Not sure what pool coping is? No worries! It’s actually pretty simple. When you look at an inground swimming pool that is manufactured of concrete, it requires coping. Coping is a cap for the edge of the pool. So, when someone is swimming and stops to grab onto the top edge of the pool, they’re holding onto the coping.
Coping is mounted on the bond beam and works to conceal the edges of the concrete and avoid the steel from projecting pool walls. It additionally helps by preventing water from getting behind the shell of the pool. It’s also a decorative option that can tie tougher the entire area around the pool.
This material is made in all sorts of shapes, from straight to curved and corners. It’s often made of an off-white concrete that has a porous finish over the top. Rather than using coping stones, some people design their pools with a wooden or concrete deck that extends to the edge of the inground pool. These can come in brick, flagstone, and synthetic decking.
While there are many benefits to pool coping, one of the biggest is that it offers a surface for swimmers to walk on without slipping and falling. Most coping is made of natural stone, precast concrete, or tile for that reason. However, some companies that build products for pool decks have other types of coping made of unique materials to tie together the pool and deck.
If you have an inground pool that is made of vinyl, often sold in a package, there are a few options for coping. Top mount is the most common type of coping for use in vinyl pools. It’s built of aluminum and is all-weather and top-mounted. Once it is attached to the pool wall, it’s ready to go.
Cantilever edge coping is another choice, although it’s a bit rarer. This has foam forms that are attached to the top of the wall, then a deck of concrete is built up and over the edge of the pool. It can be decorated with staining or stamping.
Flat mount is the least used coping but it is actually coping. This consists of a track to contain the liner of the pool, which then has a coping stone mounted on top of it.
If you’re interested in beautiful concrete or stone coping, look no farther than NJ Gravel & Sand Co. They provide materials, landscape, pavers, and more. You can learn more by calling them at 732-938-5252.
