Choosing the Right Deck for Your Swim Spa
Once you have your swim spa installed, you may consider adding a deck if you don't have one. You will find that you are going to have lots of choices in deck materials and styles. Some people prefer to have concrete decking while others opt for the wood. Both can be good choices and have their pros and cons.
When choosing your deck there are some things that you want to keep in mind, including:
- Safety factors
- Ease of installation
- Cost of installation
- Maintenance and repair
Your first priority for your new deck is how easy it will allow you to enter and exit your swim spa. Then, you may consider how convenient it will be for entertaining and relaxing.
Whether your swim spa is above ground, partially in ground, or in ground, this is going to help determine the best deck. For above ground pools the best choice will be wood as concrete is not a good option.
Wood
Amongst the many choices of wood that you will have, there will be the choice of timber decking or hardwood. Most individuals prefer to go with the hardwood decking rather than the soft wood as it is more durable. Other material choices are vinyl, aluminum or plastic. No matter which you choose, you need to be sure it is good quality, easy to care for, and water proof.
Concrete
If you choose concrete, there is a lot more work involved compared to wood. You will have lots of choices with a concrete deck too. This is a versatile material that can be colored or you can have a pattern added to it through stamping.
If you like the colored concrete, the best choice is integral color. This is color which is mixed throughout the concrete slab. If it happens to chip then the color remains. Another choice for coloring is topical coloring. This is where the color is added to the top layer of the concrete with various types of color hardeners. These are usually applied to the wet concrete.
If you want to add some character to your concrete decking, you can have stamped or patterned concrete as well.
