Concrete pool decks in Auburn ME - a deck that grips when wet and spares the pool edge
Old pool deck cracked, slick or holding puddles? We pour a new one that grips wet feet and moves without pushing on the pool.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- Replies within 1 business day.
What does it take to build a concrete pool deck that lasts in Auburn?
A concrete pool deck in Auburn is the slab that runs up to your pool's coping, the cap along the edge, and since it's where everyone walks wet and barefoot, a good one gives sure footing and moves through the seasons without pressing on the pool. Most of the work that makes it last is in the ground and the edge joint, not the finish.
Most calls come when an old deck has cracked, sunk on one side or turned slick enough that someone's already slipped, or when a new pool needs a deck around it. The price moves with the size of the deck, whether old concrete has to come out first, how much base work your ground needs and the finish you pick, and the schedule turns on the weather, your pool builder's timing and the wait while the concrete cures before you can walk on it. My written estimate gives you your own figure, and before we book I check whether the city wants a permit.
How we build a concrete pool deck
I start where the water goes, because a pool deck has to fall away from the pool and away from your house, not hold puddles against either one. Then we dig out the soft dirt and pack the subgrade, the ground the slab sits on, set forms with that fall built in and lay rebar, the steel inside that keeps cracks from spreading apart. Before we pour, we plan the joint where the deck meets the pool edge so the deck can move with the seasons without pushing on the pool. One pool engineering firm calls for a soft, flexible seal there that runs the full depth of the concrete, since deck movement often loosens the coping and cracks the waterline tile without it, so ask to see that joint on any plan you get, ours included. We pour early so midday heat doesn't leave a weak, dusty top, finish it the way you picked, cut control joints, grooves that give the slab a straight line to crack along instead of wherever it likes, and let it cure properly before anyone walks on it. If the budget gets tight, I'd cut the fancy finish before the base work, because you see the finish the day we leave and you live with the base every year after.
A pool deck usually ties into other work. Where the path from the house comes down to the deck, we pour concrete steps as part of the same job, and if a pool house or pump shed is going in beside it, our slab foundation building work gives it a flat base built with the same care.
Replacing a cracked or sinking deck
This suits you if the old deck has cracked, sunk or started tipping toward the pool, because a slab that's decided to lean doesn't change its mind with patching. We break it out carefully near the coping and fix whatever went wrong underneath, since that's usually where the trouble started.
A new deck around a new pool
This suits you if the pool is going in now or just went in, because the deck and the edge joint can be planned around the coping from the start. We work around your pool builder's schedule so the deck goes down once the pool is ready for it.
What changes a concrete pool deck job in Auburn
Auburn's Permitting and Code Enforcement office handles building permits and Public Works handles fill and excavation permits, and the city's list names that work, not pool decks, so whether your deck needs a permit isn't something I'd guess at. Before we book, I check with the city on what it needs, and when a permit is called for we handle the application. Layout has a state rule of its own, because Maine law requires a fence around every swimming pool except a portable above-ground one with walls at least 24 inches high, and your deck sits inside that fence. A house or other building can form part of the enclosure and the gates have to fasten securely, so we lay out the deck around where your fence posts and gates go.
The ground is the other thing. The soil survey for Androscoggin and Sagadahoc Counties found more than half the land across both counties is wet, which says nothing about your yard in particular but is why I look hard at the ground before I price the base. We're based in Auburn and run into the same soft, wet spots on jobs in Lewiston and Portland, and where we find them we dig out further and pack more base, because a deck only stays as flat as what's under it.
Why Auburn homeowners call Sterling Auburn Concrete for pool decks
The owner bids it and pours it
I come out to look at your pool and give the estimate myself, and I lead the crew that does the work. The person who planned that edge joint is the one standing there when it goes in.
Slabs that sit flat since 2013
I learned the trade on other crews and started this business in 2013, and the first concrete I ever poured was a barn floor on our family farm. Thirteen years in, slabs that stay flat and don't give people trouble later are still what we're known for.
Licensed and fully insured
We're licensed and fully insured. If something goes wrong on your property during the job, you aren't the one left covering it.
A signed contract before work starts
Maine law requires any home construction contract for more than $3,000 in materials or labor to be in writing, signed by both the contractor and the homeowner, with each getting a copy before work begins. You'll know what's agreed before we put a shovel in the ground.
If you're weighing bids, tell us about your pool or call (207) 707-4423, and I'll come out and show you where the base and the edge joint go.
Request a quoteGet a free on-site estimate for your pool deck
We reply within one business day to set a time, and I come out to see the pool and measure. The estimate is free, in writing and comes with no obligation.
What happens after you call about a pool deck in Auburn
Call or send the form
Call (207) 707-4423 or send the form, and we'll find a time for me to come by. We take calls every day of the week, early mornings and evenings included.
I look, measure and ask
I look at the pool edge and where your water runs, measure the deck and ask how you'll use it. You get a written estimate for your deck, so you see the number in writing before anything is booked.
Permit check and pour date
Once you're ready, we check what the local permit office needs and set a pour date that suits the job. The base gets dug out and packed before any concrete shows up.
Pour, cure and walk it
We pour and finish the deck, then cure it properly before anyone uses it. Before we pack up, we walk it with you.
Frequently asked questions
What is the least slippery finish for a concrete pool deck?
The best finish is one with enough texture to grip wet bare feet without getting too hot in the sun, and a broom finish, fine grooves dragged across the top, is the plain choice built for grip. Broom, textured, exposed aggregate, coatings, overlays and decorative finishes all differ in traction and heat underfoot, and very dark ones can get uncomfortable in full sun. I help you pick one that holds your footing when it's wet.
How often does a concrete pool deck need to be resealed?
A film sealer needs recoating every 18 to 24 months and a penetrating sealer lasts three to five years, according to one sealer maker's guide. The film sealer brings out more color, so you're trading a richer look for more frequent recoats.
How much does a concrete pool deck cost in Auburn, ME?
Installing a concrete pool deck across the US usually costs about $10.50 to $12 per square foot, which is the national going rate, not our price. Tear-out, base work and the finish you choose move it from there, and your own figure comes from the written estimate after I measure.
How do I apply for a permit in Auburn, ME?
The city takes permit applications through its SmartGov portal and answers permit questions at permits@auburnmaine.gov. If you hire us, checking with the city and handling any application is our job, as covered above.
How do I keep a concrete pool deck from cracking in a Maine winter?
Start with a mix that has air entrainment, tiny well-spread air bubbles in the concrete that relieve the pressure when water freezes inside it. It's a key durability measure where a slab sees freezing water, so ask whether it's in the mix on any bid you get, and let the packed base and control joints do the rest.
Can I put salt on a new concrete pool deck?
Not in its first winter, because a concrete industry group advises skipping deicers on new outdoor concrete that first winter and using sand instead. Sand still gives you grip on the way out to the gate without the deicer damage the group is warning about.
Other concrete work around the pool
Concrete steps construction
If your back door or yard sits higher than the pool, a set of solid concrete steps gives wet feet a safe, even way down to the deck.
Slab foundation building
A changing room or equipment shed by the water needs a flat slab under it, poured on ground that's dug out and packed as carefully as the deck's.
Auburn, ME
Book a look at your pool deck
Have your pool type, a rough deck size in square feet, the finish you're leaning toward and when you'd like it done ready when you call (207) 707-4423 or send the form, so the first visit covers it all.