Hello tresw....I went and talked to Hobert today after reading your other thread. They told me it is their name for Kool Deck. Is that what you found out? I liked the look of it....but don't know how it would look transitioning from aggregate to kool deck. Look forward to seeing more pictures on your other thread. We are still looking at other bids from competing builders.

Hi Bob, we did go by there yesterday. Did you see the stamped/ stained coating they do as well? It looks really nice, but EVERYONE including the people that work there say it is HOT on the feet! One lady said she finds herself apologizing to guests at her own pool about it all the time, LOL! We eliminated that as an option based on the hot-foot problem.

They said that Master Deck replaced Kool Deck and that it is about as forgiving on the feet as anything you can get (as long as you don't go too dark on the color). Apparently Kool Deck had some kind of matrix that was applied to the concrete, then the coating went over that. They were having delamination problems with it in the DFW area, so quit using it and replaced it with Master Deck. Master Deck looks the same as Kool Deck, but the coating goes directly on the concrete (no matrix). They say they've had good longevity from it. The patio at the showroom has been in 3 years and was in perfect shape. If you're wondering about their deck prices:

Washed aggregate- 7.25 s/f
Master Deck- 9.75 s/f
Patterned & stained concrete- 12.50 s/f

We like how the Master Deck looks and we also like that it contrasts well with the existing washed aggregate patio. We're just trying to decide if we like it 875 bucks worth, haha! That's the cost difference on the 350 s/f worth of decking we have.

By the way, if you end up going with Hobert tell them we sent you and we'll get a referral fee which we'll be happy to split with you :-) I think it's 300 bucks.

Forgot to mention, if you haven't talked to Masterpiece Pools you should check them out as well. A buddy of mine had his pool done by them and was exceedingly happy about the job they did for him. Link below.

Here is a link that might be useful: Masterpiece Pools

We will definitely post if we go with Hobert and go half on the referral. We have Riverbend coming out this week. I like the kooldeck/masterdeck as well. Our neighbors have stamped concrete and I am not really pleased with it. It seems slippery to us. We definitely want something with some grip...especially with kids. I am still wondering...are you getting a heater and spa? We don't want the hot tub and everyone is giving us a hard time.
Post some pictures!!!

I missed your spa/ heater question in the other thread, I just posted a response there. The short answer is for now we're not going with a heater or spa, but we may later add solar or an attic heater and a free-standing spa.

We were told that the stamped/ stained concrete is quite slippery in addition to being hot! Not a good combo for something right next to the pool :-)

After a lot of thought we decided to stick with the washed aggregate for the decking. The manufacturer's warranty on the Master Deck is only 2 years which doesn't inspire a lot of confidence! Washed aggregate is integral to the concrete rather than being a coating like the Master Deck, so longevity will not be an issue. Our patio and sidewalk have been in 7 years and still look great. It's also not hot on the feet, has good traction and hides dirt well.