "paver-lock" stuff. Comfortable to walk on, easy to clean, weed proof (if installed correctly) and removable, just in case. You'll be able to find a style and color that will make that transition a feature, instead of an unfortunate gap...
 

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