Textured Pool Deck Coating Adds Modern Flair to Austin Student Housing

Posted by admin on Aug 30, 2023 in Blog

Just one block from the University of Texas at Austin is Ion—a community designed for university students. At 20-stories high, Ion has it all: spacious apartments, a state-of-the-art fitness center, and a modern pool area. When this housing complex on San Antonio Street was in planning stages, the SUNDEK of Austin team was brought in to work with General Contractor Rogers O’Brien Construction.

At Ion, an apartment complex for students at University of Texas at Austin, SUNDEK of Austin installed this pool deck using Classic Texture, creating a surface that’s safe to walk on, beautiful to look at, and comfortable enough for bare feet on hot days.

In addition to getting a beautiful, functional, and safe surface for the 4th floor pool deck, patio, and general hangout area, the general contractor on the project also wanted to waterproof the entire area to protect it from damage for years to come. SUNDEK was able to meet all these requirements. “We did the waterproofing coating along with a Classic Texture finish,” says Scott Hubbard, sales manager for SUNDEK of Austin. “With this combination, we installed an ADA-compliant surface with a slip-resistant finish.”

First, SUNDEK installed SunLastic, a waterproof coating that protects the surface from water damage—a smart precautionary measure to take for a surface that sees a lot of foot traffic, has a pool, and is exposed to the elements all year long.

When waterproofing was complete, crews applied Classic Texture, the most popular of SUNDEK’s products for pool areas. This knockdown spray texture has many benefits. Most importantly, its textured quality provides a slip-resistant surface that makes it safe—even if it’s raining or lots of water has splashed onto it. Because of the non-porous acrylic finish, dirt, oil, and chemicals don’t tend to penetrate the concrete. This feature makes it easier to clean and maintain, even in places where spills commonly occur. Additionally, the surface doesn’t get unbearably hot on sweltering summer days. Rather, the surface remains comfortable due to the varying degrees of texture.

Classic Texture is a great product for many surface types including walkways, entryways, patios, pool decks, and more—especially in locations that see a lot of foot traffic, which is the case here at a pool deck built located in a student living complex.

A few steps down from the pool area is a comfortable spot for students to gather and lounge. The geometric design carries throughout the space, in varying colors of Bone White and Indian Wheat.

To give the pool deck and patio area a subtle yet sleek and modern look, SUNDEK of Austin created a geometric design. After getting design approval, crews carefully laid out the taped pattern. Finally, they used an alternating color scheme to finish off the look: Bone White and Indian Wheat. These colors not only serve to create a modern look, but they’re also neutral enough so they will coordinate with just about any color scheme for furniture and cushions the property owners may decide to go with in the future. On top of strategically choosing colors for a design purpose, light colors also keep the surface cooler than dark colors would.

Related: Cool Deck Coatings for Pools

One of the greatest challenges of a project like this is figuring out the logistics. That includes coordinating efforts with other contractors who were also completing their own job on the property. Additionally, working on the 4th story of a high-rise building with heavy equipment and lots of product poses challenges. On top of all that, elevator service was not up and running when SUNDEK was working at the jobsite. “We were palletizing materials and getting them lifted by crane to the podium deck as needed,” recalls Hubbard. “There were times when the crane wasn’t available and we needed to walk materials and tools up, which caused some slow-downs.”

Despite the obstacles presented, SUNDEK of Austin was able to complete this project in time and within budget. The result is a one-of-a-kind, modern pool deck that will provide a beautiful spot for students to hang out for years to come.

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