Building a pool is very similar to constructing a custom home. Someone has to act as the “general” and coordinate many different trades and professions, many of whom don’t really know or care about the next man-in-line, other than finishing their particular assignment, getting paid and getting out. You, the buyer, need someone you can trust to supervise, control and schedule the process. This person needs to have a firm grasp of every category, because each successive phase is dependent upon the accuracy of the previous.
While no one category is any less important than another, in actual dollar value, the masonry is almost always the most expensive portion of the job. In this month’s column, we’ll explore more important facts and tips that can set your project apart from the rest.
Arizona flagstone remains one of the most popular copingstones. It comes in a variety of earth-toned shades that match beautifully the stucco finishes of many of today’s new homes. Most commonly utilized in freeform lagoon-type pools, it comes alive when coupled with color coordinated faux rock boulders. Since Arizona flagstone is from the softer sandstone family, our masons are able to trim a less jagged, smoother edge, which makes Arizona flagstone much more suitable for families with little children.
There are a variety of darker flagstones available with an array of colors from slate gray to green to brown, with multi-colored veins, like zebra stripes. However, because this class of stone is harder, it’s more difficult to cut and smooth the natural quarried edges, and many people find it less than comfortable to lean or sit against. For this reason, one might combine a “Brown Flash” or “Pueblo” bullnose brick coping with a “Three Rivers” or “Sonora Red” flagstone on the vertical raised bond beam.
We’re finding a greater than ever acceptance of combining color-coordinated brick for the coping, and then stone of all sorts for the vertical veneer, in place of old fashioned grouted tile, which looks dated and can be a maintenance nightmare. The darker colors lend themselves to a somewhat more “northern mountain lagoon” look, as opposed to Arizona flagstone, which lends itself to a more “tropical desert island” look.
As in all the work we do, color coordination is the key to a successful project. There are lots of creative ways to get a look that will set your pool apart from the rest.
If you’d like to see photo examples of any of these construction materials, you can contact Harry Clay, President of Castaic Pools Inc. at 661-257-4264 for an in-home consultation, or visit our website at www.castaicpools.com.