Prevent Slips And Falls Around Your Backyard Pool With These Tips & Tricks

When you're preparing your home to host summer parties, you're probably thinking about how to make sure that your swimming pool area is safe for your friends and family. Slipping and falling on pool decks can lead to serious injuries, especially if you have young children who like to play around your pool deck. Even worse, if someone falls into the pool there's a risk of drowning. Luckily, there are several ways to make your deck less of a hazard and prevent falls, such as applying a non-slip coating to your deck or adding rubber mats around the pool's edge.

Tile decking, smooth concrete, and some natural stone materials — like granite and marble — tend to be slicker than some other surfaces like brick, wood, and textured stone or concrete. If you're considering building a new pool surround, this will be something to think about while selecting the material for your pool deck. No matter what type of deck you have, there are ways to help make it safer and prevent poolside falls.

While you could replace your entire deck with a new, less slippery material if need be, this is an expensive and impractical solution for preventing falls around your pool. Instead, look into what kind of non-slip coating is best for your deck. These sealants typically add texture to the surface of the deck, lessening the chances of slipping, while other coatings may rely on a chemical change to provide more traction. 

With concrete patios, a common solution is to add glass beads, silica, sand, or other rougher materials to a sealant and apply that over the deck. While a savvy person with lots of DIY experience may be able to do this on their own, it's likely best to contact a professional to ensure you're using the best non-slip coating for the type of deck you have. Different types are available for wood decks as well as tile. Covering your entire deck or a wide area around the pool is one of the best ways to ensure a safe pool environment.

For those that want even more protection against falls or if you aren't able to add a non-slip coating to your deck just yet, rubber pool mats are a good solution. Though they are not as aesthetically pleasing, they do provide traction when walking, will allow the water to drain below them, and can be a bit more cost effective. An eight pack of square, interlocking deck mats costs about $29 on Amazon and can be a quick way to make your pool safer. These can be placed all around the edges of your pool or in high-risk areas, such as in front of the steps or ladders.

If you're looking to cover a larger area, the 10-foot drainage rubber matting for $80 on Amazon could be more convenient. Frequently cleaning your deck can also prevent any algae from growing and making the area even more slick. Additionally, adding a "no running" sign on your deck could help to remind kids and guests how to be safe around your pool.