4 Great Ideas For Tricking Out Your Pool

One of the best scenes in “American Beauty” is when Annette Benning’s character is trying to sell that ugly house and the potential buyer zeros in on the pool. “The ad said this pool was lagoon-like,” she scoffs as she stares at the truly sad concrete lima bean shaped hole in the ground. “There’s nothing lagoon-like about it, except for the bugs. There aren’t even any plants out here!”
I laugh every time, but the fact is, that quippy buyer is right. Pools are great and all, but without a good patio design or an above ground pool deck with some style, the swimming space is likely to be an eyesore that actually lowers the property value of your home. Conversely, paying attention to the design details and including a deck space around your pool can yield a 72% ROI, (not to mention it’s safer for the unwitting gardener and the child who doesn’t look where she runs). Below are a few pool deck ideas we came up with after surveying a few of our favorites. We have demarcated them by building material, as we believe this is the most important factor:
1. Rustic Wood
Wooden pool decks, particularly wood that has been pressure treated in order to stand the test of time, are one of our favorite deck ideas and among the most popular choices. Not only are they extremely affordable, they give the surrounding pool space a rustic, natural feel and retain enough heat to make swim break lay-outs pleasant but not scalding. Popular choices for wooden pool decks include pine, cedar, and redwood (cedar being our personal favorite due to the deep umber coloring). However it cannot be denied that wood has the potential to warp or splinter over time, so if you don’t plan on re-doing the deck every fifteen years or so, you might want to consider another option.
2. Travertine
Travertine is a kind of limestone, and also makes for a beautiful natural option. It comes in a variety of earth tones and with the right additional styling will call to mind the exotic hot springs that are its birthplace.
3. Vinyl/Synthetic Composites
Vinyl and synthetic options usually won’t crack, splinter, or become warped, so this is definitely a plus. The possible downside on the pool deck ideas spectrum is that it can look a little fake or gaudy, but luckily there are now mock wood texturing options available in vinyl, if you’re willing to pay the premium for them. Another option of course is to just resign yourself to a plastic-looking pool deck, but then redeem the space with home gardening and cute furniture. And if that’s the route you’re going to go, we also recommend…
4. Aluminum
Rarer possibly for it’s stark similarity in look to a Pepsi can, aluminum is on the rise as a pool deck medium because it’s the longest lasting and most durable of all the materials. Some mitigative decorating will definitely be in order if you go this route, but we have faith in your creativity!
Think your pool deck ideas are better than ours? Make sure to comment below with your opinion or alternative suggestions. (We especially love pictures. Then we can judge for ourselves if you’ve achieved a lagoon-like atmosphere).