A pool deck is not just another patio. It has specific requirements that a standard backyard patio does not: slip resistance when wet, comfort underfoot in bare feet, resistance to pool chemicals, and drainage management for large volumes of splash water. Along the Front Range, you also need a surface that handles Colorado's freeze-thaw cycles without deteriorating.
Rock N Roll Stoneworks partners with Latham Pools for pool construction and installs Belgard paver systems for pool decks. Here is what to consider when planning your pool deck surface.
Why Pavers Beat Poured Concrete Around Pools
Poured concrete and stamped concrete are the default pool deck materials for many builders because they are fast and inexpensive to install. But around pools, their weaknesses are amplified.
Concrete cracks. Around pools, cracks allow water to penetrate the sub-base, which accelerates freeze-thaw damage and can undermine the pool structure itself. Stamped concrete becomes slippery when wet unless you add a broadcast texture treatment, and that treatment wears off in high-traffic areas.
Pavers avoid both problems. Individual units flex independently with ground movement, so you get no cracking. The textured surface of quality pavers provides natural slip resistance that does not wear away. And if a section settles or needs to be accessed for plumbing, you pull up the pavers, do the work, and relay them. With concrete, you are jackhammering.
Best Belgard Pavers for Pool Decks
Not every paver is ideal for pool applications. The best pool deck pavers combine slip resistance, moderate heat absorption, and a clean aesthetic. Here are the Belgard lines we recommend most often for pool decks along the Front Range:
Belgard Catalina Slate: A large-format paver with a natural slate texture that provides excellent grip when wet. The smooth-but-textured surface is comfortable underfoot and easy to clean. Available in colors that complement most pool finishes and home exteriors common in Lafayette, Erie, and Boulder.
Belgard Mega-Lafitt: A large-format paver with a cut-stone appearance. Clean lines and a subtle texture make it a popular choice for modern pool designs. The larger format means fewer joints, which creates a sleek finished look.
Belgard Dimensions: If you want a truly contemporary, large-format look, the Dimensions series offers slab-style pavers that create a modern, minimalist pool deck. These pair especially well with newer home construction in Erie and the Frederick and Firestone communities.
Slip Resistance: The Non-Negotiable
Pool deck safety is not an afterthought. The surface needs to provide traction when wet, period. All Belgard pavers we specify for pool decks meet or exceed ASTM slip resistance standards for wet conditions. The natural texture of concrete pavers, without a polished or sealed surface, provides inherent grip.
One thing to be aware of: some homeowners want to seal their pool deck pavers with a high-gloss sealer for the wet-look aesthetic. We strongly advise against gloss sealers on pool decks. They reduce slip resistance significantly. If you want to seal your pool deck pavers, a matte penetrating sealer protects the surface without compromising traction.
Heat Absorption: Barefoot Comfort
Colorado's high-altitude sun is intense. Dark-colored surfaces around a pool can become uncomfortably hot for bare feet on summer afternoons. We recommend lighter paver colors for pool decks, not only for heat management but also because lighter colors create a brighter, more open feel around the pool.
Belgard offers a wide range of lighter tones across their product lines. Colors like Sahara Blend, Victorian, and Toscana keep surface temperatures noticeably lower than dark gray or charcoal options. If you prefer a darker color for aesthetic reasons, we can work with it, but we will have the conversation about heat.
Chemical Resistance
Pool water treated with chlorine or salt chlorine generators splashes onto the deck constantly. Quality concrete pavers handle this well. They are dense and non-reactive to standard pool chemistry. Salt chlorine systems, which are increasingly popular along the Front Range, produce lower chemical concentrations than traditional chlorine, so chemical exposure is even less of a concern.
Belgard pavers are manufactured with air-entrained concrete, which means they have microscopic air pockets that allow water to expand during freezing without damaging the paver. This is the same technology that makes them perform well in Colorado's freeze-thaw cycles, and it also helps them resist salt and chemical exposure.
Drainage Design
A pool deck needs to drain away from the pool. Water flowing into the pool carries dirt, debris, and lawn chemicals that affect water quality and chemistry. Proper grading of the paver surface, combined with a well-designed edge drainage system, keeps deck water flowing to the landscape rather than the pool.
For larger pool decks or properties with grading challenges, Belgard's permeable paver options allow water to pass through the joints and into a sub-surface drainage layer. This eliminates standing water on the deck surface entirely.
Cost Ranges for Pool Deck Pavers
Pool deck paver installation typically runs $18 to $35 per square foot installed, depending on the paver selected and the complexity of the pool shape. A typical residential pool deck of 600 to 1,000 square feet falls in the $11,000 to $35,000 range. Custom features like raised bond beams, seat walls, or integrated outdoor lighting add to the total.
Design Ideas That Work
Some of the most effective pool deck designs we have built along the Front Range include contrasting paver bands around the pool coping, integrated seat walls that double as a visual boundary, built-in planter walls that add greenery without soil washing into the pool, and transitions from the pool deck to a covered outdoor kitchen area.
Ready to plan your pool deck? Contact Rock N Roll Stoneworks for a free consultation. We will coordinate with your pool builder or our Latham Pools partnership to ensure the hardscape and pool construction work together seamlessly.
