Why Decking Material Matters More in Lighthouse Point Than Almost Anywhere Else in Broward

Lighthouse Point sits differently than most of the cities we build in. With finger canals running through nearly every neighborhood and much of the housing stock oriented around direct water access, a huge share of the pools we’re asked to design or renovate here sit within a few dozen feet of saltwater canals or the Intracoastal. That proximity changes the calculus on decking in a way that doesn’t apply to an inland Plantation or Davie backyard.

Salt air corrodes, stains, and accelerates wear on decking materials at a noticeably faster rate near open water. So when a Lighthouse Point homeowner asks us “what should we deck the pool in,” the honest answer starts with “how close are you to the canal” before it gets to aesthetics.

The Three Natural Stone Options We Recommend Most

Travertine. Still the most requested material for South Florida pool decks, and for good reason — it’s naturally porous, which keeps it cool underfoot even in direct August sun, and it takes a tumbled or brushed finish that stays slip-resistant when wet. In a canal-front application, we specify a sealed, filled travertine (rather than unfilled/tumbled) because the sealed surface resists salt intrusion into the stone’s pores better over time. Unsealed travertine can pit and discolor faster within a few hundred feet of brackish water.

Coral stone (keystone). A Florida-native quarried stone with genuine local character — visible fossilized coral and shell texture that reads as authentic rather than manufactured. It’s naturally slip-resistant and holds up extremely well to salt exposure, which is exactly why you’ll see it on a lot of older waterfront estates in this part of Broward. The tradeoff is cost and lead time; coral stone runs meaningfully higher than travertine and isn’t always readily available in large format pavers.

Shellstone. A lighter-toned, more budget-conscious cousin to coral stone, with similar durability characteristics but a smoother, more uniform look. It’s a strong middle-ground choice for homeowners who want genuine stone performance near the water without coral stone’s premium price point.

The Question We Get Asked Most: “Will Salt Air Ruin My Deck?”

Not if the material and sealing schedule match the site. The real risk isn’t the stone itself — it’s skipping resealing. In a standard inland pool, we typically recommend resealing natural stone decking every 2–3 years. On a Lighthouse Point canal-front property, we tighten that to closer to 18–24 months, because salt aerosol accelerates the breakdown of sealer film. Homeowners who skip this step are the ones who come back to us five years later asking why their coral stone looks chalky or their travertine has developed dark mineral staining at the joints.

If you’re doing a saltwater pool conversion at the same time as a decking project — a common pairing we see in this market — it’s worth having that conversation with your contractor up front, since the pool’s own salt chlorination adds a second, closer source of salt exposure beyond the canal air.

A Lot Consideration Specific to This City

Because so many Lighthouse Point lots are narrower and canal-oriented, decking layout often has to work around dock access, seawalls, and setback requirements from the canal easement — not just the pool shell itself. We frequently design decking in an L-shape or wraparound configuration that preserves a clear walking path to the dock while still giving the pool area enough usable hardscape for lounging and entertaining. This is a different planning exercise than a typical inland rectangular lot, and it’s worth discussing early, before stone selection, since paver size and layout pattern both affect how well the deck reads on an irregular footprint.

Timing Your Project

Late summer and early fall — where we are right now — is a reasonable time to plan a decking replacement or a full pool remodel, since permitting and material lead times mean a project started now often lands construction in the cooler, drier months, which is generally the more comfortable build season in South Florida.

Custom Watershapes Inc. is a licensed, family-owned pool construction and remodeling contractor (License #CPC1458973) serving Lighthouse Point and the surrounding Broward and Palm Beach County waterfront communities. If you’re weighing decking materials for a canal-front property, we’re happy to walk the site and talk through what actually holds up in your specific location — reach us at (954) 637-3075.