Pool wooden decking gives a pool a warm, cool-underfoot surround that feels softer than paving and dries quickly after a swim. In South Africa the work is done in treated pine for tight budgets, and in balau or composite for decks that must last through chlorine, heat and wet feet. A good pool deck is built with grip, drainage and bare-foot comfort in mind. Send one request and deck builders in your area quote you directly. It is free and there is no obligation.
Which boards suit a pool surround?
Pool decks take more punishment than garden decks, so the board choice counts:
- Treated pine: affordable and common. Boards must be treated to H3, posts in the ground to H4, and expect more oiling and eventual replacement.
- Balau: dense and slow to wear, a favourite for pool surrounds. It stays comfortable under bare feet and weathers well.
- Composite: no oiling and no splinters, though dark boards can burn bare feet. See composite decking.
Ask for the board face to be grooved or reeded rather than polished smooth.
Grip, gaps and drainage
Wet timber is slippery, so a pool deck needs a non-slip surface, usually grooved boards or a textured finish, with a tight but real gap of about 5 mm so water drains straight through. Sand off sharp edges and use stainless steel fixings, as chlorine and salt corrode plain steel.
The ground beneath should slope away from the house and the pool, and the frame needs airflow so the boards dry from underneath. If the deck meets the pool coping, the builder must leave a small expansion gap there, so boards can move without cracking the coping or lifting.
Pool chemicals, sun and care
Chlorine splashes, salt water and strong sun age timber quickly. Rinse the deck with fresh water when you can, sweep off leaves, and oil it once or twice a year with an oil made for decks. Oiled balau keeps its colour near the water. Keep an eye on the deck near taps and the skimmer, where water sits longest. Any deck near the water needs a handrail or balustrade if it sits high above the ground. For a general timber deck, see wooden decking.
Comparing pool deck quotes
Send the builder the pool size, the area of deck you want in square metres and how high it sits above the ground. Ask for the timber and its treatment, the groove pattern, the fixings and the way water will drain. Pine is about R950 to R1,300 per m² fitted, while balau or composite runs about R3,800 to R5,500 per m². Check that the quote covers the frame, any levelling and removal of old paving. Ask whether the builder has worked around pools before, and ask to see a finished deck.
What to include in your request
- Pool size and the deck area wanted in m²
- Timber: pine, balau or composite
- Height above the ground and any steps
- Whether boards meet the coping
- Your suburb and the garden access
Pool Decking for different clients
- Homeowners: a grooved timber surround for a family pool, soft underfoot and quick to dry
- Flats and townhouses: a courtyard plunge pool deck that meets the body corporate's rules
- Builders, developers and renovators: pool decks priced per square metre and built once the pool coping is finished
- Landlords and letting agents: a pine pool deck that lifts a rental without heavy upkeep or special care
- Offices, practices and showrooms: a terrace and pool area for a corporate lodge or showroom garden
- Guesthouses, lodges and restaurants: guesthouse and lodge pool decks in balau, built with grip for wet feet
- Shops, salons and cafés: a deck beside a pool at a nursery or showroom, where visitors can walk safely
- Schools, halls, gyms and studios: a school or gym pool surround with slip-resistant boards and safe, rounded edges
Frequently asked questions
Do you build pool decks?
What is the best timber for a deck around a pool?
How do I stop a pool deck being slippery?
Can a deck be fitted right up to the pool edge?
Pool Decking by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg