By Tim Long
If you have just spent a large amount of money creating that perfect backyard experience, that last thing you should want is to notice the Details that should remain HIDDEN. You should see the beauty of the water, the color and feel of the stone, the brilliance of the fire reflecting off the water, or perhaps the combination of all these things. But you should NOT notice the necessary, but more mundane aspects of the project, such as the deck drains! Things such as this are required, necessary for quality functioning of the space. But why call attention to them. I have seen numerous installations, where builders have gone to the trouble and expense to add “brass” drain covers to their installations. Brass! I love brass, but the inherent beauty of this metal does not disguise the fact that it covers a drain. Instead it more importantly calls your attention to the drain. Granted a brass cover is better than a plastic drain cover, which are horrible obvious. However, there is altogether a better idea, HIDE the drains!
Hidden Drain Cover
Proper drainage is very important in most installations. It allows for excess water from splashing in the pool or from rain storms to be diverted to more appropriate areas. If no drainage is provided, the excess water is likely to find its way into the pool, carrying dirt from the deck. This can cause extra and unnecessary pool maintenance. The drainage is usually provided by buried drainage lines which are installed with an adequate amount of slope allowing gravity to pull the water and small debris down to areas away from the deck and pool. The drain covers carry the important function of restricting larger debris, which may clog the drain lines, from entering the system.
Drain covers are typically round covers with small, perhaps 1/4″ size, slots cut into the covers. As mentioned before the plastic and even the brass covers rarely blend into the surrounding deck material. However in a recent deck project, I found and installed a new drain cover which virtually hides this detail. The covers are indeed round, but are recessed into the deck and have a center section that can be filled with the same material as the rest of the deck, concrete or even stone, creating a virtually seamless appearance across the entire deck. The only thing that is visible is the small 1/4″ slot that surrounds the center piece. It is as hidden as possible and still be allowed to function as a drain cover.
Filling Drain Cover with Decorative Concrete
The installation of these covers should be considered from the start of any deck project since they must be installed prior to the deck installation. The underground system must be installed first. If concrete is to be poured, the drain covers, installed over the drain pipes must be at the required elevation of the finished deck. Next the concrete or decking material is installed. At this point the same material should be installed into the center section of the drain cover. The photo shows decorative concrete being poured into these sections. In this case the decorative pattern and color must also be applied. This makes the center sections blend into the rest of the deck.
With the installation complete, the drainage covers no longer call attention to themselves or distract from the beauty of the deck! More importantly, you can relax, enjoy your new creation, and pay attention to the details you will really want to see.
For a look another look at this detail, check out my video:
Tags: Construction, Decorative Concrete, Design, Patterned Concrete, Pool Decks, Pools, Spas