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UpkeepPool Decking & Coping

How do I keep a pool deck from getting slippery?

Keep the surface clean, because algae and film are what make a deck slick, and keep water from standing on it. Scrub shaded and damp areas on a schedule, rinse away from the pool, and avoid glossy sealers, which add shine. A deck that is smooth and slick even when clean needs a non-slip treatment applied by a pro.

Free to ask. Local shops send quotes, and you pay only when you book one.

By Kasra Taheri, Founder, LoclisPublished

Researched and drafted with AI, then checked claim by claim against the sources listed below before it was published. Prices and rules change; the dates beside each source say when it was last checked.

Step by step

Read when to stop and call a pro, further down this page, before you start.

  1. Step 1: Find the slick spots

    Walk the deck after rain or a hosing and note where it feels slick or looks green, black or dark: shade, the north side, under trees and around steps.

  2. Step 2: Sweep it first

    Sweep off leaves, dirt and debris so you are scrubbing the surface and not a layer of mud.

  3. Step 3: Scrub the film off

    Scrub with a stiff-bristle brush and a mild deck detergent, working across the texture. The deck should be free of dirt, debris, algae or other material that may contaminate the pool.[1]

  4. Step 4: Rinse away from the pool

    Rinse with a hose and push the dirty water away from the pool edge and off the deck. Do not use a pressure washer at close range on old concrete, which can pit it.

  5. Step 5: Deal with standing water

    Look for puddles that stay after the rest of the deck dries. A deck must drain properly,[1] so mark the low spots and keep drains and gutters clear.

  6. Step 6: Cut the shade and damp

    Trim back branches or plants that keep a patch wet, and move planters and furniture legs that hold water against the surface.

  7. Step 7: Add traction where feet land

    Put a slip-resistant mat or outdoor runner at steps and the pool ladder, and lift it to dry out regularly so it does not grow its own film.

  8. Step 8: Skip the glossy sealer

    If you reseal, avoid high-gloss products: most acrylic sealers leave a glossy shine to some extent.[3] Ask a pro about a non-slip additive instead.

What makes a pool deck slippery

A pool deck turns slick for two reasons: something is growing or sitting on it, or the surface itself is too smooth. Most of the time it is the first, and the fix is regular cleaning and getting water off the deck faster.

Shade, damp and splashing water are what let algae and film build up. The Los Angeles County pool inspection guide puts it bluntly for the pool itself: "Algae is detrimental because it raises the demand for free chlorine in the pool water, and can make the water turbid, and is a slip-hazard."[1] The same slime on the deck is the reason it feels like ice after a rain. Sunscreen, body oil and pollen add to it. The second reason is a surface that was troweled very smooth or has worn smooth, or a glossy sealer that put a shine on it.

An oval garden swimming pool seen from a tiled terrace with a white table
Photo: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

What a good deck looks like

Rules for public pools give a picture of the goal. The Virginia Department of Health's pool guide says curbs and sidewalks around any pool shall have a slip resistant surface for a width of not less than one foot at the edge of the pool.[2] It also says: "The deck should slope away from the pool ¼ inch per foot and be provided with one floor drain per 100 square feet of surface area."[2] A deck that drains and dries is far less slippery. Los Angeles County inspectors are told to note when the pool deck is not slip-resistant,[1] and to check that the deck is free of dirt, debris, algae and other material.[1] A backyard pool is not inspected like this, but those are the right things to look at.

Clean on a schedule

Sweep first, then scrub. A stiff-bristle brush and a mild deck detergent do more than a hose. Work in the shaded and damp areas, around steps and along the pool edge, where film builds fastest. Rinse the dirty water away from the pool. Do it often enough that the deck never has time to go green, which means more often in shade and under trees.

Skip a pressure washer at close range on old concrete, which can pit the surface and make it rougher in the wrong way, and be careful with strong cleaners near plants and the pool water.

