Went to order travertine coping, and learned we can get it in either 12x12 or 12x24 sizes, with price being exactly the same per foot. We have geometric pool and spa. My initial instinct is bigger is better so there will be fewer joints, but whichever size we go with will still require cutting some pieces to go around each 90 degree and 45 degree angles. I'm not sure if the small corner cuts will blend in more if we use only 12x12 on the long runs between corners or if it will matter at all. Decking will be the same travertine in a 4 piece French pattern. Any opinions on whether to use 12x12 or 12x24, or a mix of both?
Travertine coping design question - 12x12 or 12x24?
- Thread starter azdesertpool
- Start date
Do you have a build thread with the design of your pool? Or can you post one here? Without seeing anything, I would say the 12x24. I don't think I'd like mixing the two different sizes for the coping.
My build-thread
http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/110832-New-Tucson-Owner-Builder-Adventure-Advice-Welcome!
And a pdf of just the pool plan:
http://www.troublefreepool.com/threads/110832-New-Tucson-Owner-Builder-Adventure-Advice-Welcome!
And a pdf of just the pool plan:
- Jul 16, 2012
- 7,204
- Pool Size
- 27000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Thanks for the link and pdf. After seeing those, I'll stick with my 12x24 vote. They will make the long sides look longer which I think is a good thing - anything to fool me into thinking I have a bigger pool! Lol!
BTW, I love the design and that great view you have!
BTW, I love the design and that great view you have!
Mine was 16x24.
More important to me was the thickness since so much is exposed as coping. I used was 2" Best pics I can come up with:
More important to me was the thickness since so much is exposed as coping. I used was 2" Best pics I can come up with:
Do you have gunite/shotcrete yet? How thick are the walls? I'm also looking for coping and my walls are 12" in some places. It seems like you would want the coping to completely cover the Gunite while allowing for the cantilever edge. So, it seems like 12" would not be wide enough?
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Shotcrete is done. The bond beam is roughly 12"-13" wide, so you are correct that 12" wide coping won't completely cover the cement bond beam. Does it need to? We'll have more travertine decking abutting the coping which will cover (but not be cemented to) the bond beam. It seems like I have seen lots of pools with various pavers that can't be wider than 12" and so the initial run of pavers probably doesn't cover the bond beam. I wonder if this is really an issue?
I'm with you so let's hope someone else weighs in. I just wondered if maybe the bond beam wasn't 12" in other states due to varying codes, etc. I'm going to have the same thing with my travertine deck. It will be sand-set and butt up against the coping. Currently I'm just planning on the same 1.25" thick pavers from the deck for a nice, clean, uniform look.
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I had to look back at my build thread to remember about my coping on the bond beam. Yes, I did have bond beam sticking out from the coping. If interested, the deck work begins on page 25 of my build thread.
Here's a picture - you may have to zoom in.
Here's a picture - you may have to zoom in.
I thought you are NOT supposed to have decking on the bond beam. The expansion joint between the coping and the decking should be a true joint that goes all the way through which isn't possible when decking is on the bond beam.
Suz, don't let me panic you; I don't even know how to test our water. I get all my info from the internet like the pics in the attached article below. I know our coping is 4x9 brick and half of the quotes we had to remodel were adamant that we needed to cut our deck back to the bond beam and half said it didn't matter.
Swimming Pool Construction Company | Commercial Pool Contractor | Serving Maryland (MD) and Virginia (VA)
Swimming Pool Construction Company | Commercial Pool Contractor | Serving Maryland (MD) and Virginia (VA)
My bond beam was 12". So were the raised walls of my spa and that is why I went with 16" wide, because I ended up with two inches overhang on either side of the spa for a balanced look. On the pool, we built up two inches of mortar on the back of the bond beam to support the end of the coping. Because of the seismic activity around here, I wanted the deck decoupled from the coping.
OP; my decking is the Versailles French pattern - check out the pictures.
Everything is in multiples of 8" - 8" 16" & 24". There is no 12", so in answer to your question about what would blend the best, I guess 12x24 because it kind of matches, but 16" is the sweet spot.
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Everything is in multiples of 8" - 8" 16" & 24". There is no 12", so in answer to your question about what would blend the best, I guess 12x24 because it kind of matches, but 16" is the sweet spot.
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We used 12 x 12 coping and a versailles pattern deck of the same travertine / marble material. I think you cannot go wrong with either coping size. Here are a couple of pictures:
As an update - this ended up being a moot point for us. The vendors that told us they could deliver 12x12 or 12x24 ended up being unable to do either. Maybe there was a supply shortage in Arizona for scabos travertine coping - my neighbor was ordering his at the same time and had to get his shipped in from a Las Vegas vendor. We eventually found a Phoenix vendor with material in stock, but only in 16x24 size, so we went with that. I guess we lucked out, since this size hits Frank Rizzo's "sweet spot" theory and earthquake protection theories above. 
As an update - this ended up being a moot point for us. The vendors that told us they could deliver 12x12 or 12x24 ended up being unable to do either. Maybe there was a supply shortage in Arizona for scabos travertine coping - my neighbor was ordering his at the same time and had to get his shipped in from a Las Vegas vendor. We eventually found a Phoenix vendor with material in stock, but only in 16x24 size, so we went with that. I guess we lucked out, since this size hits Frank Rizzo's "sweet spot" theory and earthquake protection theories above.
Sweet