Ralston agrees that greater
slope will drain water more effectively but says, "We
feet 1/4 inch is too much fall and when setting patio
furniture it is a little more noticeable and not as
comfortable. There is always a light bit of water here
and there, and we let the clients know that. Ultimately,
it is the client who will make the decision."
Chris McMahon,
president and CEO of Architectural Concrete Design in
Levittown, Pa., warns contractors to pay attention to
cut and fill situations. "A pool is level, and
if a yard is pitched you have to cut into the bank on
one side and fill the other side," he says. 'on
the fill side you have to worry, about the deck settling
away from the pool."
A good pool builder
will compact the soil properly when the pool is put
in, If not, McMahon recommends installing piers: drilling
down to virgin ground every four or five feet, filling
the columns with concrete and pouring the slab on top
of them so that the deck won't settle.
Choice of color for a pool deck goes beyond mere aesthetics.
Color affects how much heat the deck retains, so it
is important for comfort too. "Dark colored pool
decks are going to he hot," McMahon says, "so
you want to use is light a color as possible. Also,
chlorine can leave a white residue on the deck and this
is less visible on a light-colored concrete."
Light colors feel cooler because
the), reflect more light arid absorb less heat. Theme
goes further, saying, 'Light reflection is not only
dictated by color but the type and color of pigment
used to produce that color. For example, a bright red
might be cooler to the touch thin a light gray The gray
is produced with ])lack, pigment and that is what absorbs
light. Scofield has conducted several tests relating
to light and heat absorption. The difference between
a white and a charcoal surface can he is much is 40
degrees F."
While a lighter - and cooler
- cooler may be important in the South, it can be a
different story in the North, where darker colored concrete
can act as a heat sink and retain its warmth on a cooler
day.
Lucas Wennersten, vice president of marketing for Progressive
Concrete Works in Phoenix, Ariz., points out that differences
between pool decks and patios or driveways can impact
costs. For example, lie says, "Pools and decks
with multiple elevations and steps take extra time to
form and finish." Location of the pool impacts
cost as well. Wennersten says ease of access with a
tractor or ready-mix truck keeps the cost down. "When
you're doing a big pool deck and have to wheel in six
or seven yards of concrete, it takes a lot of man hours.'
Extra form work and hand Finishing around copings or
cantilevered edges can add to the cost as well.
There is general agreement that pools and pool decks
require the same standard of base preparation as other
concrete applications. "Quality concrete placement
is no different for a pool deck than a driveway"
Theme says. "Both need a sound, granular, uniform
base for the concrete to be placed on."
McMahon points out that different parts of the country
have different requirements. 'The American Concrete
Institute (ACI) says a gravel base is not necessary
YOU just need a stable base. In Georgia they pout on
clay In the North we use gravel as a thermal stabilizer
- it is an insulator on expansive SOIL YOU Can poor
right on stable stand too." Ralston says in his
part of California they prepare the pool deck the same
way as a patio, with a 4-inch to 6-inch mechanically
compacted rock base. He add, "When there are soils
engineers involved, especially in the fault areas of
California, sometimes we excavate as much as 3 feet
of soil and re-compact the sub-base in 6-inch lilts
with Class 11 base rock. This is not the norm, but it
does occur and the costs can be as much as $6 per square
foot if access is difficult."
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