Summer brings barbeques, basketball games, and of course lots of swimming. Though the first thought on your mind once the temperatures rise may be to remove your shirt and take a dip, pause first and investigate the pool deck; is there any uneven concrete that could be a danger to you or your family? While stubbing a toe on uneven concrete never feels great, it is made much worse on an uneven pool deck where shoes are rarely worn. Appearance and functionality can also suffer when a pool deck is unlevel. Luckily for homeowners in Virginia and North Carolina, there is a quick and easy solution- pool deck leveling with polyurethane foam.
What Causes Pool Decks To Sink?
Pool decks are one of the most common concrete structures to settle, usually caused by improper soil compaction following the placement of a pool. Over time the soil settles, lowering the concrete pool deck slabs and creating potentially dangerous trip hazards. While pool deck settlement may occur alone, it is usually accompanied with other visual signs of stressed concrete. Cracking, crumbling, and coping separation are commonly seen. Over time such damage can lead to hazardous conditions, leaking pools, and a less than desirable appearance.
A pool in Corolla, NC with multiple sunken concrete slabs.
How Can I Fix My Pool Deck?
The three main options for repairing a sunken pool deck are demolition and repouring, mud jacking, and foam jacking. We go into more detail about the pros and cons of each of these methods in another article, but will provide a pool-specific comparison here.
Concrete Pool Deck Replacement
As a general rule for concrete structures, demolition and repouring of concrete should only be considered as a last resort. Pool deck replacement is expensive and takes a while, without directly addressing the root cause of the settlement- improperly compacted soil. If excessive crumbling or cracking is present throughout a pool deck, replacement is unfortunately the only fully viable option despite the hefty price.
Concrete Pool Mudjacking
Mud jacking is the cheapest option of the three, but leaves the pool deck with more noticeable injection holes than foam lifting and adds weight to the already compromised subsoil. Mudjacking holes are roughly 1/4” larger than foam jacking holes, and the process requires twice as many injection sites. Still, for a pool owner on a very tight budget that doesn’t mind a more noticeable procedure, mud jacking can be a good solution.
Foam Lifting for Pool Decks
Foam injection is the last main option. By injecting polyurethane foam into sections of settled pool deck, the unlevel slabs can be lifted back up to their proper height. This eliminates the potential for injury and, more importantly, stabilizes the subsoil to eliminate the likelihood of further settlement. While holes do need to be drilled for foam lifting, they are only about the size of a penny and are filled with a color-matching grout. When injected, polyurethane foam expands to fill any gaps that exist under the soil, stabilizing any voids that may be present.
The size of a poly foam concrete lifting hole. After the foam is injected, the hole is patched with a color-matching grout.
Concrete grinding can also be considered, but only as a temporary fix. If a pool deck is settling it is likely going to continue settling, so damaging the surface of the concrete to maintain a level surface is unlikely to work in the long term. Over time, the pool deck could continue to settle, leaving trip hazards and the scarring from the grinding work. That being said, grinding is the least expensive option and is a viable alternative to mud jacking, foam jacking, and replacement when the only consideration of the homeowner is the safety of the slab.
Past Experience Fixing Pool Decks
JACKCRETE has had great success with this application in the past, easing the burden on residential homeowners with pools and community pools alike. Not only does JACKCRETE complete their projects in the same day, but there is little visual evidence of work having been performed and the cost is approximately half of concrete replacement. In fact, we can finish our work in as little as 45 minutes without any additional pool downtime necessary! Our largest projects to date have occurred at Browns Neck Community Pool in Poquoson, Virginia, and Moody’s Run (part of the Kingsmill Resort) in Williamsburg, Virginia. As both of those entities experienced, JACKCRETE can restore damaged pool decks back to their original condition while eliminating the potential for resettlement.
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