I figure this is a topic that I would like to chime in on. Salt pools in the US started becoming popular like Kelly said about 10 years ago. I as a pool builder am leary of any new technology that has not ben thouroghly tested. Even though I do install the systems when asked to I still give the pros and cons of using these systems. This all being said I have seen a trend over the past few years. For every salt system that I install I am removing 2 of the systems on other pools. Why is this you ask. In most cases it in the stone around the pool being washed away. And others are from equipment failures caused by the salt. Many will argue on here that salt is not corrosive and that bonding of a pool will solve these problems. I disagree. I build my pools properly and when I continue to have the same problems on salt pools that I do not have on Regular erosion feeder systems. I have to question what is the problem. And the common factor is the salt systems. Nothing else. As far as Ozone systems. this is another system that I do not believe in. I think it is a big waste of money. Just another gimic for you to buy to put on your pool. Now even though I do not see the problems with this system that you see with salt I do not see the benefit of using them. This all leads back to my personal opinion that they have been using chlorine for well over 100 years on pools and never have seen the service issues that we see today with all the different type of chorination and augmentations sytems that are installed now days. So if it ain't broke don't fix it. Good luck on the pool build.

Hi Mary, In doing some research, it's my understanding that any film-forming sealer will attract more heat. The penetrating sealers, whether they be water or solvent based, are better around water. I've been looking at the Miracle line of sealers, specifically the 511 Porous Plus, and have just ordered samples from a company called Aldon. There is however, another slew of products that use additives for slip resistance, ie..sand or the like. I was overwhelmed when trying to figure those out, lol! Another way to decrease the heat would be to sandblast the surface. With less surface area due to holes/indentations, there is less heat when you're standing barefoot. I will most likely find a happy medium as I can choose the level of sandblasting when the casting is done. I would advise to be careful with the film forming sealers. And anything with gloss will make the surface hotter and possibly slippery, unless you are using an additive, which if I'm correct, are used in epoxy coatings mostly. I was told to stay away from those by my paver installers. Hope this helps, I'm by no means an expert, but have been trying to find as much info as I can before these go in. The companies I've contacted have been wonderful in their support, but as far as finding user recommendations...that hasn't been successful. Karin

golfgeek, why do you say that Kool Deck is not an option for cured concrete? I think there are other products Sun Deck that are very similair to Kool Deck (can't tell them apart after installation)that can be used on cured concrete. I have a 10 yr old patio and sidewalk that joins my newly installed pool deck. I have a quote to install SunDeck over both the old and the new. I think they do prep the old concrete first somehow prior to application as it is more $/sqft than newly installed concrete. Am I missing something here that I should now about?

True ... it can be tricky working with rounded patterns such as the corners of your existing patio. But the answer is not to ignore them and go radically different because of fear and a present dislike. It is to be more careful in coordinating the new with the old. But the only way this is possible is by working in plan view, which would give an ACCURATE picture of what exists. Presently, we have no idea. I would add that it's high risk to incorporate a radically different style immediately next to an existing style. It's not impossible as Pei's pyramid in front of the Louvre demonstrates. But are we looking for something that different and willing to take the chance? For every attempt at doing that, I'm sure there are many failures or less than stellar results. It would be more reasonable to presume that we're not all world class architects and shoot for something compatible and in the same family. And then, in regards to your statement, "Maybe it's [the patio appearance] partially because the yard has no landscaping yet." Let me add some punctuation ... !!!!! Absolutely! It's impossible to be thrilled with a patio that is surrounded on all sides by veritable barren wasteland.