How to fix pool coping pavers?

[ricm]

Hi all,

You might remember my project from last year (the Eko decking of our back area).. following a rest Im ready to tackle the final phase; the pool coping. We did have a few guys booked to come and look at it late last year and this year but they never showed up. So, perhaps it's back to me again. 

See pics attached of the old pool coping, the brown pavers, each measured to fit each part of the circular pool. Some are missing, some broken but mostly they just look bad. We want something nice to go with the more modern look, however it needs to be doable by a novice like me. I'm not that keen on just replacing the exact thing, I'm too worried about getting every single one perfectly cut (also don't have a paver cutter) plus all that adhesive/cement needed. 

Qs

1. Can I do this without draining the pool too much? This was such a pain the last time I had to do it. 

2. I had an idea to simply remove all the pavers as neatly as possible, clean up the under concrete/cement then sand or grind the area, maybe even polish it up - would that work or would I 'need' some kind of paver/tile/concrete? 

3. If I had to add something new, do you think it would be practical/look ok to gently add small stones and use this chemical to keep them in place. Not sure how I'd make it measured perfectly? 

I'd love your thoughts guys..

Cheers

Ric

[JacobZ]

Hi @ricm,

I thought I recognised that pool. Welcome back. It's good to see you're getting stuck back in with some work around your pool.

Any work on the coping tiles is usually done from within the pool. You can do the work without completely draining the pool as long as you are careful not to spill materials in the pool. You probably couldn't have the pool completely full, just for ease of movement. The level the pool is at in the photos would be pretty close to perfect.

Functionally, coping tiles serve as a protective cap for the edge of the pool shell, sealing it off and preventing water from seeping behind the pool walls. This is vital for maintaining the structural integrity of the pool, as water infiltration can lead to long-term damage such as cracking or erosion. Without knowing exactly how the pool was constructed, it is probably best to keep things as close as possible to what is already there.

I can't say I'm an expert on this kind of thing, but I can certainly offer advice on how to repair or replace the existing coping tiles. If you wanted to remove the coping tiles and go with something else, it would be best to contact the professionals for their assistance, as they will be able to assess the pool and recommend a solution that is viable.

Unfortunately, I don't think Landscape Lock and stones is going to be an option. While it is fairly strong adhesive, you would still need some kind of leading edge to retain the stones. I don't see a great way you could do this.

Allow me to tag @Dave-1, @Nailbag and @TedBear to see what they think and if they have any advice or guidance they can offer.

Please let me know what you think. I'm excited to help you out with another project.

Jacob

[ricm]

Thanks so much Jacob - that's ok I can close off that idea then. Lets see what the others think... 

You guys are great.

[Dave-1]

Good Morning @ricm 

Welcome back! and yeah as soon as I saw the first pic I went "ahh bingo we know someone who has worked on this" lol 

Ive been going over ideas in my head, I keep coming back to two options, one is a clean and repair what you have. The second is to invest in a paver cutter (or rent depending) and replacing the lot. That may be out of the price range for now but something to keep in mind.

So these are the tiles/pavers that come to mind, mostly the colouring and the dimensions tho would prefer them to be thicker.

Tuscan Path 600 x 400 x 20mm Sandstone Paver 

You have your existing coping to measure so that the best part of the deal.

I would make up a 600mm by 400mm frame. Then buy a large 600mm at least sketch pad/butcher paper.

Then go around the edge of the coping you are replacing, lay out the frame with the 400mm edge facing the pool, then work your way around the pool and draw the segmants as you go on the paper, they will overlap and these are the parts you will be trimming.  Depending on how thick width wise the coping is you could go for smaller tiles, im just using these as an example.

I would find a starting poing and lable it as "One" and physically mark the spot/edge. Consistancey around the corners would be something to keep in mind tho I think your angles change a LOT. Hence the templates you are drawing. Maybe before ripping any of the coping up, try replicating the coping with the method above over say three meters and judge if its feasable?

Hows the deck going btw?

Dave

[Nailbag]

Hey @ricm 

There are many contributing factor into ensure pool coping is embedded permanently. Mostly it's cosmetic but there is also the safety aspect should one section fail when stepped or dived off. For the small area you're dealing with it might be worth considering having it professionally finished. I know you have had one guy being sa no show, but thats probably a good sign. I would try a few others.

Naibag

[ricm]

Hi Dave - great to hear from you again. Hope your own DIY projects are going well. 

Let me try and get my head around all this and get back to you with questions... Im sure there will be. 

I'm knee deep in demolition of my kitchen right now, we getting a new one in after many years. 

I should have started this thread after that - but Im all over the place! 

Thanks so much for your help once again.

Ric

[ricm]

Cheers Nailbag ! I must admit Im in two minds about this project - perhaps we should contact some others trades guys. I just think it may need some precision I wont be able to deliver!

I'll keep y'all posted! 

Cheers again 

Ric