Pools of all shapes and sizes are a wonderful addition to your backyard. Deciding on which coping tiles are best for your pool is an important decision.
There are many natural stones you can choose from… Granite, Bluestone and Travertine are very popular for pool coping at the moment.
Appearance:
- Granite’s colour palette includes blacks, greys, whites, and peach. The speckle through granite adds interest and sparkle to your pool surround
- Bluestone comes in shades ranging from almost blue-black to blue-grey. The ‘aero’ marks in bluestone add to its appeal.
- Travertine ranges in colour from creams to browns, to silver. Each piece of travertine is unique, and the patterns created by the variability of colours in the stone result in a visual feast.
Drop face pavers or bullnose pavers
- Bullnose pavers have a rounded edge, whereas drop face pavers can have a straight edge or a rounded edge. Depending on the design of your house, you may prefer the more classical look of a rounded edge or the more modern look of a straight edge.
Surface finish
- Granite is available on a flamed surface which is the highest grip available in natural stone finishes.
- Bluestone is available in a sawn finish, and Travertine is available in a tumbled and unfilled finish. Both of these are smooth surfaces, which are still anti-slip.
- We do not recommend honed pavers for around swimming pools, as they are very slippery, especially when they are wet.
Sealing:
- It is vitally important to correctly seal pavers and coping tiles around your pool. This is because natural stone is porous, and over time the salt/chlorine/chemicals used in your pool may negatively affect your pavers if they have not been sealed correctly.
- Resealing regularly is very important, especially for pavers that are often in contact with the pool water.
Strength:
- Granites and Bluestones are cut from rock that has been formed in lava. Due to the heat involved in the formation of these stones, both granite and bluestone are very durable and strong.
- Travertine is formed through sedimentation. Though it is still a strong stone, it is more fragile than granite and bluestone, and it needs to be treated with more care.
Heat:
- Granite and Bluestone will get hotter underfoot in summer than Travertine, due to the increased levels of metals and minerals in the composition of these stones.
Glare:
- Darker colours will create less glare than lighter coloured stones.
Choosing coping pavers around your pool is an important part of creating your perfect outdoor living space. You are welcome to bring in your plans and colour swatches, and we will be happy to help you find the paver that best complements your design and lifestyle.
