Concrete pool decks in Orange CA - good grip when wet and a pool edge that stays put
Cracked, faded or slippery deck around your pool? We'll tell you whether it needs resurfacing or replacing, and build it to grip bare feet.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
Should you resurface your pool deck or replace it?
It comes down to what's under the surface, because a new top only lasts on a slab that's sound and staying put. I check that before I recommend either one.
Resurfacing is enough when:
- The slab feels solid underfoot
- Cracks are thin and not spreading
- Sections sit level with each other
- The damage is mostly fading or stains
- Water drains off the way it should
Replacing is the better choice when:
- Sections have heaved or sunk
- Cracks run wide across the deck
- The base underneath has washed out
- Water runs toward the house
- The deck is pushing on the pool edge
How a pool deck job goes
Call or send a message
Call (714) 787-1676 or use the form, tell us a little about your deck, and we'll get back to you to set a time for me to come out.
A visit scheduled
I look at the deck
I measure, check the slab, the ground under it and the joint at the pool edge, then explain whether I'd resurface or replace and why.
A clear recommendation
You get a written estimate
You get a written estimate that spells out what's included and what isn't. If anything changes later, California requires it in writing, along with your right to cancel.
A written estimate
Permits, forms and the pour
Once you say yes, we handle any permit, plan review and inspections with the city, then set the forms and check them with a string line before the pour.
A poured deck
Clean-up and walkthrough
We clean up and go over the finished deck with you, including when it has cured, meaning hardened enough to use, and when the pool-edge joint should be sealed.
A finished, clean deck
What our pool deck work includes
Prep or break-out
We repair a sound slab so a new surface bonds to it, or break out the old deck and haul it away.
A dug-out, packed base
We dig out and compact the subgrade, the ground the slab sits on, so the deck doesn't settle with loose dirt.
Forms and rebar
We set forms to a string line and place rebar, steel bars that help hold the slab together.
Drainage that's planned
We slope the deck so water runs away from the house and toward any drains, keeping dirty runoff out of the pool.
Control joints
We cut control joints, grooves that tell the slab where to crack, so any cracks follow lines we chose.
A separate pool-edge joint
We keep the deck apart from the coping, the pool's edge cap, with a joint so slab movement doesn't push on it.
What goes into the price of a pool deck?
The biggest question is whether your deck can be resurfaced or has to come out, because breaking out old concrete, hauling it off and packing a new base is a big share of the work in a replacement. After that it's the size and shape, how many curves the forms follow around the pool, how hard it is to get equipment into the backyard, and whether drains or new concrete steps are part of the job.
The finish matters too, since a broom finish, fine lines brushed in for grip, takes less work than exposed aggregate or a decorative overlay. If something has to give, I'd trim the finish before the base, because nobody sees the base once it's poured, but it's what keeps the deck flat. The schedule turns on permits and curing, and my written estimate spells out what's included and what isn't.
Why Orange homeowners call us for pool decks
I come out to look at every deck myself, and our own crew does the work from the first form to the final cleanup. I learned under a foreman who ran a string down every form, and we still do that, with the same base and steel care we give slab foundations. If resurfacing will do, I'll say so.
We're fully licensed and insured. The state licenses concrete contractors to form, pour and finish flat concrete like decks, patios and driveways, and it lets someone without a license take on only small jobs, with a $1,000 limit, when no permit is needed and they work alone. It's worth checking who's pouring your deck.
- Written estimates that say what's included
- A clean site and a final walkthrough
- Backed by our satisfaction guarantee
Get a free, written estimate for your pool deck
Tell us about your deck and have photos of cracks, raised or sunken spots and the pool edge ready. We reply within one business day to set up a free on-site estimate, no obligation.
(714) 787-1676Pool deck questions we hear
What is the best way to fix a cracked pool deck, resurface or replace?
Resurface when the slab is sound and stable and the damage is cosmetic, like fading, stains or cracks narrower than about 1/4 inch. If sections have heaved or settled, cracks run across the whole deck or the base has washed out, replace it, because an overlay laid over those problems will crack or fail. I'll tell you which one I see when I come out.
Which pool deck finish is best for bare, wet feet?
The best finish has enough texture to grip wet feet and a color light enough to stay comfortable, since very dark finishes can get uncomfortable to walk on in the sun. Broom, textured, exposed aggregate, where small stones show at the surface, coatings, overlays and decorative finishes all differ in traction and heat underfoot. When I go over finishes with you, I start with grip for wet feet and then talk about looks.
How often does a concrete pool deck need sealing and joint care?
One sealer maker says film sealers need recoating every 18 to 24 months, while penetrating sealers last three to five years but deepen the color less. One coping maker advises checking the pool-edge joint every year and replacing the caulk when it cracks, pulls away or breaks down, since most stretchy caulks last five to ten years. On a new deck, that maker says to wait at least 30 days before caulking the joint so the slab can cure and shrink first, so plan for that visit.
Where do I apply for a building permit in Orange, CA?
Orange's Building Division takes permit applications only through the city's online Civic Portal. Work in the sidewalk or parkway, the strip beside the street, often falls in the public right-of-way, and Public Works issues encroachment permits for that. When your deck needs a permit, we pull it, and I tell you up front what the city will want to see.
How much does a new concrete pool deck cost in Orange?
Your number comes in a written estimate after I've seen the deck, because resurfacing and replacing are very different jobs. From there it moves with size, backyard access, the finish and what's under the slab, as covered above. Call (714) 787-1676 and I'll come measure.
How do I keep a new pool deck from cracking my pool tile?
Make sure there's a flexible joint between the deck and the coping. One pool engineering firm says that soft mastic seal should run the full depth of the slab, because without it, deck movement often knocks coping and tile loose and cracks the tile at the water line. Ask any contractor how they'll build that joint, and I'll walk you through how we build ours.
Serving Orange and the cities around it
We're based in Orange and work across the cities around it, including Tustin and Anaheim. Pick your city below, or call if yours isn't listed.
Get a pool deck quote from Cornerstone Orange Concrete
Call (714) 787-1676 or use the form, and I'll come out, measure and walk the deck with you.