Published April 18, 2026 • MyPool • Minnesota pool surround guide
Most people think concrete versus pavers is just a style decision.
In Minnesota, it is not.
Freeze thaw cycles, drainage, soil movement, and automatic cover loads all change how a pool surround needs to be built. What works in other states does not always work here.
If you are deciding what should go around your pool, this is the part most homeowners never get told clearly.
The Minnesota Standard Most People Do Not Know
Every properly built pool in Minnesota should have a minimum 3 foot concrete apron around it.
This matters for a few big reasons:
- It provides surface strength to the top lip of the pool
- It is even more important with automatic cover pools
- It helps establish pitch and move water away from the pool
- It improves the chances of subsurface water staying away from the pool structure
Groundwater against a pool is bad regardless of pool type. The concrete apron is a big part of doing the area around the pool the right way in Minnesota.
Concrete Pool Decks
Concrete is by far the most common option, and for good reason.
- Best bang for the buck
- Clean look that works especially well with rectangle pools
- Great fit for automatic covers
- Fast, efficient installation
- Strong, reliable perimeter around the pool
Yes, concrete can crack. That is reality in this climate.
But appropriate expansion joints or cut lines help direct where cracking happens. With proper rebar, cracks do not tend to get wild. When concrete is done right, it performs very well here.
Bottom line on concrete
Concrete is usually the best overall value in Minnesota. It gives you structure, drainage, autocover compatibility, and a clean finished look without the premium cost of full paver coverage.
Pavers and Stone Patios
Pavers are beautiful. Stone can be stunning. This is the higher end look, no question.
But here is what most people do not realize:
If you place pavers or stone to the pool's edge, you still need a 3 foot ring of concrete around the pool.
That concrete just gets lowered below the pavers or stone. We call that a concrete subdeck.
- The concrete subdeck keeps strength where it matters
- It supports the pool edge and automatic cover system
- It helps maintain proper drainage around the pool
- The pavers or stone become the finished surface above it
So for at least the border area, you are paying for both concrete and pavers.
Bottom line on pavers
Pavers are the premium choice. They can be a great one. Just understand they are usually not replacing concrete around the pool in Minnesota. They are being installed over the concrete structure that still needs to be there.
A Smart Minnesota Approach: Combine Both
Because of that subdeck reality, one of the smartest design approaches is a combination layout.
A great setup is to frame the pool with a 3 or 4 foot concrete border and then expand into paver or stone highlight zones beyond that.
This gives you the best of both worlds:
- Strong, functional perimeter where the pool needs it
- Proper drainage near the pool edge
- A clean frame that highlights the pool itself
- Premium patio accents where people gather and hang out
- Better control of overall budget
In a lot of backyards, this is the move. Let the accents do the talking without spending a fortune covering everything in pavers or stone.
So What Is the Better Choice?
If we are talking best overall value and most practical choice in Minnesota, it is concrete.
If we are talking premium finish and visual impact, pavers or stone can absolutely win, but only when people understand what is underneath them and why.
For many homeowners, the real winner is the combo layout.
Concrete where it needs to work hardest. Pavers or stone where you want the accents and wow factor.
The Bottom Line
What goes around the pool is not just decoration. It affects structure, drainage, cover performance, budget, and how the whole backyard comes together.
That is why this decision should be made with Minnesota in mind, not copied from something built in another climate.
Planning a Pool in Minnesota?
We design pools and surrounding spaces around how they actually need to function here, from the concrete apron and drainage to autocover support and patio layout.
If you want help laying out the whole yard the right way from the start, let’s walk it together.