Concrete is not one material. The finish decides how it looks in ten years, how hot it gets and whether your pool deck is safe.
The finishes we install most
Prices below are installed, on a standard subgrade, per square foot.
- Broom finish ($12–$18): workhorse, great traction, honest and modern when jointed well
- Salt finish ($14–$20): subtle texture, classic San Diego pool deck look
- Sandwash / exposed aggregate ($16–$26): hides wear and stains, excellent grip
- Stamped ($18–$30): mimics stone, needs sealing, can look dated if pattern is fussy
- Smooth trowel ($14–$22): crisp and modern, slick when wet, shows every mark
- Ground / polished ($25–$40): high-design finish, best on interior-adjacent patios
Jointing is a design decision
Control joints are going to be there. Treat them as a grid you designed rather than saw cuts that happened. Large-format panels with clean saw or tooled joints — 4x4 to 6x6 feet — read modern and reduce random cracking.
Adding a paver, gravel or turf band between pads is the easiest way to make a slab look custom on the same budget.
Color that survives San Diego sun
Integral color holds up far better than surface stain in full sun. Warm grays and sand tones stay attractive; heavy charcoals get punishingly hot inland and fade unevenly at the coast. Test a sample board outdoors for a week before you commit.
Frequently asked
- When should concrete be sealed?
- Decorative finishes: yes, and re-seal every 2–4 years. Broom finish: usually not necessary.
- How thick should a patio slab be?
- Four inches with reinforcement for foot traffic; five to six for vehicles, over properly compacted subgrade.
- Can old concrete be resurfaced instead of replaced?
- If it's structurally sound with only surface wear, overlays work. If it's cracked from settlement, replacement is the honest answer.