Pool Deck Resurfacing Options in Denver: Six Choices, Costs and Which to Choose

HomeGuide puts the average cost to resurface a pool deck at $3 to $12 per square foot. HomeAdvisor gives the same $3 to $12 for a concrete pool deck that only needs resurfacing. HomeGuide puts a deck of 500 to 900 square feet at $1,500 to $10,800 in total.

That spread covers very different jobs. Some decks need a wash and a fresh sealer, and some need a new surface. We coat and stain pool decks across the Denver metro, and the condition of the concrete picks the job. Here are six pool deck resurfacing options, and when each one is the right call.

What does each pool deck option cost?

Each row comes from a national cost guide. Your own number comes from a free on-site walk-through and a written quote.

Size and slab condition decide where a real deck lands. A deck with cracks to fill costs more than a sound one, whichever option you pick.

Power wash and reseal: when the deck is sound

HomeGuide says a deck that is dirty but otherwise in good shape needs a power wash and reseal. A full resurfacing is more than that deck needs. HomeGuide puts power washing at $0.35 to $0.77 per square foot.

Concrete Network suggests a thorough cleaning around the pool to remove dirt and grime. It also suggests removing the old sealer and putting down a new one. Cracks get repaired before any sealer goes on.

Concrete Network says most pool deck systems need resealing every 2 to 3 years. A sealer protects the surface you have. It is the wrong call once the color has faded or cracks have opened.

A sound deck that only needs protection is a concrete sealing job. Our guide to what concrete sealing costs in Denver prices the sealers themselves.

Stain and an acrylic top coat for color

Stain adds color and keeps the texture of the deck. Angi says stain soaks into porous concrete and continues to show the surface texture. It says concrete stain often comes in earthy shades such as brown and terra cotta.

On a recent pool deck, the textured concrete was cracked and faded to a pale tan. We cleaned the deck and repaired the cracks. Then we stained it a terracotta red-brown and finished it with an acrylic top coat. Before and after photos of that deck are on our pool deck page.

Where a deck gets wet, we broadcast anti-slip grit such as aluminum oxide into the top coat. The grit leaves a fine texture that grips when the concrete is soaked.

Angi puts basic water-based stain at $2 per square foot. Crack repair and the top coat add to that. Angi says stain will not peel off the way paint can. As the top of the concrete slowly wears away, the stain wears with it.

Stain is the wrong call on a deck that is badly spalled or pitted. Angi says blemishes and discoloration will likely still show through a stain.

When does a coating system make sense?

A coating system builds a new colored surface on top of the concrete. It goes down in layers, with a flake or solid color base and a clear top coat. Outside, a UV-stable polyaspartic top coat holds its color in the sun, with anti-slip grit broadcast into it.

For prep, we pressure wash and then grind or profile the slab where the coating needs a mechanical key. Cracks get repaired, and the slab has to be dry before anything goes down.

HomeGuide notes that some contractors use epoxy pebble or rubber coatings to resurface pool decks. The pool deck guides we read do not price a flake or solid color system as its own line. We price that system from your deck, in writing.

Concrete Network says its pool deck lifespans assume regular maintenance. A coating is the wrong call over a slab that is moving or cracked through. It is also more than a sound deck needs if you like the color you have.

When does a pool deck need an overlay?

An overlay is a new layer of polymer-modified cement that grips the old slab. It covers spalling and pitting with one sound surface. Outside, the overlay is troweled on or broom textured for grip.

Concrete Network says an overlay bonds to the existing slab, so it cannot fix problems below the surface. It says resurfacing fits when the damage is cosmetic and cracks are narrower than about 1/4 inch.

A spray texture is the other common overlay finish. Concrete Network says it is popular for barefoot areas, since the texture stays cool and slip-resistant. HomeGuide prices a cool-deck style texture coat at about $4 to $6 per square foot. HomeGuide says the coat helps lower surface temperatures.

Concrete Network says pool deck resurfacing starts at $3 to $5 per square foot on a sound slab. Our guide to concrete resurfacing costs in Denver breaks out overlay prices by type. Our page on concrete resurfacing and repair covers how we do the work.

Concrete Network says spray texture and stamped overlays typically last 10 to 15 years with proper care. It gives a thin cement microtopping 5 to 10 years. An overlay is the wrong call on a slab that moves or is cracked through.

Why does paint peel on a pool deck?

Paint is the DIY option. Concrete Network says pool deck paint is the most affordable option and easy to apply. Angi puts concrete painting at $1.50 to $3 per square foot.

The low price buys a short life. Concrete Network says pool deck paint may need redoing in 1 to 5 years. It can need a new coat in as little as a year. Angi says paint costs less to apply than stain but will not last as long.

Old sealer is one reason paint peels. HomeGuide says never paint before removing any existing coatings or sealants, because the paint can crack and flake off early. Angi adds that moisture trapped between the concrete and the paint outdoors speeds up peeling.

Grip is the other problem around a pool. Angi says painted concrete can be more slippery than stained concrete unless you buy an anti-skid formula. Our guide to garage floor paint vs. epoxy compares paint and a coating foot for foot.

When is the slab itself the problem?

Some decks are past resurfacing. Concrete Network says replacement is the better choice when sections of the deck are heaving or lifting. The same goes for a slab that is settling or sinking, or one with widespread structural cracks.

Concrete Network says an overlay placed over those problems will crack or fail along with the slab underneath. HomeGuide says resurfacing is the better choice while the concrete is mostly sound and the subbase is stable.

A deck that is heaving, sinking or cracked through its full depth is a replacement question. An overlay or a coating will not fix it. Pouring new concrete is a different trade, and we tell you so at the walk-through.

Concrete Network puts removing an old concrete pool deck at $2 to $6 per square foot. It puts installing the new deck at $6 to $18 or more per square foot.

What does Denver weather do to a deck?

Denver sits exactly one mile above sea level and gets around 3,100 hours of sunshine a year. Its elevation and dry air also bring large swings between day and night temperatures.

Snow is common from late fall into early spring. The average window for measurable snow runs from October 17 through April 27.

Concrete Network says pool chemicals, salt, freeze-thaw cycles and skipped resealing all shorten a pool deck surface’s life. It also says some pool deck coatings resist UV exposure and freeze-thaw conditions.

On a deck that takes that much sun, color and top coat matter. Concrete Network says light colors keep a cool deck coating cooler than plain concrete in direct sun. Exterior work needs a dry slab, so that snow window matters when you plan a deck project.

Getting a written quote for your Denver pool deck

We measure the deck on site and look at the concrete. Then we put the work and the price in writing. The number holds unless the scope changes.

We have been coating floors since 2008, across the Denver metro and the Front Range. We are open seven days a week, and the walk-through and the written quote are free.