Keep water moving off

A deck that stays wet gets slick. Look for puddles that last after the rest of the deck dries, and for leaves packed into drains. Keep gutters and deck drains clear and trim shade where you can. LA County's inspection guide says a deck must drain properly.[1] A deck that holds water in one place has settled or was poured without enough slope, and that is the case for a contractor, not a brush. Read how to fix cracks in a concrete pool deck if the low spot has cracks too.

Treat the surface, not just the dirt

If the deck is clean and still slick when wet, the surface needs texture. Be careful about what you put on it. Most acrylic sealers leave a glossy shine to some extent,[3] which is the opposite of what you want. Sealer makers sell non-slip additives for this: one manufacturer's sealer data sheet says to add its additive to the final coat of sealer for a slip-resistant surface,[4] and the additive's own sheet describes it as a colorless, finely graded polypropylene non-slip additive for sealers and coatings.[5] It can be used to create a static coefficient of friction of 0.8 or greater, with results that vary by coating, substrate and application, and it is for professional use only.[5] That is a job to hand to a concrete contractor, who can test a patch first. If the deck is worn out, resurfacing or replacing it may be the better answer, and what a pool deck redo costs in Virginia will help you budget.

Stop and call a pro if

  • The deck is slick even when clean and dry-looking. The surface is too smooth and needs texture or resurfacing.
  • Water ponds in one place for hours after rain. The slope or drainage needs correcting.
  • The sealer is peeling, white or flaking. It has failed and will not hold traction.
  • The slab is cracking, sinking or heaving. A tripping hazard is a bigger problem than a slippery one.
  • You are thinking of a coating that is labelled professional use only, such as a non-slip additive.

Hiring in Virginia

If the work you are considering is valued at $1,000 or more, a valid Virginia Contractor's License is required for the license category in which the contractor is to work.[6] Check any concrete contractor on DPOR before you sign.

More guidance is in pool and spa answers and the pool and spa directory. When you are ready, describe the slippery deck and licensed local contractors quote it.

Common questions

Is there a standard for how slip-resistant a pool deck should be?
For public pools, yes. Virginia Department of Health pool guidance says the curbs and sidewalks around any pool shall have a slip resistant surface for at least one foot at the pool edge. Los Angeles County inspectors write up a deck that is not slip-resistant. Residential decks do not get that inspection, but the same logic applies to a surface children run on barefoot.
Can I just paint or seal the deck for grip?
Not with an ordinary sealer. Most acrylic sealers leave a glossy shine to some extent, which makes a smooth deck slicker when wet. Manufacturers sell separate non-slip additives that are mixed into a sealer; Euclid's data sheet for one says it can be used to create a static coefficient of friction of 0.8 or greater, with results that vary by coating and surface, and that it is for professional use only.
Why is my deck slippery only in one corner?
Usually shade, damp or a puddle. Algae and film grow where a surface stays wet. Trim back what shades the spot, check whether water collects there after the rest of the deck dries, and clean it more often. If the low spot stays wet, the deck may need to be re-sloped, which is a job for a contractor.
Does the deck slope matter?
Yes. A deck that drains is a deck that dries. The Virginia Department of Health's pool guide says a public pool deck should slope away from the pool 1/4 inch per foot and have one floor drain per 100 square feet of surface area. That is guidance for public pools, but a backyard deck that holds water is the one that grows algae.

Sources

  1. [1] Public Pool Inspection Guide, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Environmental Health. Checked October 28, 2026.
  2. [2] Pool Operation and Maintenance Guide (compiled 2018), Portsmouth Health Department, Virginia Department of Health. Checked October 28, 2026.
  3. [3] Diagnosing 5 Common Concrete Sealer Problems, Euclid Chemical. Checked October 28, 2026.
  4. [4] INCRETE CLEAR SEAL (technical data sheet), Euclid Chemical. Checked October 28, 2026.
  5. [5] INCRETE SHUR-GRIP, skid-resistant additive for sealers (technical data sheet), Euclid Chemical. Checked October 28, 2026.
  6. [6] What You Should Know Before You Hire a Contractor, Virginia Board for Contractors, Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation. Checked October 28, 2026.

Want a pro to handle it?

Describe the job once. Licensed local businesses send quotes, and you pay only when you book one.