Award-Winning Resurfacing Work Makes Big Splash in Tilden
An acrylic overlay system transforms the splash pad at McMullen County Heritage Park into a vibrant community gathering space. By Anne Balogh, ConcreteNetwork.com columnist
The splash pad at McMullen County Heritage Park in Tilden, Texas, was part of a brand-new community park development designed to give local families an inviting outdoor space to cool off and play. The plans for the new amenity called for a splash pad with a durable, slip-resistant surface that could withstand constant water exposure and the intense South Texas heat while showcasing the detailed artwork envisioned for the space.
SUNDEK was brought in to transform the surface with a durable, visually engaging finish designed for high-use aquatic environments. The completed splash pad not only brought the design team’s vision to life but also earned SUNDEK a 2025 ASCC Decorative Concrete Council Award, recognizing the team’s technical skill and creative approach to specialty resurfacing.
McMullen County envisioned Heritage Park as a community gathering space featuring sports courts, trails, BBQ areas, and a new playground and splash pad. The county hired Kraftsman Commercial Playgrounds & Water Parks to develop the play area, and Kraftsman brought in SUNDEK to install the decorative concrete surface for the new splash pad.
The design team provided detailed CAD drawings for the splash pad’s custom artwork, which required precise reproduction at full scale. For SUNDEK, the challenge was balancing artistry with function. The 2,775-square-foot surface needed to reflect the park’s colorful personality while delivering a durable, slip-resistant finish suitable for a public aquatic environment.
Challenges
The detailed CAD drawings for the splash pad’s artwork had to be precisely translated onto the concrete surface at full scale. To achieve this, SUNDEK fabricated custom heavy-duty polyplastic templates that could be laid out, aligned, and masked onsite with exacting accuracy. The crew also worked through windy conditions and a mid-project design adjustment, both of which added complexity to the installation.
“The design originally came to us as a detailed CAD rendering. We took that CAD rendering to a vendor to help us get customized templates made. The template process was a bit of a challenge because we had to get something that was sturdy and strong enough to withstand our application,” says Craig Roohan of the SUNDEK team.
A key challenge involved the transition zones where the splash pad met the surrounding walkways and playground, requiring the team to engineer a seamless connection between surfaces to maintain visual continuity.
After the initial artwork and color layout were completed, the landscape architect introduced significant design revisions that required a full recolor and redesign. “This involved repeating the intricate masking process, reapplying the custom color layout, and recoating with the clear finish, essentially performing the detailed design work twice. We endured long hours in the challenging South Texas heat and wind to meet the revised expectations,” Roohan says.
Material Selection and Installation
The design team and SUNDEK representatives worked closely with county officials to select a resurfacing system that met both the performance requirements of a public splash pad and the visual goals of the park. SUNDEK’s high-performance Classic Texture acrylic overlay system was chosen for its durability in high-traffic, water-exposed environments and its ability to be enhanced by decorative aggregates.
Once the concrete surface was prepared to receive the coating, SUNDEK positioned the custom polyplastic templates to accurately replicate the CAD artwork onto the surface. The crew then applied Classic Texture across the entire area, integrating multiple custom colors to achieve the intended design. To complete the installation, the surface was sealed with EcoClear, a water-based polyurethane topcoat broadcast with aluminum oxide to enhance slip resistance, an essential safety requirement for splash pad environments.
Watch how SUNDEK used intricate custom artwork and a three-color aggregate blend to transform the McMullen County Heritage Park splash pad into a beautiful, durable, and family-friendly destination.
Results and Performance
The McMullen County Heritage Park splash pad resurfacing illustrates how craftsmanship and system selection can elevate even a small project into an award-winning showcase. Upon completion, the new splash pad surface immediately changed the look and feel of the park. The vibrant graphics and fresh color palette create an inviting focal point that enhances the overall visitor experience. County officials praised SUNDEK’s professionalism and attention to detail, from precise color matching to the uniform, slip-resistant finish.
“The execution by SUNDEK has just been beautiful. It's a piece of artwork that you don't see just anywhere, and I'm so proud to be a part of it,” says Dale Patterson, McMullen County operations manager.
