Outdoor paving in Pollença and Alcúdia
Within a few kilometres, the north of the island brings together the Tramuntana, with its sloping fincas and its rain, and the bay of Alcúdia, flat, humid and swept by the north wind. It is the area with the most holiday homes that close for the winter, and that shapes how and when we work.
Pollença and Alcúdia: what's different here
Humidity from the bay
From Port d'Alcúdia to Can Picafort the air is humid and dew wets the paving almost every night of the year. Algae and green growth appear sooner than anywhere else on the island, above all under the pines of Platja de Muro.
North wind and salt
Port de Pollença and Cala Sant Vicenç take the tramontana, the north wind, head on. Salt reaches the terraces of houses on the second and third rows back from the sea, and the sealer wears faster on the side facing north than on the sunny side.
Houses closed in winter
A large share of the homes in Pollença, Alcúdia and around the bay close from November to April. We work with whoever holds the keys, check the paving before the house opens and schedule the work for the empty months.
Pollença and Alcúdia are the dampest area we work in. What is dust in Llucmajor is green algae here: dew from the bay, rain from the Tramuntana and the shade of the pinewoods of Platja de Muro and Alcanada keep the paving wet for many hours a day. That changes the cleaning, the sealer and the calendar.
Terraces and pools on the bay
Villas and apartments in Port d'Alcúdia, Platja de Muro, Can Picafort and Son Serra de Marina have terraces and pool surrounds that turn slippery with algae before the sealer is even spent. Stamped concrete with a textured mould and a resin with anti-slip aggregate gives grip even when the surface is damp, and a closed seal stops algae taking root in the pores. When we carry out the restoration and resealing of stamped terraces around the bay, cleaning first with an algaecide treatment is as important as the new resin: if the floor is sealed over live algae, they grow back from underneath.
Port de Pollença and Cala Sant Vicenç
On the north side the enemy is the wind. The tramontana carries salt as far as the houses of La Gola, El Vilar or Cala Sant Vicenç, and the north facing side of any paving ages sooner than the sunny side. Here sealers with a UV filter, and rinsing with fresh water after storms, extend the life of outdoor microcement and stamped concrete. Terraces over homes in the buildings along the promenade are dealt with by liquid terrace waterproofing over the existing tiles.
Fincas at the foot of the Tramuntana
Between Pollença, the Vall d'en March, Campanet and Alcúdia there are hillside fincas with sloping tracks, dry stone walls and terraced plots. A stamped or float finished concrete track with a brushed finish, ditches and joints every 4 metres keeps the access open on days of heavy rain, which are more frequent here than in the rest of the island. The limestone of walls and courtyards is protected with natural stone sealing, using a water repellent that holds back water and blackening without changing the colour.
Villages and stone houses
The old centres of Pollença, Alcúdia and Santa Margalida have stone houses with inner courtyards and roof terraces. Microcement over the existing tiles renews bathrooms, kitchens and floors without carrying rubble through the narrow streets, and on the roof terraces it goes over the waterproofing, with an exterior sealer.
Houses that open in spring
A good part of our work in the north starts with a call in March or April: the owner, or whoever manages the house, opens it up and finds the terrace green, the pool surround whitish or a stain on the bedroom ceiling. The ideal is an inspection in autumn, when the house is closed up, so that the work can be scheduled for the winter and the house opens with everything done.
Microcement in Pollença and Alcúdia
The humidity of the bay counts indoors too. In homes in Port d'Alcúdia, Platja de Muro or Port de Pollença that spend the winter closed, condensation is hard on bathrooms; a well sealed microcement bathroom copes with it, with waterproofing under the shower and ventilation when the house reopens. Outside, outdoor microcement on terraces and porches needs, like any paving in the area, cleaning against algae before each resealing.
FAQ
Pollença and Alcúdia: questions
Something else? Ask us when you request a quote.
Why does my terrace turn green in Alcúdia or Platja de Muro?
Because of the humidity: dew from the bay and the shade of the pines keep the paving wet for many hours, and algae grow in the pores. Paving whose sealer is in good condition is cleaned with an algaecide treatment and a hose; porous paving has to be cleaned, left to dry and sealed again.
Can stamped concrete be resealed in winter in the north of the island?
Yes, on dry days, with the surface dry and temperatures above 10 degrees, which in the north happens on many days between November and March. If it has rained, you have to wait until the concrete is dry right through, normally two or three days of sun, before applying the resin.
Can you check the house before we open it in spring?
Yes. With the keys from the person who manages the property, we inspect the terraces, pool and paving, send photos and an itemised quote, and schedule the work so that it is finished and cured before the opening date.
Does the humidity of the bay affect microcement?
Well sealed, no: the polyurethane repels water and condensation wipes off with a cloth. What it needs is ventilation in homes closed over the winter, waterproofing under the shower and, outdoors, cleaning off algae and renewing the sealer in time, which in this area is usually sooner than inland.
Solera Mallorca
Request a quote in Pollença and Alcúdia
Tell us whether the house is lived in all year, who holds the keys in winter and whether the terrace faces the bay or the mountains.