Honed / Polished Concrete Around Pool - Cost? Look Good?

When choosing a material for your pool surrounds, you’ll find plenty of potential options. From paving stones to more varieties of concrete than you may have ever known existed, choosing this detail of your pool’s landscaping can be deceptively complex.

Honed and polished concrete are very similar options that many pool owners opt for. But, how do they stack up against other pool coping materials?

In this article, we will cover what honed or polished concrete is, how it looks, and what the unique benefits and drawbacks of this concrete type are.

What Is Honed / Polished Concrete?

Honed / polished concrete creates a smooth and shiny outdoor flooring surface. This concrete undergoes mechanical processing where the surface of it is cut, ground flat, and then polished to achieve the desired effect.

These two concrete types are slightly different, although their appearance and function remain nearly identical.

Honed concrete has a topical sealant applied to its surface during the final stages of production.

In contrast, polished concrete goes through a chemical process that serves to harden and increase the density of the concrete’s surface. Both of these approaches create the polished concrete finish we often refer to as honed concrete.

Benefits And Drawbacks Of Honed / Polished Concrete

Benefits

Non-slip

Honed concrete for pools is finished with a non-slip grit, helping you and other pool-goers from slipping when running around wet. This feature makes it a great fall-free surface for surrounding your swimming pool.

Budget-Friendly

Polished concrete tends to be cheaper than other types of concrete. While stamped concrete can cost upwards of $120 per square metre, honed concrete costs about $75 per square metre.

Virtually Indestructible

Polished or honed concrete surfaces around a swimming pool make the most durable surface options. These surfaces are known to last for decades, even without resealing, and will likely outlast your pool itself.

Drawbacks

Plain

Unlike stamped concrete, honed or polished concrete has a fairly plain appearance. While this makes it adaptable to many landscaping designs, in many cases it appears as more of an afterthought than as a well-incorporated design element.

Maintenance

Although it is long-lasting, polished or honed concrete will need to be cleaned to maintain its appearance. Because of its texture, debris easily gathers in the grit of the surface of this concrete and can make it look dirty.

Washing it every couple of months with a strong hose nozzle will keep it in tip-top condition.

Conclusion

Polished or honed concrete both make for great options for the paving that you lay down around your pool. This concrete is poured, sanded, and polished by professionals, giving it an almost shiny surface.

If you go for honed concrete specifically, you can expect an exceptionally shiny final product. Compared to plain concrete, it makes a much more preferable option in terms of aesthetics.

Do you have any questions about honed or polished concrete? Leave us a comment down below! We’d love to help answer any remaining questions you may have.