How to Paint a Pool Deck in 10 Steps

The key to getting the longest life out of your painted pool deck is to make sure the concrete you’re painting is both in good enough condition and prepared properly. Patching some minor chips, cracks, or holes shouldn’t cause any problems when done properly. However, if your concrete pool deck has one or more of the following conditions, you should seek the advice of a professional painter or concrete resurfacing company to determine if you’re better off replacing the concrete than painting it:

• Several cracks 

• Cracks that seem to be growing wider with each passing season

• Shifting, heaving, or sinking/sloping concrete areas

• Peeling, pitting, flaking, crumbling, or spalling concrete

No amount of patching or cleaning can repair some of these problems enough to make painting the concrete worth the cost, even if you’re using the best paint for a pool deck. The paint can only stick to good concrete. If the slab is peeling, the paint will go with it.

Before You Start: Check the Weather

Because the concrete needs to be dry to apply paint, and the paint needs warm, dry weather to dry and cure properly, plan this project during a stretch of at least three consecutive days of warm, dry weather.

Clean, degrease, and etch the concrete with a solution designed to clean concrete. Follow the directions on the packaging for best results. Using a clean, stiff-bristled brush or push broom to scrub the concrete will help lift and loosen dirt and debris. Make sure to rinse the concrete thoroughly with a garden hose or power washer. As much as possible, avoid washing any of the cleaner into the pool as cleaners can upset the pH of your pool water. Allow the concrete to dry before moving on to repairs.

Use a concrete repair compound to fill in any pits, holes, or cracks. Try to keep the patches flush with surrounding concrete and match the texture as closely as possible, because any difference in texture will show through the paint. Allow the patch material to dry for the amount of time recommended by the manufacturer (8 hours, in this case).

If you decide to use a liquid crack filler, make sure it is NOT self-leveling, as it will slowly run downhill and gather in a puddle at the lowest point of the crack.

Note: Any cracks in your concrete pool deck will likely reappear through your paint, even though you’ve patched the crack before painting. So, when the cracks reappear, don’t feel like you’ve done something wrong or that the patch product didn’t work. Even the best patch material is no competition for the ground movement that happens during a freeze-thaw cycle or even the expansion and contraction that takes place in extreme heat.

As some debris may get on the pool deck from when you washed the concrete to this point, and there will likely be some crumbs from the patching process, use the leaf blower to remove any of this debris.

Depending on the type of pool deck edge you have—either a formed concrete edge or an aluminum coping the concrete is poured against—you’ll want to apply painter’s tape along the edge of the concrete to keep the epoxy paint from getting on the coping form or the liner or tile inside your pool. You’ll also need to tape around the base of any diving boards, slides, or cups for railings and ladders. 

If your pool cover uses anchor bolts, you can remove the bolts and fill the embedded anchors with foam backer rod of the same diameter, leaving it sticking above the concrete an inch or so. This will make it easier to paint around the anchors without getting paint in them. Leave the backer rod sticking up above the concrete to make it easier to find the bolts after you’re done painting.

Make sure the concrete is still clean and free of debris. Then using a 3/8 inch nap roller, apply one coat of primer (make sure it’s designed for the surface you’re painting—concrete, wood, or otherwise). Let the primer dry for the manufacturer’s recommended time.

Pour the paint into a 5-gallon bucket and add the non-slip additive to the paint. Mix in the additive using the power drill with the mixer paddle attachment, making sure it’s mixed in evenly and there are no clumps of additive.

Apply the first coat of epoxy paint to the dry, primed pool deck. Cut in around the edges with a 3-inch brush and roll the rest with a 3/8-inch nap roller. Allow the first coat to dry for the recommended amount of time, usually around 4 hours to recoat, but make sure to check the manufacturer’s directions.

What Kind of Paint to Use on a Pool Deck

You can use several types of paint on a pool deck, including acrylic, latex, and rubber-based paints, but the best option is epoxy paint. It’s durable and long-lasting, lasting for 5 to 15 years. Epoxy paint also applies smoothly for a stylish finish. It’s a little pricier than some other types of paint, but the results are worth it.

After allowing the first coat to dry for the recommended time, mix in a non-slip additive and roll on a second coat. Allow it to dry before applying the sealer.

Mix in a non-slip additive and roll on a coat of sealer. Allow the sealer to dry and cure for about 24 hours before walking on your newly painted pool deck.