POOL DECKS


One of the more challenging, but ultimately more rewarding DIY projects is a Pool Deck.

Got that water feature, but look around it, what do you see? You see just a swimming area in your backyard. With a Pool Deck your back yard becomes an outside living area. You might ask yourself if you can build a pool deck. This project is well within the average handyman’s abilities. The biggest problem is to decide what type of pool deck to build.

The type of pool deck is the first thing to decide. It will depend on the size and type of pool that you have installed. What about the size of your yard. Do you want to connect the pool deck to your house, or have it just around your pool? I am going to show you how to determine this.

What about the tools that you will need? You don’t need any special tools. The basic tools you will need are a saw, drill, screwdriver, level, square, hammer, chalk line, plumb bob, shovel, and mallet. These along with a few more basic tools are all you will need. And they are probably already in your tool shed or garage. The type and size of your new Pool Deck will determine the tools you will need.

Look at your water feature and yard. Is it an above ground water feature or in-ground? How big is your yard, will it be big enough to accommodate a big enough deck to do what you want to do? What do you want to do on your new pool deck? If you just want it to go next to the water to allow access, than you can do just that. But what if you want to have enough area to sunbathe, or have a barbecue then you will want a little larger pool deck. And don’t forget the rails, benches, lighting, plants and all the other little things that go into building a complete pool deck.

The first thing to do is to get a complete set of plans. You can do this several ways; you can purchase a complete set of pre-drawn plans. These will have the plans, and usually a list of the materials and tools needed to complete your project. Or you can draw a set of plans yourself, using freehand on paper or using a CAD program.

Once you have your plans, it is a good idea to check with your local building authorities to get the appropriate building permits. They will review your plans to make sure they have the proper amount of detail. A detailed plan will also let you determine the amount and type of materials you will need to construct your pool deck. The proper building materials will be determined by the area and local climate that the pool deck will have to weather.

Once you have your pool deck built, then you can decide what else you want to use the pool deck area for. The use will determine what else you add to enhance the beauty and functionality of the area. Remember the Pool Deck will be an outside room of your home. So be creative and add planters to the outside rails. Plants will provide shade and beauty to your pool deck. But don’t put them to close to the pool as the chlorine in the water is harmful to plants. Build a barbecue pit in one corner to allow for outdoor cooking. The only limitation is your imagination. Let me show you how to put some of that imagination to work.