What material coping and patio for Phoenix, AZ sun?

[troublefreefun]

We are looking for material selection for the pool coping and patio area around the pool that will be in the Phoenix, AZ sun. Our priorities are as follows in this order:

1. Low maintenance
2. Comfortable & safe (heat, texture, slippery)
3. Cost

Design-wise we are looking at a mixture of white and darker hues. I have attached a picture and the two we like is the "Tundra Gray Leathered Finish" marble and the "Silver Tumbled" travertine (the bottom two in the photo).

Should we get more details about product density and other matters?

Generally speaking, even if we don't end up with one of these, what product (marble, travertine, limestone, etc) would you recommend using the low maintenance, comfortable and safe, and cost priorities and most importantly why?

 

[Lampasas1]

Check into artistic pavers if you are even considering cement pavers. They have several products and textures for pools. They are made in Arizona so fairly close to you too.

https://www.artisticpavers.com/

 

[jonpcar]

Travertine gets really hot…requires a splashdown to walk around on barefoot. Travertine also is slippery, but the “tumbled travertine” might help resolve that. Whatever you decide, I would get some pieces and check out both the heat buildup/retention and how slippery it is.

 

[Schwimmbad]

For what it’s worth see attached, full sun 114 degrees air temp. Silver premium travertine.

I wanted to msi arterra porcelain pavers but the backyard builder I selected didn’t have experience using them.

 

[troublefreefun]

For what it’s worth see attached, full sun 114 degrees air temp. Silver premium travertine.
I wanted to msi arterra porcelain pavers but the backyard builder I selected didn’t have experience using them.

Toasty! Probably not as hot as some product though!

Correct me if I'm wrong but Porcelain requires a concrete base rather than a sand base which adds to the cost substantially and the inflexbility (breaking of tiles) more often since it is on such a rigid surface?

 

[Schwimmbad]

The arterra installation instructions allowed for either sand or concrete base.

 

[troublefreefun]

The arterra installation instructions allowed for either sand or concrete base.

May I ask your concern you had with the backyard builder not having experience with them? Is there something unique or something with that particular product? This is my fear (and may have been yours as well) that I find a product (that MSI product for example, or Artistic Pavers product mentioned up-thread, where the paver guys have never used it and install it incorrectly). There is so much inept workers right now in the construction industry that it makes me nervous to use a non-standard product that the installer installs every-single-day (no thinking involved).

 

[Schwimmbad]

Sure, our contractor has not used that product and didn’t want to try it out. They wanted to stick with what they are used to and I didn’t want to force it on them or go with someone else.

I actually spoke to the building materials company that my contractor uses who could also source the areterra pavers and he said it really isn’t much different to install. I do know the random pattern that my builder used for travertine would not have worked since Arterra pavers do not come in the same sizes, but it could have been done differently.

If you like a particular product I suggest asking the manufacturer for reputable contractors. I was too far down the road to switch.

 

[troublefreefun]

Check into artistic pavers if you are even considering cement pavers. They have several products and textures for pools. They are made in Arizona so fairly close to you too.

https://www.artisticpavers.com/

I obtained some samples as well as some marble pavers and today, August 24, 2024 at 1:30pm I checked their surface temperatures and they were as follows (all in Fahrenheit)
AP Cool White: 124
Marble Paver: 125
AP White Pearl: 130
AP Silver Sam: 135
AP Platinum Gray: 135

See photo with the products in the background:

 

[zz28zz]

Try measuring a white limestone sample. We installed it this year after 15 yrs of kool-coat. Doesn't seem to heat up at all in 100+ degs and full sun. Not slippery wet or dry. Very easy on tender feet.

 

[Hotbobcool]

I'm in Georgia, but we have white limestone coping and off white porcelain pavers (on a sand/crusher base).

The limestone has never been hot to the touch. The porcelain does get hot (I've not measured temp), but not enough to feel like it's burning your foot - it's hot for sure but not uncomfortable. Our porcelain is from hardscapes.com, they have local suppliers.

Porcelain doesn't need to be sealed and limestone should be, which is added time/expense over the years.

 

[redhead33]

We are looking for material selection for the pool coping and patio area around the pool that will be in the Phoenix, AZ sun. Our priorities are as follows in this order:

1. Low maintenance
2. Comfortable & safe (heat, texture, slippery)
3. Cost

Design-wise we are looking at a mixture of white and darker hues. I have attached a picture and the two we like is the "Tundra Gray Leathered Finish" marble and the "Silver Tumbled" travertine (the bottom two in the photo).

Should we get more details about product density and other matters?

Generally speaking, even if we don't end up with one of these, what product (marble, travertine, limestone, etc) would you recommend using the low maintenance, comfortable and safe, and cost priorities and most importantly why?

I know everybody likes the idea of pavers probably would be better in Arizona because you don’t have all the moisture, but here in Florida and where I have direct sun all day on my pool and pool decking I do not like pavers of any kind. I’ve had houses where I had pavers everywhere and they are extremely high maintenance and I know people will say well. You can seal them well guess what that doesn’t last forever. In Florida they get moldy. They get black looking they get stuff between the pavers that then little plants grow, no thanks! I’m almost done with my pool build and they tried to offer pavers and I said no I want my concrete like I always do. And the way they do it now you don’t need coping if you’re doing a Gunite pool. They have forms which creates the cantilever which will stick out above where the waterline tile goes. After the concrete, which is smooth out like a regular sidewalk would be, then they put knockdown texture and then they put in my case it’s called concrete stain but essentially it’s paint, you get whatever color you want. Big benefit to this is that it does not get super hot to walk on so essentially it’s like cool deck. I walked on my concrete walkway in front of the house the other day and I couldn’t even stand on it and then I walked on the pool deck and it’s not very hot at all. Also, much much easier to maintain and refresh. You just buy some more paint and paint it yourself with a roller in the future years. That’s my advice.

 

[redhead33]

Shorter version is it meets all of your requirements the concrete with cool deck. It’s cheaper I’m sure, lower maintenance by far, not slippery, and cool to your feet.

 

[troublefreefun]

Shorter version is it meets all of your requirements the concrete with cool deck. It’s cheaper I’m sure, lower maintenance by far, not slippery, and cool to your feet.

Have any pictures you are willing to share?

 

[zz28zz]

In regards to the Kool-coat, one issue that may or may not pertain to the ops situation. We have shingles with tiny stones that come loose over time and get washed off the roof when it rains (no gutters). The Kool-coat stuff would trap the tiny pebbles in the depressions. Looked bad. Cleaning it out was a pain. Water hose just pushed them to adjacent depressions. With the smooth limestone decking, it hoses-off easily.