Building a pool deck, start to finish
Decks & Porches · 5 min read ·
A deck around an above-ground pool goes in five moves: posts, a frame shaped to the pool, decking cut to the curve, stairs, then railings. On our farmhouse job that took one week in May 2026.
Day one: posts in a ring around the pool
On May 4 the first thing in the ground was a ring of posts around the above-ground pool. A pool deck has to fit something we did not build and cannot move, so the post layout follows the pool rather than a tidy rectangle on paper.
In most cases the pool and the deck should each stand on their own. The deck frame stays clear of the pool wall, and the decking comes up to meet the pool edge instead of leaning on it. Ask us about your pool at the site visit, because every model sits a little differently.
A frame that bends with the pool
Beams went across the posts that same day, and the joists followed. Rather than running every joist out to a straight end, we shaped the framing to the round edge of the pool, so there is wood under the boards right where they get trimmed.
That is the step most people never see once the boards are down. Our framing and stairs note goes deeper on posts, beams and joists and why they matter more than the boards on top.
Decking cut one board at a time
Decking started going down on May 5. Out in the open part of the deck the boards run long and straight. Along the pool, each board was measured and cut to follow the curve, which is what the photo at the top of this page shows.
It is slow work. The payoff is a deck that meets the pool cleanly all the way around, without a jagged gap or boards hanging out over the water.
Stairs down to the yard, then railings
On May 7 we set the stair stringers at the edge of the deck, and from May 8 to May 10 the stairs were built out. Where the stairs land is worth deciding early: it sets your path from the house and where wet feet hit the grass.
The last step was black metal railings around the deck and down both sides of the stairs. You can see the finished result on the farmhouse pool deck page, and our railings comparison covers why metal suited that yard.
Not every pool deck wraps the pool
Our second pool deck of 2026, at a cream-sided house in August, ran from an existing back porch out to the pool instead of circling it. Same steps, different shape: posts, frame, boards, then wood railings along the open sides.
So the first question is less about lumber and more about how you use the yard. Do you want to walk all the way around the pool, or just get from the back door to the ladder in a straight line?
Starting yours
The Design Studio lets you pick a pool deck, a starting size of 12x12, 12x16 or 16x20, a railing style and stairs. A pool deck is rarely a plain rectangle, so treat the size as a starting point and tell us about the pool in the notes.
We call you back, come out and measure around the pool, and give you a final price after that visit.
Questions
How long does it take to build a deck around an above-ground pool?
The Schaub and Sons farmhouse pool deck ran from May 4 to May 10, 2026: posts, beams and joists the first day, decking from May 5, stair stringers on May 7, then stairs and black metal railings through May 10. Timing on any pool deck depends on its size, the shape of the pool and the weather, so the schedule is set after the site visit.
Can a deck follow the round shape of an above-ground pool?
Yes. A deck can follow a round above-ground pool when the joists are framed to the pool edge and each deck board along the pool is cut to fit. Schaub and Sons built its May 2026 farmhouse pool deck that way, so the decking meets the pool edge cleanly instead of stopping in a straight line short of the water.
What order is a pool deck built in?
A pool deck is usually built in this order: posts set around the pool, beams across the posts, joists framed to follow the pool edge, deck boards laid and cut to fit, stair stringers set, stairs built out, and railings installed around the deck and down the stairs. Schaub and Sons followed that order on both of its 2026 pool decks.
How do I get a quote for a pool deck in Armstrong County?
To get a pool deck quote from Schaub and Sons, start a pool deck in the online Design Studio, fill out the quote form, or call 724-954-2329. Schaub and Sons calls back, visits the yard to measure around the pool, and gives a final price after that site visit. The crew works out of Kittanning in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania.
