Keep the pool fence whole
The city requires a fence at least five feet high around a pool or its yard, and only doors and gates can leave gaps over six inches. We plan the deck so the fence stays whole.
Concrete Pool Decks in Marshalltown IA - a deck that holds up to the cold
Old deck flaking, chipping or cracked around the pool? We pour a plain, sound slab that handles the cold and works with your fence.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free quotes on site.
- We reply within 1 business day.
What a new concrete pool deck involves
A concrete pool deck is the outdoor slab around your pool. In Marshalltown we build it on a dug-out, packed base with a plain broom finish, so you get a sound surface to walk on that stands up to the cold.
Most calls start with an old deck that's flaking, chipping or cracked, or with a new pool that needs a slab around it. The price moves with the size of the deck, whether there's an old one to break out and haul away, how close a truck can get to the pool, any steps or other slabs tied in, and the sealer or coating you pick. The schedule turns on the weather, on what the city needs before work starts and on the wait while the concrete cures. In Iowa, anyone who earns $2,000 or more a year from construction work registers with the state, and we're fully licensed and insured. I'll look at your yard and write up your own figure when I come out for the estimate.
The owner writes your estimate
I come out, look at the pool, the old deck and the fence line, and write the estimate myself, so the person pricing your job is the one leading the crew.
A plan in the right order
You get the order of work from the first visit, from the permit check to the tear-out, base, pour, cure and sealer. Concrete doesn't forgive a step done late, so we don't skip ahead.
We'd rather move a pour
If the forecast turns against us, I'd rather move the pour than rush it. I'll tell you as soon as I know, so you're not surprised later.
How our crew builds your pool deck
Before I set a date, I check what the city needs and walk the yard with you to mark the deck edge, the fence line and the gates, because the deck has to work with the fence, not crowd it. If there's an old deck, our crew breaks it out and hauls it off. Then we dig down to the subgrade, the ground the slab sits on, and build and pack a base instead of raking dirt level. That base is the part nobody sees on day one, and it's the first thing people want to cut. It's the last place I'd save money, because a nice finish on a slab that settles is still a slab that settles. We set forms, lay rebar, the steel bars that help hold the slab together, and pour early in the day, since midday heat can leave the top weak and dusty. We give it a plain broom finish, a light swept texture for grip, and leave the surface alone after that. Control joints, shallow cuts that give the slab a planned place to crack, go in on time. Then the deck cures, sitting undisturbed while it gains strength before the chairs go back on it, and we plan the sealer with you for later.
A pool deck often ties into other work. If there's a drop from the back door or a grade change down to the pool, we can pour concrete steps in the same job so they match the deck. If you're adding a pool house, a shed or an equipment building nearby, that's slab foundation building, and it's easier to plan both slabs in one visit.
Building a pool deck in Marshalltown
Inspection before anything is covered
All work under a city building permit gets inspected, and it stays uncovered until the inspector approves it. The city uses a contracted firm for inspections, so we leave room in the schedule for that visit.
Who calls the inspector
The permit holder calls for inspections, so ask any contractor you're comparing who will hold the permit and make those calls. Get that answer before the start date, not after.
No work before the permit
The city doubles the regular permit fee when work starts before the permit is obtained. That's one more reason I set your start date only after the city's answer is back.
Get a free estimate for your pool deck
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a time. I'll come out, look at the pool and the deck, and write up a free estimate on site, with no obligation.
Have the pool size handy
Tell us the pool size, about how big you want the deck, and whether it's new or replacing an old one, so I can come out ready to measure and talk through options.
Based in Marshalltown
We're based in Marshalltown and work in Newton, Grinnell, Nevada and other cities around it, so the same small crew and the same order of work come to your yard.
Satisfaction guaranteed on every job
That's the promise behind every estimate I write. Any time you have a question about your deck, you get a straight answer and the next step, from the first visit to the last pour.
Concrete deck and patio finish examples
These photos show broom finishes, sealed surfaces, steps and slab layouts you can point to when we talk through your own pool deck.
Pool deck questions we hear in Marshalltown
Straight answers on finishes, cold weather pours, sealing, winter care and city permits, the things people ask before they book a pool deck.
What finish works best on a concrete pool deck?
A plain broom finish works for most outdoor concrete, a pool deck included, and the light texture gives wet feet some grip. Too much finishing knocks out the tiny air bubbles mixed into the top layer, and dense concrete with that air, placed and cured with care, is less likely to scale, which is when the surface flakes off. So we finish it once and leave it.
What happens if a new concrete pool deck freezes right after the pour?
Concrete that freezes while it's fresh won't be durable, and that can happen once its temperature drops below about 25°F. It needs protection from freezing for about two days after it's placed, so a pour near freezing weather comes with a plan for those two days. If I can't plan for them, I move the pour.
When should a new concrete pool deck be sealed?
Seal it once the concrete is reasonably dry, and late summer after a few dry days is an ideal time. Use a breathable sealer or water repellent made for concrete slabs, and ask anyone bidding which one they plan to apply. If you want more grip, one maker's acrylic deck treatment adds a slip-resistant, easy-to-clean glossy finish that resists stains, weather and common pool chemicals.
Can I use ice melt on a concrete pool deck in winter?
You can, but use as little as you can get away with. Less deicing chemical on the slab lowers the chance of scaling, the flaking covered above. A pool deck usually sees light foot traffic in winter anyway, so a shovel and a light hand with ice melt go a long way.
Does a pool deck in Marshalltown need a building permit?
The city requires permits for items including alterations, additions to homes and businesses, and new construction for all uses, and its list doesn't name pool decks, so I check with the city's Building Division before we set a date. When a permit is part of your job, we handle the paperwork and build the schedule around it.
Line up your pool deck before the cold
Call (641) 354-2469 or send the form now, so we can check the city's permit needs early and give the pour room before freezing nights.