Paver Coping - Advice/Input?

[reesedj]

We are meeting with the PB this weekend to finalize the project. Throughout my research on TFP, I feel confident in most aspects of the process but need input on the coping.

I've attached a picture of the desired finish product.

We would like to use pavers/tile due to freeze/thaw cycles here in the Midwest and my wife's insistence on no concrete.

Are these larger bullnose coping tiles (picture below) acquired through a hardscape/landscape company or they special-made by a separate specialized company? We have the pool wall diagram with the wall and radius measurements - do stone fabricators take this and precut/form the tiles off-site for installation?

I want to be as well versed as possible before finalizing all the details. Our PB said we can use his recommended paver company or handle it ourselves, but don't know enough about options to have an intelligent conversation.

Thanks for the input,
Doug

16 x 30 IG Vinyl Pool - Polymer Walls

 

[PoolGuyNJ]

While a bit too small to see, it appears these are cast coping. They are semi custom in that most don't have the molds to make them.

Scott

 

[bk406]

It really depends on the material you choose for the coping who does it. That picture is hard to see, but that appears to be some kind of stone.

Basically, paver or stone coping for a vinyl pool is installed by a mason or a landscaper that specializes in hardscape. Paver companys make bullnose pavers that are used as coping that look excellent. Stone is also an option, but the materials are usually a bit more expensive, but the actual install price can be lower since ther'es not near as many cuts to do. On a simple rectangle pool, the cuts are minimal; on a kidney/lagoo/freeform, the number of cuts that need to be made for pavers is fairly extensive (that is if ytou want it to look good). For stone, the actual install is pretty fast, but the pre cut work for anything other than a rectangle is fairly involved as well.
My pool has stone coping. It's kidney shaped so the mason had to make a template, the cut the rectangular stone stock to the proper shape (the blocks were 15 inches by 3 feet), then bull nose off the edge.

IMO, a good stone mason or hardscaper with experience or a mason on the crew is needed to do proper coping that looks great, whether you use pavers or stone.

 

[reesedj]

Thanks for the input - I had assumed that stone coping was templates, precut and brought onsite for install; but was not getting straight answers when calling around.

bk406 - How did they install the stone to your pool walls - adhesive, mortar?

 

[bk406]

bk406 - How did they install the stone to your pool walls - adhesive, mortar?

Mortar. Use motar for both stone or brick.

Only a hack uses adhesive.