Pool decking

What slip rating should pool decking have?

Slip classes come from AS 4586. There are three tests, and each gives its own scale:

ACO’s table of SA HB 198:2014 recommended minimums gives P4 with barefoot class B for pool surrounds and P5 with class C for pool ramps and stairs into the water. Balconies and courtyards are P4 or R11. The test angles classify a surface in a lab and aren’t installation angles. Attar, a testing lab, says the wet barefoot test suits pool surrounds.

What do the board makers claim?

• ModWood says Marina is R11 and suits wet areas such as jetties and boardwalks, with no pool statement on the page. Xtreme Guard is P5 and is described as perfect for wet areas like pools, spas and marinas, unaffected by chlorine or salt water pools.
• NewTechWood says the 210 mm Coastal boards carry a P5 rating and suit decking around pools. It also says chlorinated pool water won’t harm the boards, but undiluted chlorine and pool salt shouldn’t be spilled directly on them.
• Futurewood’s technical statement is a New Zealand document, not an Australian one. It gives P5 for a sanded finish and recommends a slip-resistant finish around swimming pools.
• Ekodeck and Millboard: we found no pool statement or slip rating on the pages we could read.

ModWood says its brushed surface gives a better non-slip feel in wet areas around pools, and warns that dark colours can get quite hot underfoot.

What fixings suit a pool deck?

For timber decks, WoodSolutions’ TDG 21 requires stainless steel fixings in pool splash zones, which it takes as within 1.0 m of the pool edge, and within 1 km of the coast. Framing fixings should be hot-dipped galvanised or stainless, and electroplated fasteners aren’t suitable. See decking screws. For composite, use the clips or screws your maker specifies.

What about the pool barrier?

The rules are state-based and set by the pool standard. The Victorian Building Authority’s self-assessment checklist, hosted by Monash Council, gives:

• a barrier at least 1,200 mm high
• a 900 mm non-climbable zone outside it, clear of climbable objects, other than boundary fences
• a 300 mm non-climbable zone inside
• a barrier for any pool holding more than 300 mm of water

A deck beside a pool can create a climbable object, so check the clearance with your council or certifier before you build. We couldn’t read AS 1926.1 itself.

What should you ask the maker?

Which AS 4586 class the board carries, in which test, and whether the pool chemical statement is in the warranty. Then see which composite boards are sold and whether decking gets hot.