Spray Deck and Cool Deck Coatings in League City, TX

Etching and bonding the old concrete

Mortex's instructions for existing concrete start by removing old toppings, then washing the deck with muriatic acid and water, 1 part acid to 1 part water on older concrete, never on dry concrete; acid that fails to boil and bubble means the deck still isn't clean. After at least an hour of keeping the deck wet, PTA Bonding Agent, a cement-based bonder colored gray so coverage is easy to check, is broomed on so thin that the base concrete still shows through. The topping goes on before the bonder can dry. Major cracks and structural damage are repaired well ahead of the topping, Mortex says, which is pool deck repair work.

The makers split on one step. Sider-Crete recommends a neutralizing treatment such as TSP after an acid etch, but Mortex warns that TSP leaves a film that breaks the bond between deck and topping. The maker of the product going down is the one to follow.

Two days under plastic

Right after troweling, every section is covered with clear 2-mil polyethylene, held down with sand, and left exactly two days. White growths that show when the plastic comes off are washed away, and the deck is washed often for the next 28 days. A mix that's too thick, Mortex warns, covers less, patterns poorly, sets faster and craze-cracks more.

Spraying, knocking down and sealing

SUNDEK's specification runs in this order: primer; a blending base coat of 1/8 inch or more; a stipple coat from a smaller spray tip; a splatter coat flattened with a flexible pool trowel; caulking at joints and repairs; and two finish coats, rolled or sprayed airless, each left to dry completely. Sider-Crete lays a thin plastic tarp on the pool water, taped at the edges, so nothing falls in, and seals its texture 24 to 48 hours after spraying, three days at most, in two thin coats at least 2 to 4 hours apart, the second at right angles to the first.

Patching small spots

For small damaged areas Mortex sells a Kool Deck Repair Kit with bonder and texture for about 6 square feet, in the Kool Deck colors. The patch area has to be free of loose and deteriorated concrete. It is soaked, etched with 1:1 muriatic acid kept inside the patch, given a thin coat of PTA, splashed and troweled until its flats match the deck around it, and kept under sand-weighted plastic for exactly two days; frequent washing over the next 6 weeks, Mortex says, greatly improves its strength.

Recoating a worn cool deck

A recoat goes onto clean, sound concrete. Mortex takes off deteriorated concrete and old toppings with a scarifier and then a power washer, notes that a 3000 psi washer can strip paints, plastic coatings and polymer toppings, and makes minor repairs to edges, depressions and holes just before the new topping. SUNDEK and Mortex don't agree about old concrete. SUNDEK's FAQ says Kool Deck forms a mechanical bond on freshly poured concrete, within its first five hours, whereas Mortex prints a full procedure for existing concrete using its PTA bonder. Acrylic overlays and other systems are on the pool deck resurfacing page.

Cleaning, salt water and water repellent

Mortex's care sheet calls for strong soap, water and a nylon bristle broom, frequent rinsing where a salt-water chlorinator runs, and an immediate rinse for spilled acid or chlorine. Gray mineral deposits at steps and busy spots come from evaporating water; removing them is for experienced contractors, it says, and owners shouldn't attempt muriatic acid washes. Its Protect-A-Deck water repellent bridges hairline cracks, goes on surfaces at least 28 days old, and needs three rain-free days to cure.

Community and HOA pool decks

League City's own Hometown Heroes pool, a 400,000-gallon City pool, had several deck sections replaced and the whole deck recoated in its 2025 renovation, alongside new plaster and refinished splash pad features. Shared pools have their own scheduling and rules, covered under HOA and community pool resurfacing.