In Tempe, pool deck work usually means replacing a deck, not building a first one. In south Tempe, around Kiwanis Park and The Lakes, a lot of homes date from the 1970s and 1980s, and their original concrete pool decks have cracked, stained or pulled away from the coping. In older central Tempe, the decks can be even older. New pavers and coping go in as one job, and a damaged paver can be swapped out later.
What a Tempe paver pool deck runs
Figure the deck at 600 to 1,000 square feet, with coping running 90 to 95 linear feet around the pool. In Tempe, decks that size come to these installed totals:
- Concrete pavers: $7,000 to $13,400
- Natural stone or travertine: $11,000 to $21,000
- Porcelain: $15,700 to $27,000
Removing an old concrete deck adds about $1,500 to $3,000. A freeform pool adds about $270 to $285 in coping over a straight-edged pool. After that, deck size is the biggest lever.
Worked example: a 600 square foot deck around a straight-edged pool, redone in concrete pavers with new coping and the old concrete removed, comes to about $8,500 to $9,850. The measure confirms it, and the estimator can ballpark yours now.
Remodeling a 1970s or 1980s Tempe pool deck
After 40 or 50 years, an original concrete deck has usually cracked along its joints, settled in spots, or separated from the coping. Patches don't fix that. The fix is a full replacement: out come the old deck and coping, the grade gets corrected, and a compacted base goes in. New coping is set first, then the field pavers, edge restraint and swept joint sand, with a final compaction to finish.
Splash and rain need somewhere to go, so the deck falls toward the yard, never back into the pool or against the house. The small, even joints between pool pavers are deliberate, and our post on paver joint gaps explains why.
Coping and color choices
Coping is the part of the deck you touch most. Bullnose coping gives a rounded, finished edge that's comfortable to sit on. On a freeform pool, every coping piece is cut to follow the curve, which is where the extra cost comes from. Here's what clean bullnose coping and mitered corners look like.
For color, we steer people toward lighter tones, because dark pavers hold heat in a Tempe summer. Travertine carries a natural stone price and a classic look. Porcelain gives the cleanest modern look and costs the most. Concrete pavers cover the widest range of colors at the lowest price.
Lake lots, flood irrigation and small yards
At The Lakes, some pools sit close to the water, so the runoff plan matters even more. Deck water should go to the yard or a drain, not straight into the lake. In older neighborhoods on Tempe's flood irrigation, the deck is kept above the water line and outside the flooded area, and the berm stays whole.
On smaller lots, the pool and deck can take up most of the backyard. Tying the deck, patio and side-yard walk together in one paver and border keeps it from looking chopped up. If you're at The Lakes or in another HOA community, the association's approval of material and color comes before your install date.
Paver Pool Decks in Tempe: Frequently Asked Questions
What does a Tempe paver pool deck run, with coping?
A typical deck with coping runs $7,000 to $13,400 in concrete pavers, $11,000 to $21,000 in natural stone or travertine, and $15,700 to $27,000 in porcelain. Removing the old concrete deck adds about $1,500 to $3,000.
My pool deck is the original 1970s concrete. Should I replace it?
If it's cracked, settled or pulling off the coping, yes. Patching never matches the old concrete. A full redo means a new base, new coping and new pavers.
Can you replace the coping at the same time?
Yes. Coping is part of the deck price, about 90 to 95 linear feet on a typical pool. A freeform pool adds about $270 to $285 for the extra cutting.
Do pavers get hot around a pool in Tempe?
Every surface gets warm in a Tempe summer. Lighter colors stay more comfortable than dark ones, so we usually steer people toward a light paver, travertine or porcelain for the deck.
Will my HOA at The Lakes need to see the pool deck material?
Plan on submitting the material and color if your home is in an HOA. We bring samples and product names for the form, and we check the city's requirements too before setting the install date.