|  The
terms "coping" and "cantilever"
are both used to refer to the deck edge, but technically
they are two different things. A coping is a narrow
border, usually 12-18-inches wide, around the pool.
it typically has a rounded or bull-nosed edge. It is
poured separately from the rest of the deck and is attached
to the pool.
A cantilevered deck sits on top of the edge of the
pool. It can be made of concrete panels as large as
8 feet square and is actually part of the deck. The
edge can be rounded or fall vertically.
In both cases, accommodating movement - expansion and
contraction is the biggest technical challenge. Bud
Stegmeier, Western manager and partner in charge of
marketing for Stegmeier Corp., explains. "The coping
is attached to the pool; it's part of the pool. So you
have a vertical expansion joint at the end." The
coping is separated from the rest of the deck pour by
rolling out a length of polyethylene foam flush to the
coping and pouring to the foam. "This is a true
expansion joint. It absorbs movement," says Stegmeier.
in short, the coping moves independently of the deck.
Cantilevered decks are a monolithic pour. They experience
greater temperature extremes and expand and contract
at a greater rate than the pool itself. A bond breaker
must be used between the deck and pool or else the movement
of the deck would crack the tiles of the pool. Essentially,
a horizontal expansion joint is created by inserting
a bond-breaker material such as tarpaper between the
pool and the deck to prevent the concrete top from adhering
to the pool.
One big difference between patios and pool decks is
finishing the edges. It used to be that fairly complex
forms were required to create a rounded edge. In fact,
copings were often precast instead of poured in place
to avoid this extra form work. Today, though, there
are disposable foam forms for creating attractive, uniform
edges. Stegmeier Corp. makes these forms of extruded
polystyrene in 8-foot sections. To use, the pool is
poured and the tile set to its highest point and leveled.
A backer is peeled off the form to expose a tape adhesive
and the form is adhered to the tile. The foam is flexible
enough to turn around comers and curves.
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