Coping question

[blazeone]

I've been working with several PB's on the design of my pool. The one that I am most likely going to use is butting heads with me on coping. I am using flagstone and I like the larger seams and asymmetrical pieces. My PB says he won't do the larger joints or asymmetrical pieces because they are more subject to crack/break.

Here is a picture of what I like from another poster on this board. My PB uses symmetrical pieces with tight joints, to me it looks too "prefab". Thoughts please.


What I like:

 

[Marlahoutex]

I would say that it's your pool, so you should get what you want. If this PB won't do that then maybe you should look around for one who will.

That being said, he does have a point about cracking in this Houston gumbo soil. But since it's coping, I don't know how much shifting and settling the pool will do. Perhaps someone more knowledgeable will chime in. FWIW, I like the wider joints and the asymmetrical pieces.

 

[Nectarologist]

Definitely get what you want. If you want to use that builder you can always have someone else do the coping. Don't bring it up to him until you get a price breakdown of the build. This way you can deduct the cost of doing the coping his way. Since these companies typically sub out the stone work I'm sure they won't care. Line up a couple of quotes from landscapers or masons. I'm in the northeast and they built a concrete collar around the pool to attach the coping to (it's not going anywhere). Not sure what they do with flagstone though (I have cement paver slabs).

 

[pooldv]

I agree that it is your pool, but listening to your PB isn't a bad idea either. He has probably seen lots of pools age and how they react to local conditions. My flagstone coping is big pieces and fairly tight joints. None of my flagstone pieces have cracked. But, after 3-1/2 years I have some of the mortar in the joints that is cracked and needs to be redone. Maybe 15-20% of the joints. Gunite shells have some flex to them and black clay soil makes it move some no matter how hard I try to keep the moisture level stable with irrigation. Also, we've had some really cold days the last couple of winters and freeze thaw movement seems to affect it too. It is always a little worse each spring.

So, bottom line is that gunite can move and flex and mortar and plaster will crack, less joints is probably better. Pics of my pool in build thread, link in sig.

 

[kimkats]

Your pool=your money=your way. Tell him you understand that over time your joints may crack but it is worth it to you to have it look like you want.

Kim

 

[JamesW]

Either way should be roughly equivalent as far as longevity. Most coping eventually delaminates (loses the mortar bond) and the grout eventually fails. The difference with this builder will be warranty. You could always hire a stone mason separately to do the coping as you like.