What is this coping construction

[suburbiaboy]

Hi, I have an old (30+ year) vinyl pool with a concrete paver deck and a concrete/mortar coping with tiles and an aluminium strip.

The deck is no longer level and the coping is mess. I'm planning to lift, re-level and replace the deck at some point but I'm wondering what I can do about the coping. I'm new to pools and I can't find any similar sort of coping construction to compare to mine.

I'm wondering, can I bring the whole deck up to coping height and do away with the slope? End up with a simpler concrete or interlock surround?

Does anyone have any good diagrams or cross sections of how the parts of a steel/vinyl pool and the coping fit together?

 

[mknauss]

Sorry for the lack of responses! Let's see if this bump can get some. Also lets call in @jimmythegreek for his take.

 

[jimmythegreek]

That's just standard coping for concrete to butt to. You remove the concrete being super careful the 8 to 10 inches around the white aluminum amd pool frame. That part is done by hand with a chipping gun. Then prep base and pour it higher to none level. That lip is an old way or keeping debris out of the pool

 

[suburbiaboy]

Thanks @mknauss !

@jimmythegreek thanks for that. So there’s no reason I wouldn’t be able to replace the sloping edge and deck around the pool with a different surface and coping type?

One other related question, the liner is fine, not too old and no damage. Can the coping and edging work be done without damaging it? Theoretically? And to push that further, I need to replace some plumbing while the deck is up, if I were to replace the skimmer and even add new fittings can that be done without destroying the liner?

 

[jimmythegreek]

That depends on what coping you want. Usually that aluminum is what's holding up the liner. So if you want cantilever coping that may be difficult depending on age of liner. Adding plumbing isnt an issue if liner is in decent shape it can be pulled away to make holes