Concrete pool deck coating/paint/sealant question

[Jared]

Hi all,

I am new to the forums here and was hoping to ping the community for some advice regarding concrete pool deck paint/sealant/coatings. I am leaning towards one particular product but I can't seem to find much information on it from actual users/customers.

We purchased our house with in-ground pool a few years ago and its time to do something about the concrete deck. The current paint is starting to chip and flake off and on top of that it is VERY slippery when wet. The deck itself is in great condition with a few small cracks here and there but nothing major. My plan is to apply a skid-resistant sealant or coating, but I am at a loss at which product to choose.

I live in the Sacramento valley in California and we get hit with the extremes of all 4 seasons. Very hot summers, and winters where the temperature can drop below freezing on occasion. I am looking for product with medium grit, decent warranty, and most importantly a high regard with customers.

I have been looking around locally and online and have found a myriad of products, all seemingly pretty similar but ranging in price fairly drastically.

Here is what I have found so far:

Sure-Step http://www.homedepot.com/p/Sure-Step-1- ... RRWidgetID

Seems to get all around good reviews and the price is pretty attractive. Some other pluses are the company apparently sends a return label in case you over-order and need to return un-opened product. Self-priming is nice but I am finding most products also offer this feature.

Some downsides are it is not chemical resistant, not a water proofer, not a sealer, make no claims of ability to repair concrete.

Other similar options are available at Lowes, Leslie's, InTheSwim, etc but this one seemed to get the best feedback and have the most widespread use (at least recorded on the web that is).

FloorGripII seems like the high end option in this same class and the price reflects that, but the one coat coverage (how true is that really?) might make it worth looking into more.

I have briefly looked into SunDek acrylic finishes, Kool Deck, Kool Deck Elite, and Systex deck paint from Mortex, Deck Kote and a few others but they either didnt seem as different or better than the others or didnt fit my application at all.

Another consideration I am looking at are Concrete RESTORE. I found this product by searching this forum. This also has a nice price, though I have read in numerous places that the coverage is not really as advertised and that you should definitely get more than calculated. I dont know much about this, but other than claiming to be thicker than paints and last longer I didn't notice much of a difference.

The product that really caught my attention though is Cool from a company called Encore (http://encorecoatings.com/cool-pool-deck-coating/)

It appears to be fairly new and I cant really find much feedback from actual applications of it. It sounds really nice and seems to do everything I need and more that make it really attractive. It comes in a kit and I really like that you can add a gallon of any color acrylic paint to get custom colors, although that is just an added benefit. It uses a different method to keep the concrete cool which it seems they patented and is only available in their product. It also has a lifetime warranty for residential applications.

Has anyone in the community had experience with this product?

I have also considered Concrete stain as an alternative to the paint. It seems like stain would be a better choice for longevity as it penetrates the concrete. However, I am getting mixed information on whether it can be applied to painted concrete....

Are there any other technologies I might have missed in my research?

As a summary to my novel:

Must have features
Skid-resistant
Able to apply over existing painted concrete
Self-priming

Additional desired features
Resistant to chemicals
Cooled
Coverage/Coats
Durable (Crack fill, Sealing)
Price

I am leaning towards Encore's Cool product but I also wonder if it would be a wise choice to stick with something with a more established reputation and history.

I appreciate any feedback on this and look forward to utilizing this community more

[czechmate]

If you have been looking into possibility to tile the deck, for what you may deem as an expensive option, it will provide you with ALL the mentioned features. But it is only with a stone tile, namely travertine. I have installed it as a coping made of 4x4 inexpensive tile, against the advice of local pool industry warning (freezing and cracking when wet) and in last 8 years had absolutely no problem. It is non-slip, very decorative, clean and non changing, durable and above all, still cool at 100 degree weather. I have laid it myself, which is the major portion of the cost, but material is around $4.00/sq. foot. It will last a lifetime, provided you will not skimp on the flexible acrylic or Marble/ granite thinset. In addition you will get a remarkable visual upgrade of the pool as a whole.
Good luck!