Here is an excerpted version of an article written by Balvant Rajani, on the best practices that will help ensure good long-term performance, safety and comfort of concrete sidewalks.

The average service life of concrete sidewalks in San Diego is 20 to 40 years, but failure can occur as early as one to five years after construction. Many of the problems of sidewalks in San Diego are the result of lack of attention to detail during the design and construction stages. This Update describes practices that prolong San Diego sidewalk life and in so doing, advance the four key sidewalk attributes: safety, comfort, appearance, and life-cycle cost performance.

Sidewalk Subgrade

The sidewalk subgrade is the native soil that is graded and compacted to provide an even surface to support the sidewalk. The sidewalk subgrade material should have uniform stiffness to avoid differing frost or expansion characteristics. In some cases, the sidewalk concrete is placed directly on the subgrade, but it is strongly recommended that a granular sub-base be placed between the native soil and the concrete slab.

In 1976, Tom Nevares got his start in the concrete business, working first as a laborer and eventually getting involved with  many phases of both residential and commercial concrete work throughout the San Diego area. In the late ’70’s he went to work for R.E. Hazard Contracting and L.R. Hubbard Construction, and was exposed to many aspects of highway, bridge and prison work. Super-structure concrete has been his forte since the beginning of his career in the San Diego concrete industry.  Later in Tom’s career, he ran concrete jobs for several different San Diego contractors in foreman and superintendent capacities. During this time, he took preparation courses for the California State surveyors license, as well as educating himself in drafting and blueprint reading.

Tom got his first sole proprietorship license in 1992 to establish his own San Diego concrete business, and incorporated in 1999. Today, Nevares Concrete specializes in all phases of the concrete business, including concrete and masonry, as well as decorative concrete.

Custom Flat Work Exposed Aggregate and Acid Wash

Concrete Flatwork in San Diego (sometimes referred to as finish concrete)  used to be considered mostly for simple driveways, sidewalks and patios. But with all the new concrete colorants, additives, finishes and textures, flatwork is beginning to be thought of as both an art and a concrete specialty. Stamped concrete, integral coloring, exposed aggregate, steps with check walls, & acid stain coloring are just a few of the options available for residential, commercial and public projects in San Diego.

T.E. Nevares Concrete serves customers in all the following San Diego area communities:

North County Coastal: La Jolla, Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe, Solana Beach, Cardiff, Encinitas, Carlsbad, Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos

North County Inland: Mira Mesa, Miramar, Poway, Scripps Ranch, Sabre Springs, Rancho Bernardo, Escondido, Valley Center, Ramona, Julian

East County: La Mesa, El Cajon, Lemon Grove, Santee, Lakeside, Alpine, Jamul, Rancho San Diego

South County: Chula Vista, Bonita, National City, San Ysidro, Otay Mesa

San Diego Central: Clairemont, Mission Valley, Pacific Beach, Mission Hills, Hillcrest, North Park, Kensington, Normal Heights, College area

Stamped Concrete Wall and Floor

Custom stamped concrete can be used in many San Diego residential and commercial applications. Outdoors, stamped concrete enhances the look of driveways, patios, pool decks and walkways. And insides, basement floors can take on the natural appearance of slate, cobblestone or fieldstone. Custom stamped concrete can be more durable than conventional concrete, and fills the same construction needs as regular concrete.

Stamped concrete is several times stronger than brick pavers and other paving systems. Stamped concrete is non-porous when finished – making it water-proof and stain and weather resistant.

Problems commonly encountered with hand-laid products are avoided with custom stamped concrete. Vegetation will not grow between individual bricks, and it won’t shift due to frost or other climate or earth moving situations.

Pool Deck Tile Base

Building a concrete pool deck in San Diego should be done with careful planning and the right contractor.  T.E. Nevares Concrete has extensive experience in concrete pool decking throughout San Diego County.  Here’s is a reprint of an article on constructing concrete pools decks from Bob Vila.com, a great website on all types of home construction:

Concrete Pool Decks (San Diego)

A concrete pool deck must be safe, slip-resistant, and easy on the feet. Creating a deck that will last is another issue. Textures and coatings can give you a lasting deck to match your needs and weather challenges.

