Pool Surrounds and Pool Concreting in Hervey Bay

Grip comes first

A pool surround is a wet floor that people walk on barefoot and children run across. The finish has to grip when wet. In Australia, slip resistance is tested and rated under AS 4586, and suppliers can tell you how a given finish rates. A lightly exposed aggregate or a honed finish with the right sealer is common around pools. A smooth, heavily sealed surface can look beautiful and be dangerous when wet, so ask about the slip rating before you choose.

Heat underfoot

In a Hervey Bay summer, dark concrete in full sun gets hot enough to make people hop. Lighter stone, lighter cement colours and finishes with some texture stay cooler. If the pool area gets afternoon sun, that is worth weighing more than the look of a sample.

Where the water goes

Water should fall away from the pool, not towards it. Splash water, rain and anything washed off the surround should not run into the pool and should not pool against the house either. On a new pool the levels are set around the coping; on an older pool, the existing levels decide what is possible.

Joints against the pool

The pool shell and the slab around it move differently, so a proper joint between them matters. That joint is usually flexible and sealed so water does not get underneath. Control joints across the surround stop random cracking. Ask where they will go: placed well, they look intentional; placed badly, they look like an afterthought.

Fences and timing

Pool fencing needs footings, and a pool area has to be safe and compliant before the pool is filled and used. Coordinate the surround with the fencing and the pool builder so footings and slab do not fight each other. If the pool is new, the pool builder will often say when the surround can go in.

Salt water pools

Many pools around the bay are salt chlorinated. Salt water splashing on concrete is another reason to seal the surround and keep the sealer maintained, especially on finishes with exposed stone.

Getting it quoted

Tell us the pool size, how far the surround runs, and the finish you like, along with a photo. Call 0489 955 511 or use the form, and a licensed local concreter will come back to you. See exposed aggregate and honed concrete for the two most common pool finishes.