Brushed concrete around pools is one of the most popular design choices. However, it’s important to take a step back and consider what brushed concrete can do for you. Everyone relates to pools in different ways. Some people use their pools as a social space, for others it’s a vital part of their workouts, and others still simply love the aesthetic beauty inherent to pool designs. And you’re about to discover how brushed concrete can improve all of those aspects of a pool and more.
What Is Brushed Concrete?
Brushed concrete lives up to the name. It’s concrete that’s been brushed with a stiff bristled broom before it dries. The end result is a concrete surface that has a rougher texture when compared to standard stone or stamped concrete.
Benefits
You’ve almost certainly seen brushed concrete used around swimming pools before. It’s one of the most popular choices for poolside areas. There are a lot of reasons for the material’s popularity. But the following are the most important to consider when deciding whether brushed concrete is right for you.
Slip-resistant
Slip-resistance is one of the most important elements to consider when thinking about pool decks. Your pool combines slippery surfaces and relaxed attitudes. And that’s a more dangerous combination than most people like to think about.
The best way to prevent accidents is to protect people with slip-resistant surfaces. And the rough texture of brushed concrete excels in that regard. When people walk on brushed concrete they’re working with the material’s natural friction. The textured finish from the brushing create natural friction create a non-slip surface.
Does Not Need To Be Resealed
Stamped concrete is a popular alternative to brushed. Stamped concrete is specially designed to take on a wide variety of different styles. While beautiful, the aesthetic upgrade means that it needs regular maintenance. Stamped concrete generally needs to be sealed every two to three years. But brushed concrete never needs resealing work.
Allows for Use of Dyes and Stains
One of the impressive things about brushed concrete’s durability is that it doesn’t imply lack of beauty. Many people do choose a plain concrete design for their pool area. But you can also choose from a wide variety of stain and dye options that bring concrete to life with beautiful vibrant colors.
The amount of available colors also means that you can easily match the concrete with the surrounding aesthetic or even evoke specific emotions.
For example, you might want to go for a willow green if your pool area is surrounded by plant life. Or if you want to emphasize the natural beauty of water you could compliment your pool with cobalt blue concrete.
Easy To Work With
Brushed concrete is one of the easiest materials to work with. Options like stamped concrete require a fairly significant amount of work to install. But when you choose brushed concrete your construction times are lowered to the absolute minimum. This is important for 2 reasons, with ease of install it means less complications for pool builders and therefore the total pool project cost will be lower. Coupled with the added simplicity of the build it means the time to build the pool will be faster compared to other pool decking options.
Less Prone to Cracking Than Stamped Concrete
The designs used for stamped concrete can create small stress points within the material. And this becomes even more of an issue over time as temperature fluctuations cause the material to shift. But brushed concrete is highly resistant to cracking. This is just one of the reasons why brushed concrete has a lower long-term cost of ownership than most of the alternatives.
Cheaper Long-Term
When people crunch the numbers to figure out the cost of their pool they often forget about maintenance costs. And these additional costs can easily start to accumulate over time. Most parts of your pool will require maintenance on a regular basis. And part of getting the best value for your investment is looking for ways to minimize that accrual. Brushed concrete can be an important part of that process.
Stamped concrete needs resealing every two to three years. And that’s not even taking the higher potential for cracking into account. Brushed concrete doesn’t need resealing and is crack-resistant. On top of that it has a lower cost for the initial installation. It saves money upfront while also providing longer-term value over time.
Putting It All Together To Make a Decision
Now that you’ve learned about the benefits of brushed concrete it’s time to make a decision. Consider how all of the benefits relate to what you value in a pool. Brushed concrete isn’t the perfect choice for everyone. But if the benefits it provides align with your own personal preferences then it’s the perfect choice for you.
