Rough coping cutting and scraping everyone (pic)

JoannaB

Well-known member
Oct 17, 2018
47
Lake Oswego, Oregon
I posted last week but now I have a photo to better illustrate the issue. Our deck and cantilevered pool edge is concrete. Water has worn it down to the aggregate and it is extremely rough. I got quotes on getting the whole patio and coping resurfaced: $7000-$8000. Way out of reach right now. Is there anything I can do myself for the coping? I can live with the patio but the edge of the pool is so rough that the kids are covered with scrapes whenever they use the pool. Just holding onto the edge will break the skin. I've tried to tell them only use the stairs, but you know how that goes. Is there ANYTHING i can do here to smooth the edge a bit ? Doesn't have to be perfect. Any improvement until we can afford to re-surface the whole deck would be better than nothing. I doubt I can get any resurfacing co. to come out and only do the coping. They are already booked out until July and probably not interested in a smaller job.IMG_7465.JPG
 
That's pretty bad. There isn't much you can do except grind and polish it. The idea of a rubber cap or some type of cap is possible. You may be able to find a Mason who could apply a bonding agent to the coping and use an epoxy material to "grout" it and then polish/smooth it. I've seen one product that's a rubber type material that spreads thin and is used over concrete and pool decks. Wont last long but would buy you some time. The other thing that's DIY friendly is renovation pavers. They make a bullnose you cover your coping with and basically tile the pavers over the existing deck. It's not cheap though materials would be a good chunk but its DIY friendly.
 
Thanks. Depression is setting in. Could this have been prevented if we had sealed the concrete when it was fresh? Not one contractor mentioned it, and we were brand new to the whole process... simultaneously doing a pool build and remodel to a house we had just purchased. Also caring for a preemie newborn. 'Overwhelmed' is an understatement. Jimmy, can you give me more info on the 'rubber type material?' Is it clear? I don't want to add a color. I don't care if it doesn't last. Eventually we'll get the whole thing resurfaced anyway. I just want some relief from the scrapes and cuts. Thank you!
 
That looks like a lot more than I want to do... however one link led to another and I found this: Pool & Roof Deck Rubberized Epoxy Coating | ArmorGarage . And it comes in clear! Wonder if I could just apply a coat along the edge of the coping without having to do the entire thing? I guess there's only one way to find out!

That's basically what I was thinking some sort of clear to smooth it out, it would have to be UV resistant so it doesn't turn yellow
 
I had to regrind the marble waterfall into my pool - I went to my local Harbor Freight (you can order online and have it shipped as well) and bought this 2.8 Amp, 5 in. Random Orbital Palm Sander and some of their metal sanding pads. I finished it up with a 200 grit sanding paper made for the sander (I think the sandpaper was meant for metal - avoid the stuff for wood since it won't last long). Everything turned out very well - and yes, I sealed it after I was done. All it took was a little time. Of course, PLEASE NOTE to be VERY CAREFUL using power tools around water - BE SURE it is plugged in to a GFCI outlet!!!!!

EDIT: You can get a diamond grinder from them as well if sandpaper does not work. The sandpaper might be worth a shot.....
 

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wow that sander is affordable! I have an automatic cover that sits below the coping, so I could sand with the pool covered . I sure wouldn't want to hit the pool cover with it though. Thanks for the recommendation. If the epoxy doesn't work, I might try it.
 
On exposed aggregate? Not bloody likely. Either needs grinding down (pretty much a nightmare given the location) or some type of rubber nosing that can be adhered to the edge (tricky, due to tripping hazard)
How many of those do you think I’d need need to do a 18x36 cantilever coping? I have a brand new install- liner going in any day - and the coping is sooo rough! I’m worried about it tearing up bathing suits/us (I find it sloppy work).

We are willing to do the work ourselves to have what we want but not sure what to do exactly. My husband is VERY handy and can do almost anything with proper explanation/tool/YouTube video haha
 
That looks like a lot more than I want to do...

If you mean that is more work than you want to do then you want absolutely nothing to do with trying to grind it down. It is not sanding, sand paper is not going to put a scratch in that concrete, it is grinding. A couple hours of grinding/polishing concrete is enough to wear anybody out. I would suggest an epoxy type resurfacing or maybe a kool-deck type product.
 
That's the stuff above I was talking about. Doing a whole pool requires a diamond grind wheel and alot of patience and some skill. If it's short term an epoxy resurface would buy some time. Yes sealing it would have went a long way to prevent this they should have recommended it. It's more money in their pocket
 
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