Just because your pool is shut down for the winter doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy your pool deck all year long. This can be a great place for entertaining, spending time with the family, and enjoying the cool weather that comes with winter. You just need to make the right conversions to make your pool deck enjoyable during the cold months of the year. In this guide, we will explore how to convert your pool deck for the winter.
Keep the Snow and Ice down
When freezing rain and snow come up, it is easy for your pool deck to turn into a slick safety hazard. Be careful about this. Do not use your pool deck when it is frozen over. It would be wise to shovel your snow regularly to keep the ice levels at a minimum. You can also invest in solar blanket to lay on top of the snow and ice to help melt it faster, if standard materials like cat litter and salt don’t do the job. Be careful about using salt so close to your pool as well because that may throw off the chemical balance in your pool water when the summer comes.
Install Outdoor Heating
Having heaters outside will make your pool deck area a lot more enjoyable in the winter. If you already have a fire pit or fire place near your pool, you could simply use that as your heating source. If not, there are electric floor heaters or space heaters that you can install to create a warm environment even when it’s cold outside. It helps if you have a slightly enclosed part of your pool deck, perhaps under a trellis or pergola. That way, the heat stays relatively contained and doesn’t get dispersed throughout your entire yard. Either way though, having warmth near your pool will help you and your guests stay outside longer even if Mother Nature doesn’t agree with you.
Make Use of Your Barbecue
If you have an outdoor grill or plan to install one sometime soon, the winter can be a perfect time to make use of it. While most people think of summer time for barbecues, winter can also provide a great option to have hot food, cooked outside near your pool deck. If you have heaters around the barbecue area, it won’t be hard for the chef to stay outside and do what he or she needs to do to prepare the meal. Even if you don’t so, the grill itself may provide enough heat to make the environment pleasant for the person preparing the food. You can still choose to eat inside, or you could eat out on your pool deck, depending on the weather.
Create Your Own Winter Wonderland
If you live in an environment where snow piles up high on your pool deck, you could embrace the snow and create a magical winter wonderland in your backyard. Perhaps your children could build a snow fort or a whole family of snowmen on your pool deck. You could create a maze for them to explore. Just be careful about hos slippery the surface is underneath the snow. You don’t want to risk slipping an falling on a hard concrete patio.
Sometimes you’re better off letting Mother Nature do what she wants to do than trying to fight it. Once the snow finally melts, you can begin preparing your pool for the summer.
