Considering stamped concrete pool deck

[JimM01]

I have experience with two different colors of stamped concrete. The first is on my front walkway which was colored to look like rectangualar slate slabs (charcoal gray). It looks quite realistic and has held up very well over the past eight years or so. The second is on the steps leading to my pool and the surrounding patio surfaces which were colored to look like large irregular stone pieces (brownish). It looks fake and the color is much more uneven. In both cases the pigment was mixed into the concreate so it is not just a surface application. I currently have an aggreate concrete deck around my pool and I would probably not go with stamped concrete because in both cases the contractor sealed the surface and it can get slippery when wet. I have seen stamped concrete walkways that were not sealed and they do not look as good. When it comes time to redo my pool deck I will probably go with plain concrete or aggregate.

[chem geek]

We have troweled concrete and seal it every year with Glaze ‘N Seal Multi-Purpose Clear Sealer. It is only a little slippery in the day or two after it is sealed; otherwise it is fine. It is troweled to not have any big gaps so as not to be a trip hazard. You can see it here in the hardscape around the coping which is plain concrete blocks. The pool and concrete were about 6 years old when I took the picture.

Richard