November 2009 - Parks & Recreation - 44

hen done correctly, it will be
something your guests won't think twice

about, but make a mistake, and it quickly becomes a safety issue, a potential health issue, a budget issue, or simply an eyesore you are stuck with for years. We're talking about pool deck surfaces,
and experts agree, choosing the right materials is well-worth the time you'll invest in the planning.

Just ask Ray " Butch " Kisiah, Jr., Chapel Hill's Parks &
Recreation director.
In February, the city opened its new Homestead
Aquatic Center, home to an indoor warm water pool
with a zero-depth entry used for fitness classes, exercise classes for seniors or those with disabilities; and
a second indoor pool used for competitive swimming.
A brushed-concrete deck was selected and installed
around the pools, including a three-foot white concrete
skirt along the perimeter, designed to provide a visual
cue for swimmers that they are approaching the water.
All went well during the construction process, and the
facility has been in heavy use seven-days-a-week ever
since. Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said for the
Chapel Hill Community Center Indoor Pool, which
underwent a major renovation at about the same time.
" We got the Aquatic Center right, but the Community Center doesn't drain the way we want it to, "
says Kisiah.
Because of improper sloping, the tile deck at the

sealers. Pool pavers, another alternative, are sometimes
used in warmer climates and come in various colors
and shapes. Choosing tile opens up the color possibilities, provides a choice of sizes and styles, and can
be used to create aesthetically pleasing patterns, but
it's typically more expensive. Of course, in practice, a
combination of all the above is frequently employed.
" What people need to consider when they are looking at their finishing materials - whether it's a new project or renovation - is what image do they want to convey
and the value, " says Matthew Freeby, project leader
at Water Technology Inc. in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin.
For Jimmy Gibbs, aquatics manager for the Lawrence Parks & Recreation in Lawrence, Kansas, aesthetics were important, but so was volume. The indoor
facility has both a competition pool and a separate leisure pool, and gets over 175,000 visitors per year. They
chose a brushed concrete surface, with a medium-broom
texture, rather than adding an aggregate or non-slip
material on the surface.

Choosing the right surface materials for your pool
decking needs will pay off in the long run
Community Center has several spots that collect water. The repair bill to remedy the problem-approximately $8,000. So for now, the solution seems to be
a couple of rubber squeegees and due diligence to
keep the deck dry.
" If we were doing it over again, we'd make sure it was
done right. You need to stay on top of the work and not
just assume your architect is going to do it, " says Kisiah.
The process of building a new facility or renovating
an old one is filled with decision making.
The combination of choices for surfacing materials
is endless. For a tighter budget, concrete is frequently
the material of choice. It can be brush- or broom-finished to provide texture; comes in a variety of colors
that can be mixed-in or applied as a coating on top;
it can be stamped with an assortment of patterns, or
finished with a broad range of non-slip coatings and

42 Parks & Recreation

November 2009

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" We looked at some facilities that acid-stained the
concrete, " says Gibbs. " We saw what that surface looked
like five years later, and it would need to be redone, so
we decided to keep a natural color. If you try and add
things like aggregates or a non-slip material after the
fact, you're eventually going to have to reapply, and
we wanted something that would be durable for a long
period of time. Something that we could maintain, but
nothing so rough that it would tear up those little feet
around the pool, " says Gibbs.
They also went with white tile with matching white
grout surrounding the pool area, but in retrospect,
Gibbs says he would have used a tinted grout because
it's difficult to keep the white clean.
Different types of pools, of course, mean different
deck needs.
Chris Pilinko, the project director for the PARC

November 2009 - Parks & Recreation

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