Can I Tile a pool deck over Kool decking?

[Biggdaddy3456]

I have a home in Palm Springs California (desert climate). The pool decking is in rough shape. It has many layers of kool decking on it, which you all probably know, is like paint for pool decks. It is peeling, chipping Etc. The pool coping is also in rough shape and is deteriorated many spots. I have a quote to replace the pool coping, but I don't want to rip out and replace the entire concrete pool deck. I was wondering if I could tile over it? If I can tile it, do I need to grind off the cool decking first? Or could I just tile right on top of it?. Any insights will be greatly appreciated.

[smifwal]

I am not familiar with cool decking. This is the advice I got as a youngster coming up in this trade. Your finished product is only as good as what you are going over. So if something is peeling\cracking\ chipping, you would like to get down to something that is good and solid to get a better bond

[Gozo]

What Shawn said. If the concrete underneath is in good shape, you can grind off the Kool Deck layer (it’s back breaking work even with the right equipment) and tile over it. Be aware that very often concrete around pool areas is weakened by the pool chemicals soaking in and drying on it and delaminates easily, making it a nonideal surface for tiling.
Since you’re in Palm Springs, the least work and expense way would probably be to contact Tarek and Christina and use one of their cement contractors to remove all the cconcrete and redo it fresh. They often do this on their TV show for $2-3K. (Sarcasm intended - I can’t get my driveway resealed for that here)