iOS Applications

There are couple of free iOS mobile applications that might you find useful for landscaping and decking.

One is Green Garden by the Aquarium of the Pacific. This lets you visually plan a garden. It gives you more than several ground covers, shrubs, flowers, and trees to choose from. Using the touch feature of your iPad or iPhone you can add or remove a digital representation of the plant easily. Each plant listed comes with a description and a link to its Wiki page. When you feel satisfied with a design you can simply save it to your iOS camera roll.

The decking related app is called Deck Visualizer. It's not a above ground pool deck app, but it's free and somewhat useful because it gives you a good picture of what different decking colors and styles will look like. The best thing about it is that you can upload a picture of your home or backyard, which gives you a quick visual preview of your future deck in a real setting. It could be useful during your above ground pool deck planning phase.

As always, enjoy your pool.

Regards,

Paul
How to Build a Pool Deck

Pool Deck Decoration Ideas

Some of you may already have above ground pool decks and are eagerly awaiting the fast approaching summer for a chance to use it.

That said, some of you may be building an above ground pool deck and you're planning on getting it done with enough time left this summer to enjoy it.

Either way, you'll likely want to add decorations to your pool deck that:

• Reflects your personal style

• Aesthetically blends with your home or indoor rooms
  

• Makes your pool deck a place where people want to be

Let's take the first point, you spent a considerable amount of time and money when building a deck around your pool. Decorations that reflect your personal style - or represents your family's tastes - is like your signature. It will say a lot about you. So have fun with it and make it look good.

Here are just a couple ideas that I'll throw out there... but the only real limit is your imagination...

• Do you collect antiques?
  

If so, maybe take some of your cheaper items that won't rust and include them around your pool deck for a nostalgic feel.

• Are you a gardener?

Then consider adding some plants around the perimeter of the deck. Succulents could work for you... just be careful not to splash chlorinated pool water on any plants you might use.

• Are you an outdoor enthusiast?

Remember, it's your personal style we're talking about here. Have fun with it.

That said, I'm not a landscape designer or art director. So I'll just suggest that you write down all the things that you and your family take great interest or passion in... then tinker and experiment with the details... and then go with what looks good and feels right to you.

Now let's take the second point from the first list above.

If you want a decoration that is compatible with your indoor rooms then find similar items for both places.

It's good to have your pool deck admired from the house and your home admired from your pool deck. If this is a priority for you, then compatibility and continuity in style for both places is important here.

One more thing to remember...

Any decorative item that you choose to include with your above ground pool deck must be safe and securely fastened or weighted down.

As always, enjoy your pool.

Best,

Paul Ottaviano
How to Build a Swimming Pool Deck