Choosing the right surface for a pool deck will ensure safety and enjoyment, as well as great looks. Homeowners are often drawn to bluestone for their pool decks, but there are a number of other options that can offer the same aesthetic while presenting advantages that natural bluestone does not. Bluestone is a type of flagstone. The term ‘bluestone’ is not a geological term but rather refers to the stones’ colors. Unilock offers a number of concrete pavers that present the blue, gray and brown shades of natural bluestone, as well as rich flagstone textures that are modeled directly from natural examples. The benefits of choosing concrete alternatives rather than natural bluestone are as varied as the pavers themselves. Here are 3 reasons to choose bluestone alternatives from Unilock for your Pearl River, NY pool deck.
Stain Resistance
The distinctive blue-gray tones of bluestone, often with flecks of golden brown, are aesthetically pleasing and create visual interest while picking up the colors of the pool, the sky, and the surroundings. You can achieve a similar aesthetic, with the added benefit of surface-integrated stain resistance, by choosing Unilock Westport EasyClean for your pool deck. Westport EasyClean is available in colors such as New York Blend and Steel Mountain which capture the handsome blue-gray visual appeal of bluestone, while the Bavarian and Sierra color options showcase cool grays with warm brown undertones for added variation. EasyClean Stain Resistance Technology from Unilock ensures that these pavers won’t stain and that spills can be easily wiped up. This is ideal for pool decks where pool salts and chlorine may leave residues. In addition, this proprietary technology ensures that clean-ups after luncheons by the pool are quick and effortless.
Related Read: 4 Unilock Concrete Pavers for Beauty and Durability
Dimensional Accuracy
Bluestone can be cut in dimensional shapes (squares and rectangles), or random shapes depending on the design aesthetic and personal preference. Because Unilock pavers are all precision cast to ensure complete dimensional accuracy and consistency of size. Using a concrete bluestone alternative, such as Unilock Richcliff in the Dawn Mist color option, can ensure efficient installation of your pool deck and better accommodate the addition of accent pavers, such as Series. Richcliff is available in a wide range of shape and size options. This gives you a variety of design options to make a statement with your pool deck and to tie the pool deck into the rest of your landscape design. Richcliff pavers are cast from actual flagstone pieces, ensuring a random appearance and the richly detailed look of natural stone.
Related Read: Unilock Umbriano Pavers Create A Magical Yet Functional Poolside Patio In This Pleasant Valley, NY Landscape
A Comfortable Surface for Bare Feet
One major challenge with using bluestone for a pool deck is that it tends to get hot. It isn’t just the stone’s dark color that contributes to the retention of heat, it’s something known as specific heat – some materials absorb and retain heat better, and bluestone is one of them. To overcome this, particularly for pool decks where a comfortable surface for bare feet is important, opt for a bluestone concrete alternative such as Thornbury from Unilock. With its color range of gently blended grays and earthy tones, Thornbury presents a convincing bluestone appearance. Concrete pavers tend to absorb less heat than natural bluestone, and for an even cooler surface, they can be installed using permeable installation techniques, which provides a breathable surface that remains cool in summer.
The title image features a Richcliff patio with Series accents.
