Pool Coping

Pool Coping

Pool coping tiles are the most important components in any outdoor pool. Why? Because they provide a functional barrier between the concrete/natural stone surrounds of the pool and the water. Pool coping is the part of the pool where people sit, with their feet dangling in the water and what everyone uses to help themselves out of the water. As you can see, pool coping serves many purposes.

Along with all the above, pool coping tiles can enhance the overall appearance of your pool and create a statement in style. Luckily at Armstone, we have a range of pool coping tiles available in variety of materials, textures, and colours. As the leading supplier of natural stone pavers and products, our pool coping products are also made from natural materials such as travertine, marble, quartz, granite, limestone, and porcelain tiles.

Before we share the details of each material, there are a few universal considerations you need to keep in mind when selecting pool pavers:

• The pool is a wet and slippery area (which, in all fairness, is rather obvious wouldn’t you agree?), as such, it’s imperative that you choose pool coping with a high slip rating – so anything that rates P4 or P5. Any products with a slip-resistance score of P3 and below will not be safe as pool coping.

• Ensure that your pool coping has successfully passed the salt-test. For example, sandstone is a big no-no when choosing pool coping. We have seen absolute horror stories where clients were recommended sandstone pool coping and years down the track had to re-install the entire pool. Why is sandstone pool coping not ideal? Well, sandstone is a porous stone that literally made of sand. Much like the 12 Apostles landmark in Victoria, when exposed to water, sandstone deteriorates over time. Think of it as ‘melting’. Your pool coping needs to protect your pool and pavers and stand the test of time to constant water exposure. Building a pool is a big financial investment and you want to get it down right the first time, so heed our advice here and just avoid sandstone pool coping. But if you are set on the sandstone style, we recommend sandstone porcelain pavers which are made of clay making them extremely dense, so they will not deteriorate over time with water or salt exposure.

• For safety and comfort, you need to also consider the colour of the pool coping for glaring and heat absorption purposes. Ideally, you want to opt for lighter pool coping tiles as they are more likely to reflect heat instead of absorbing it (like darker colours will). Why is this important? Well, your pool is going to be the highlight of the garden for family and friends during the hot Sydney summer months. You want to ensure that the pool coping remains cool to the touch even on the blistering 30-40 degree days so that no one burns their feet. Additionally, you want to install pool coping with low-glare to protect the eyes from sunburn.

• Choosing the right pool coping cut is also very important. You can choose from a drop-edge, pencil round, bullnose coping, and mitred drop-edge coping (which is not recommended for fibreglass pools). Each one will add a different style and aesthetic to your pool along with a safety consideration. If you are unsure, please reach out to our team of stone experts at 1300 560 560. We’d love to guide you to making the right decision.

Now that’s sorted, let’s…

Choose from a range of beautiful pool coping tiles

At Armstone we stock both natural stone pool coping tiles and porcelain coping tiles. The biggest points of difference between them are that natural stone has a higher initial investment than porcelain coping, but on the other hand porcelain coping is much easier to maintain. So, you’d opt for one over the other depending on lifestyle, design, and budget.

While natural stone pool coping adds a majestic touch to your pool and outdoors, porcelain coping tiles are dense and since they’re made from clay heated at high temperatures, they are extremely water-resistant and do not absorb excess moisture. So, unlike natural stone coping, they do not need to be sealed and are easier to clean.

Below are our recommended natural and porcelain coping tiles.

Travertine pool coping

Our natural travertine pool tiles feature beautiful warm caramel and latte tones with naturally occurring markings. While travertine pavers stay cool underfoot and do not fade over time, we suggest investing in sandblasted travertine for pool coping as it has a higher slip rating. Additionally, the markings that make travertine so unique, also collect dust and other debris over time. Which is why it’s essential to seal them regularly.

View Travertine pool coping tiles

If you are looking for a lower maintenance travertine pool coping, we will point you in the direction of porcelain travertine coping. Equally Mediterranean in appearance with cool and warm tones, travertine porcelain tiles are non-slip, durable, stay cool underfoot, and while they have the markings unique to travertine, porcelain pool coping does not require sealing. This choice is also lighter on the hip-pocket. So, if you’re on a budget, this may be a better option.

View Travertine porcelain pool coping tiles

Marble pool coping

Majestic marble pool coping tiles are the epitome of luxury and longevity. Durable, versatile, non-slip, and heat-resistant, natural marble pool coping stands the test of time and requires minimum maintenance. We have marble coping these available in cool and warm tones – perfect for both modern and traditional pool designs.

View Marble pool coping tiles

The only disadvantage with natural marble pool coping is the initial investment. But have no fear, if you love marble and are installing a pool with a budget in mind, marble porcelain pool coping tiles are the perfect solution. They have all the benefits of natural marble coping, minus the big price-tag. Available in Royal Beige and Royal Grey, they will add a luxurious touch to your pool surrounds.

View Marble porcelain pool coping tiles

Quartz pool coping

Quartz is a beautiful natural stone and quite heavy on the wallet. At Armstone, we stock the porcelain quartz pool coping as an alternative. Dense, heat/salt and slip resistant, porcelain quartz pool coping is easy to maintain without sacrificing the uniquely modern and majestic touch quartz will add to your pool surrounds.

View Quartz porcelain coping tiles

Limestone pool coping

Featuring the unique markings of sea creatures that have crystalised over time, natural limestone pool coping is a cream-coloured, durable and hard-wearing stone with a high heat tolerance. It is also less porous than travertine which means it’s denser and less prone to stains. In saying that, all limestone coping requires sealing. Additionally, for pool coping purposes, we must advise that you choose a higher-grade limestone as lower grade pieces are more porous and susceptible to erosion from salt-water pools.

View Limestone pool coping tiles

If you want to reduce the risk of salt-water eroding pool coping, limestone porcelain pool coping tiles are at your service! Available in cool tones, they are affordable, easy to maintain and – much like their natural counterpart – add a beautiful touch to your pool surrounds.

View Limestone porcelain pool coping tiles

Granite pool coping

Durable, dense, weather and slip-resistant, granite pool coping is a low maintenance coping that is easy on the hip-pocket. Featuring cool and dark colours, granite pool coping is great for modern designed gardens and pools. Being dark, granite can get hot underfoot. So, consider this before investing in granite pool coping.

View Granite pool coping tiles

If you’re set on granite pool coping but want something that will stay cool underfoot during the blistering Sydney summers, consider granite porcelain pool coping tiles.

View Granite porcelain pool coping tiles