Information, for one of the major problems of owning a swimming pool. COPING!

What is Coping? A guide for one of the most required repaired areas of a swimming pool.

...Coping is the border area around your swimming pool, which acts as the barrier between your pool and your deck.

...Unless you've had to install a new pool or repair an existing pool, you might not have even noticed it, or even realize that pool coping repair was necessary.

...Coping can be constructed out of various materials, but is typically made from concrete, pre-cast concrete or aggregate material, tile, or natural stone.  This guide to swimming pool coping covers coping repairs, construction, and styles, and provides information on maintaining this vital border around your pool.

Common Issues with Pool Coping

Water Intrusion Behind Tile; 

A flexible, waterproof transition is necessary where the tile siding of a pool meets the coping above it. If the coping around your pool was not installed correctly, or has been subjected to several seasons of normal wear and tear, water can seep in and eventually cause problems with your pool. Some installers mistakenly use grout or other rigid materials for this connection, which results in cracks as the pool components independently expand and contract. Other times, the urethane sealant bead simply fails after many years of use.

Either way, once water seeps through this joint behind the tiles, the concrete and mortar begins to deteriorate and the tiles will eventually loosen and start to fall off. Catching this issue early will reduce maintenance and repair costs in the future, as you can repair or replace the tiles and the sealant. A qualified pool professional can help you to determine if a more involved pool coping repair is required to avoid a recurring failure.

Water Intrusion Underneath CopingWater may also seep in and gather underneath the coping, between the coping and the beam (also known as bondbeam). This may delaminate the coping from the beam or delaminate the tiles. Most qualified pool pros can run a test to determine the source of the water intrusion prior to performing the repair.

Rupturing Expansion Joint

There is continuous tension occurring between your coping and your pool deck. Think of it like tectonic plates on the Earth's surface: your coping belongs to the "Pool Plate" whereas your deck is located on the "House Plate". Each plate expands/contracts independently based on heat and moisture. If your installer did not create an adequate and flexible joint to separate the deck and the coping, the two will rub against each other and cause cracks and crumbles (just like earthquakes).

While simply re-paving or applying pool plaster to a cracked area may temporarily address the cosmetic damage, your pool will continue to show new damage over time unless the expansion joint is fixed by either expanding it or using a more flexible sealant. We typically recommend a water-based silicone caulk.

Cracked/Distorted Pool Edge from Concrete Pouring

While concrete coping has many advantages (see below), it requires a highly experienced contractor to set up and break down the foam molds used to set the concrete's shape. Sadly, many contractors or DIY folks run into trouble here and the edging comes out misshapen once the foam mold is removed. Other times, pieces of the concrete edge will actually break off when the mold is removed, and unless they are replaced correctly, this can cause additional problems. Our experienced professionals will be able to re-set the molds and concrete in the damaged area and get the new concrete to match as close as possible 

to the original.

Poorly Sealed Concrete CopingThe biggest problems with swimming pools are caused by seeping water, and expansion/contraction due to heat/humidity differences. After installation of concrete or paver coping, a layer of sealant is typically added on top of the coping to reduce the water permeability of the coping surface. For pool owners in sunny or humid climates, this is especially important. Depending on the sealant and wear and tear of the pool, homeowners should re-apply sealant periodically. Failing to do so allows water to seep through the concrete like a sponge and will eventually begin delaminating the coping from the bondbeam or tile.