Creating a slip-resistant, concrete pool-deck surface can be achieved by texturing the surface or applying a slip-resistant coating. Any finish or coating should also preserve the concrete through exposure to sun, heat, cold, or rain and resist mold and mildew. While there are many coatings, finishes, and techniques designed for concrete pool decks, your local installer is likely to have a favorite. Determine first how you want your concrete pool deck to look, then find a process and product that will work for you.

Stamped Concrete Pool Decks
Stamping is the process of using a stamping plate with an etched design or pattern and pressing it into the poured concrete to create patterns over the entire surface. A stamped application makes for an attractive and naturally slip-resistant surface that can replicate patterns and designs from nature, masonry, and even fine art tiling.

Stampcrete finishes their concrete pool decks with two coats of sealer to protect the surface from stains and weathering, and their non-slip sealer, should the homeowner request it. A standard concrete pool deck costs from $3-6 per square foot, depending on the region. “Our product runs about $10-12 per square foot,” which includes the deck and product says Nelson. Installation might run an additional $3-4 per square foot.

Textured Concrete Pool Decks
A textured-concrete pool-deck surface places safety at the forefront by bringing inherently non-slip properties to the deck. Increte Systems out of Odessa, Florida, offers two spray-on textured-concretepool deck products that are applied to an existing concrete slab to dress it up and provide non-slip qualities. “Spray-Deck and Texture-Crete are both made from a cementitious material mixed with a liquid resin and sprayed onto a concrete surface with a hopper and a gun, just as you see with drywall,” says Rich Cofoid, national sales manager for Increte.

The three-day process includes cleaning the existing concrete pool deck surface of grease and oils, spraying the mix over the surface, and sealing the set surface with a sealer. The result is a colored, textured surface that is firmly bonded with the slab below, naturally slip-resistant, and stronger than normal concrete.

Concrete Pool Deck Sealers and Coatings
Left untreated, a concrete pool deck is at the mercy of the elements and can be an accident waiting to happen. Exposure to sun, heat, rain, and cold will cause the surface to crack. Spilled beverages, suntan oils, and food can cause staining. A wet concrete pool deck surface is slippery, and lingering water can form into mold and mildew. The right sealer or protective coating will keep the surface looking new for years to come. It can also keep those running feet safely on the deck.

A good concrete sealer should leave the surface waterproof and protected from cracking, chipping, and the damaging effects of the elements or the freeze/thaw cycles in the Northern states. Some concrete pool deck sealers also protect against staining from pool chemicals.

Coatings often provide additional benefits. Keystone’s Kool Deck, which is made by Mortex, lowers the surface temperature of the deck, leaving it cool to the touch. These textured coatings adhere to the concrete, provide slip-resistant footing, and hide blemishes or imperfections in the slab.

Match Your Concrete Pool  Deck Choices to your Climate
A textured-concrete pool-deck surface is a great answer to the slipping problem, but in regions known for nasty winters and heavy snowfall, an untested textured surface might not hold up to shovels, salt, and freeze/thaw conditions. “It is possible to have a textured surface or coating in the Northeast, but it has to be a strong, durable product,” says Mike Reitz of Stampcrete International. “Our textured coating rates at 7,000 psi, so it’s not going to pop off or flake off.” Regular cement measures at around 3,500 psi. Conversely, a colored concrete made with low-grade pigments won’t keep its color under the hot sun in the South.

Resealing a surface is an eventuality for concrete pool deck owners. The number of years a surface will last without resealing will depend on use and abuse. In the Northeast, where salt is regularly used in the winter and makes its way onto decks and patios via rain and traffic, a concrete pool deck surface will require more frequent resealing. “Salt is concrete’s enemy, and there’s little you can do to completely stop its effects,” says Reitz. In the South, heat and sun are the challenge. “Cheap pigments added to the cement will fade in the South,” says Reitz. “A synthetic dye used for coloring will hold up and keep its color.”

Before selecting a concrete-pool deck-surface, coating, or finish, consider the climate challenges facing the surface. It is a good idea to check out other concrete pool decks in the area, and see what works and what doesn’t.

Text by Benjamin Hardy
© 2005 BobVila.com