How to fix rough concrete from saltwater pool

[changeyez]

I had my pool remodeled and a new concrete deck poured about 3 years ago. I was never told to seal the cement deck (my fault for not realizing I needed to) and now the cement is rough and crumbling in high water areas. The areas where the kids get in and out a lot and splash a lot.

What can I do to fix the cement and then seal it to protect it?

 

[jp4LSU]

I haven't really thought about sealing the decking. We have a pool going in now and it will be stamped concrete deck, no color....it is just to provide some texture rather than a salt or exposed aggregate.
I can't believe that it only took 3 years to have that occur to your deck with only splash out water. I could understand that kind of issue if it was under a roof line and rainwater pounding it. I'm interested to see what others have to say.
Is this normal?
Will sealer help?

 

[Bperry]

I’ll say the 20 year old decking around my pool all looks like the same texture, which is the rougher texture in that picture.

 

[changeyez]

Anyone else have any thoughts?

 

[chazas]

Just bad concrete, unfortunately. A salt water pool isn't going to cause that. You might have to resurface it if you’re unhappy.

 

[changeyez]

Just bad concrete, unfortunately. A salt water pool isn't going to cause that. You might have to resurface it if you’re unhappy.

What was bad about the concrete that causes that? It’s only in the areas where water (saltwater) sits often.

 

[Newdude]

What was bad about the concrete that causes that? It’s only in the areas where water (saltwater) sits often

If I’m seeing it how @chazas is, and I believe i am, A whole truck of bad mix would leave the entire patio prone to premature wear. Those areas that frequently get wet are breaking down from the moisture, not the salt.

You are in a way correct that clearly the ‘salt water did that’. But really it’s the water’s fault and not the salt. Or even more so, it’s the patios fault and not the water.

Further complicating the misconceptions is in all of the cold climates where we have been told a bazillion times not to salt cement sidewalks for ice control due to proven premature wear. Sidewalk salt concentrations are literally off the charts in comparison to salt water pools but very few folks connect those dots. A quick google search will answer the de-icing question which everyone translates to the pool being the same.

 

[MinerJason]

What was bad about the concrete that causes that? It’s only in the areas where water (saltwater) sits often.

It's called laitance, and can have several causes, but it's most commonly caused by working excess water into the surface during floating / troweling. Could also have been caused by getting salt water on it before it had cured sufficiently. Salt water shouldn't have a significantly detrimental impact to the surface once it's had enough time to cure. Another potential but much less likely cause is an improper mix, either too much water, or too little cement, or both.

The repeated getting wet and drying is revealing the weak layer in those areas first, but it's likely that the whole surface is similarly weak. The water is simply speeding up the surface deterioration in those spots.

Unfortunately there's not a lot that can be done to fix it. Sealing may help decrease the surface deterioration, but shouldn't be necessary if the concrete is properly applied and cured.

 

[changeyez]

It's called laitance, and can have several causes, but it's most commonly caused by working excess water into the surface during floating / troweling. Could also have been caused by getting salt water on it before it had cured sufficiently. Salt water shouldn't have a significantly detrimental impact to the surface once it's had enough time to cure. Another potential but much less likely cause is an improper mix, either too much water, or too little cement, or both.

The repeated getting wet and drying is revealing the weak layer in those areas first, but it's likely that the whole surface is similarly weak. The water is simply speeding up the surface deterioration in those spots.

Unfortunately there's not a lot that can be done to fix it. Sealing may help decrease the surface deterioration, but shouldn't be necessary if the concrete is properly applied and cured.

Thank you. This makes sense to me. In the area where the aggregate is exposed and “crumbling out”, is there any way to stop or slow it down? Little pieces of concrete end up on our feet every time we step on it with wet feet now.