Pool Decks

Tom Ralston was invited to consult on an 8000 SF modern home in Aruba designed by Architect Gary Ostermann in 2012. Tom and his crew started the 8000 SF residence and an additional 8000 SF exterior including a gorgeous lap pool with an endless edge in the fall of 2013 and finished on Easter Sunday 2014. The house and surround has an incredible modern architectural flair that is light bright and will serve homeowners and guests extremely well.

The upstairs library and study, bedrooms, and guest rooms had a blend of color hardener that is different from the lower concrete floors while the pool deck and exterior had another blend of color and texture yet. All in all the project is stunning.

This was one of TRC's more complicated hillside projects that had many civil, structural and aesthetic challenges. Weeks of excavation for a elaborate drain system and footings that would eventually support a wall that eventually supported an entire lap pool. The simple but elegant side stairs lead to an organic garden which is flanked by a spectacular pool that lights up in various colors. Two firebowls with 4-colors of blue glass stand proud atop of columns at each end of the lap pool and flames speak to a grand firepit which also features the same blue glass rocks within. With deck colors of sandstone, platinum colored walls and columns and Classic grey caps and coping this became an elegant pool and hardscape.

The Saratoga Hills project was challenging and completely transformed a hillside. At at the same time this beautiful project won top honors at the 2012 World of Concrete for Best Overall Decorative Concrete Project. The project has an arched meandering staircase with a handsome bullnose cantilever on each riser. There are 3 distinguishing colors and textures for this project that provided stunning results. Also stunning is the lighting and its arrangement. TRC placed a large Lumi Lumi ball in the Grand Oak that sits like the Old Master above his expanse of Pool, Fountain and Fire Pit. The colors that were introduced in the copings, pool deck, upper patio and walls as well as the Pinapple/Tangerine glass in the fire pit combined with the Almaden City view are nothing short of breathtaking. See San Jose Mercury article and January 2012 Concrete Decor - Silicon Valley Sculpted Hillside for more on the project.

The Eschen Pool Deck was was constructed in 2001. TRC poured all of the architectural concrete on the project including columns, patios and of course the 2800 SF pool deck. The coping was poured with white cement and a Carmel colored pigment and featured an ornate bullnose form to provide the cantilever nosing. The pool deck had a dust on color applied and was acid stained with an amber one week after the pour. TRC was asked in May of 2012 to refurbish the pool deck and apply an acid stain and sealer; judge for yourself but we found the results stunning.

The Raptor Lane Casa is located on top of a hill near Mount Madonna in Santa Cruz County, CA. The views from the pool deck boast most of the Monterey Bay and surrounding forests. The pool deck walls, stairs and surrounds are made with blended grey color hardeners and have a hint of Sparkle Grain by Pacific Palette that gives it a subtle sparkle.  The beautiful, grand Casa was designed by Italian New York Architect Aldo Andreoli. TRC worked on this absolutely amazing project for over 4-months with esteemed General Contractor Greg Howerton (see the Patio). The property was featured in Santa Cruz Style Magazine Summer 2012.

The Almaden Pool Deck is surrounded by large and beautifully placed granite boulders that were imported from the Lake Tahoe area.  TRC also poured the concrete countertops that surrounded a Piccolo pizza oven by Mugniani. The stairs that flanked the pool deck had round sandstone cantilever edges. The concrete patio and pool deck used a Caesar texture mat and a custom TRC rock stamp. TRC refurbished this 2001 pool deck in 2012 and it looks beautiful and brand new.

This spectacular swimming pool, its deck and surrounds is located on the North Coast of Santa Cruz County. Not too often does one get the request to “paint” colors into a swimming pool to give a tide pool effect but this is exactly what the patient ordered and the doctor responded. While the pool plasterers were plastering Tom Ralston was dusting---dusting 5-different colors into the pool plaster. The results as featured in these pictures were an amazing combination of subtle colors that mimic tidal pools that are only minutes away from the project. Ten years later the owner, who swims laps weekly while wearing goggles says the colors in his swimming pool plaster still make him smile. The pool deck and removable concrete pool cover tiles use a blend of platinum grey and stone grey is over 3000 SF while the pool itself has over 2000 SF of multiple colored plaster. Read more about the Mills pool deck in October 2011 Concrete Decor - Bay Colored Pool.

The Quito Road Project incorporates an amazing outdoor kitchen including a pizza oven and Rumford fireplace that surrounds the pool deck and spa. Concrete benches flank the Rumford lending sitters to view the Three Rivers Flagstone and Dark Brown Acid Stained concrete pool deck and patio. Not to be denied a complete day of food and fun the project also included a Bocci Ball court adjacent to the outdoor kitchen, pool and spa. See Concrete Decor - "Refreshing Pool Decks" for more on the project.

Surrounded by copious amounts of hillside and dry grass, this quite Corralitos Country home had 20 years of baking in the summertime. Thus one could say that it screamed out for a cool pool to soothe eyes and bodies. This is what TRC provided David Jones but not without the aid of massive footings and walls to allow a new pool to safely nestle into the hillside. David decided that since this was his final home he was going to invest in not only a pool but also in a Rumford Fireplace, a BBQ, a bathroom, an endless edge that sends eyes drifting over the waters edge into the wooded canyons and ultimately out to the stunning Monterey Bay views. David chose to have the walls stuccoed with a Yellowstone color and the pool decking and stairs acid stained.

This Corralitos bejeweled pool deck has an Amber acid stain color and a Victorian swirl texture. The pool deck is size-able (over 2400 SF) and its ambiance lends itself to frequent poolside parties and BBQ's. The organic looking stain that was chosen for the pool deck is loaded with iron oxides; it became the perfect choice for this particular pool deck that is surrounded by lush palm trees and a green forest of indigenous oaks.