Baltimore Pool Deck Coating Revives Dated Community Pool

At the historical Druid Hill Park in Baltimore, MD, SUNDEK of Washington revives an old, outdated pool deck, giving it a new life as a stunning waterpark attraction for locals.
Posted by admin on October 16, 2023 in Blog

At Druid Hill Park in Baltimore, MD, SUNDEK of Washington resurfaced 34,000 square feet of concrete. “It was a concrete renovation project more than anything,” says Bob Miller, Vice President and General Manager at SUNDEK of Washington.

The historic Druid Hill Park in Baltimore, Maryland, hosts many community amenities: playgrounds, sports courts, trails, gardens, a pool, and more. Baltimore City set out to work on a huge reconstruction project for the entire park, and part of that included refurbishing the park’s pool area, which was built in 1954. Needing a high-quality surface for an updated waterpark, Baltimore-based GWWO, the award-winning design firm on the project, reached out to SUNDEK of Washington about resurfacing the pool deck.

Plano Coudon Construction Group, the main contractor who was awarded the work on this project, had previously worked with SUNDEK of Washington on about three other projects. After having such a great experience working with SUNDEK and being pleased with the results of each project, they wanted to work with SUNDEK as a subcontractor again on the Druid Hill Waterpark project. During the bidding period for this publicly funded project, SUNDEK discussed conceptual deck alternatives and provided the city with several mock-ups.

SUNDEK of Washington used Classic Texture to resurface the waterpark area. Six colors were used throughout the space: Peking Blue, Kahlua, Tweed Gray, Mission Tan, Bone White, and White.

Ultimately, after about three years of communications about the project, SUNDEK of Washington won the bid for the job, out of 18 contractors. In addition to providing mock-ups that fit into what the city was looking for (a resort-like recreation facility), SUNDEK was also able to provide product history and specifications on performance capabilities of the product on a deck of this size. “SUNDEK of Washington was honored to be selected for the project based off our past capabilities,” says Bob Miller, president of SUNDEK of Washington.

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For the deck surface, SUNDEK of Washington proposed a coating of Classic Texture. Classic Texture, also known as knockdown texture, is a non-porous acrylic coating that is comfortable and safe to walk on and stays much cooler than other surface types. In fact, Ethan High, project engineer with Plano Coudon Construction says that the deck stays “10 degrees cooler than typical concrete.” In addition to keeping the surface cooler and comfortable to walk on, the textured nature of Classic Texture also makes it slip resistant—a wonderful feature for a deck used by many people of varying ages.

At Druid Hill Park in Baltimore, MD, SUNDEK of Washington resurfaced 34,000 square feet of concrete. “It was a concrete renovation project more than anything,” says Bob Miller, Vice President and General Manager at SUNDEK of Washington.

High also notes that “the colors and design that went into the deck are also super cool.” The City of Baltimore opted for six colors for the main area: Peking Blue, Kahlua, Tweed Gray, Mission Tan, Bone White, and White. Lighter colors are best for pool decks, as they tend to stay much cooler than darker colors on especially hot summer days. Choosing colors for the job was a collaboration between SUNDEK and the other stakeholders.

In just 10 days, SUNDEK of Washington crews completely transformed the space to create a non-slip, stain-resistant, beautiful surface for visitors.

Every decorative concrete surface should be finished off with a high-quality sealer, especially a surface that sees as much foot traffic as this location. A sealer will protect the surface from staining when dirt gets tracked onto the surface or things like sunscreen or food and drinks are spilled by the many visitors that spend time by the pool. SUNDEK applied SunClear Acrylic sealer which will protect the deck, keeping it looking fantastic for many years. (The frequency of sealer reapplication depends on how often the surface is used and how exposed it is to the elements.)

Before renovation, the waterpark at Druid Hill was drab and damaged—in serious need of an upgrade. After completing their resurfacing job, SUNDEK of Washington left the city with a beautiful, multicolored surface that’s safe and comfortable to walk on.

By resurfacing the 34,000 square feet of waterpark at Druid Hill Park in just 10 days, SUNDEK of Washington efficiently and beautifully helped breathe new life into this historic space, creating a comfortable, safe, and attractive spot for locals to enjoy cooling off during summer for many years to come.

Related: Decorative Concrete Resurfacing in Baltimore

Looking for a contractor to resurface your pool deck?

At SUNDEK of Washington, we install beautiful, safe, and clean pool decks at municipal facilities, waterparks, and more.

Contact us about your project