Concrete pool decks in Lodi CA - a surface that grips under wet bare feet

Across the US, installing a concrete pool deck usually runs about $10.10 to $12.40 per square foot, so treat that as a national ballpark, not a Lodi quote. Your price moves with the deck's size, tear-out of old concrete, base work and the finish. I'll measure on site and give you a figure for your yard.

A broom or textured finish is usually the safest pick, because grip matters more than anything on a wet deck. Finishes also differ in how hot they get, and very dark colors can get uncomfortable in the sun, so we weigh grip and color together before we choose.

Sometimes, yes. A coating laid over the old concrete can refresh a deck and cover and bond its cracks, and it's often the cheaper route, but only when the slab underneath is a good candidate. If the base has sunk or the slab is broken up, I'll tell you plainly that a coating won't hold.

It can still get hairline cracks, and I'd rather say so up front, but we work to keep cracks where we choose. We pack the base with the same care we give a slab foundation and cut control joints, shallow grooves that give the slab a planned place to crack, on time.

We leave a gap between the deck and the coping, the cap along the pool's edge, and fill it with flexible sealant so the deck can move without pushing on it. Without that joint, deck movement can crack or chip the edge. The coping maker's guide says to wait at least 30 days after the pour before caulking, so the concrete can cure and shrink first.

The same guide says to check the joint between the deck and the coping every year and repair caulk that cracks, pulls away or breaks down. Most rubbery caulks last five to ten years, so plan on resealing at some point.

The city requires a building permit for pools, spas and hot tubs, and its list doesn't name pool decks, so ask the Lodi Building Division about your deck. If the deck is part of a new pool or spa, several city departments, building included, have to approve it before any work begins. We look into what your job needs and help with the paperwork.

For the concrete itself, California's C-8 concrete contractor license covers forming, pouring, placing and finishing flat concrete work like a deck. Building the pool or spa falls under a separate C-53 swimming pool license. Ask any contractor which license covers your job before you sign.