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Adding Slip Resistance to Pool Deck

by Chris
(Dover, DE)

Q. A contractor repaired our pool deck this year including sealing cracks, adding relief saw cuts, and applying a colored texture to the entire surface. He finished by sealing the deck with xylene(?). It was extremely slippery so he returned and resealed the deck with grit, but it is still slippery.

Is there a product I can apply myself to give a safe non-slip surface? The area is approx 1,200 SF. The surface is in great shape. I could easily clean it, but don't want to have to remove the existing sealer/coating.

A. The sealer he used is probably a solvent based sealer with xylene as the carrier of the solids. This is what most contractors use for exterior sealers. The problem you have can be alleviated with dry silica sand or play sand. This can be broadcast onto wet sealer. As you roll on the sealer, put some in the palm of your hand, then blow it to disperse it. Since it has already been coated twice, you run into the problem of getting too much sealer if you put more on.
Because xylene is the solvent used in the sealer, if you get some plain xylene and roll it on, it will reemulsify(or make it sticky) the existing sealer. As you do this, broadcast the sand. When it dries again, roll on another very thin coat of sealer to lock in the granules. This way you get more slip resistance without adding too much new sealer. Just be sure to get your sealer from a contractor supply store, not the home improvement stores. A solvent based sealer with 25% solids is what you need.