Coping is a word used to describe the material that surrounds – or “caps” – the edge of a pool, also known as the pool shell or pool shell wall. Pool coping usually has a curved, almost round edge. While this, of course, looks good, that style also ensures the safety of swimmers in your pool. Encountering a sharp corner when getting out of the pool is no one’s idea of a good time. The smoother the edge, the better.
A pool coping can serve double duty as a stylistic embellishment on your pool and a safety feature, one that prevents people from slipping as they get out of the pool and looks good all on its own. If you’re putting in a new pool or remodeling your current one, you would do well to consider all the different reasons for installing the right kind of coping, both taking into account the design of your backyard in general, and your pool area in particular.
How Does Coping Look and Feel?
The actual look and feel of coping depends in large part on whether you choose a coping made of natural stone, brick or concrete. The material you choose could very well be stylish, but end up being too hot in summer. This would make exiting or relaxing around a pool a rather painful affair for swimmers. In the winter months, when your pool is unusable, cold weather could end up weakening and cracking the bricks and concrete, and you could have to replace it before swimming season returns.
A natural stone coping, however, could offer both the right look, comfort and durability you need. Travertine coping, for instance, is cooler than concrete and brick. Travertine is also remarkably slipped resistant, whether the surface is dry or wet. When it comes to durability, frost-proofing is usually available for travertine coping, and its natural properties won’t result in cracking when the weather gets warmer. The style achieved is one of timeless natural beauty, with the added benefit of safety.
The Story of Travertine
If you’re not familiar with travertine, it’s a lighter-colored sort of limestone that’s been in use for millennia. The ancient Romans used it when building temples, aqueducts, and their bathhouses. The famous Coliseum in Rome was predominantly built using travertine. Many modern museums and art galleries around the world have incorporated travertine into their design.
Travertine quarries used to almost exclusively exist in Italy, but now they can be found in Mexico, Peru and Stone-Mart’s comes from Turkey. Almost all travertine available in the United States of America needs to be imported, but that doesn’t mean it’s the most expensive material on the market. But the durability of travertine coping no matter what the weather outside makes it the more affordable coping over the long term.
