Choosing The Right Stone For A Pool Deck

When choosing the right stone such as a natural limestone patio and pool Long Island NY it’s important to embrace some practical and aesthetic considerations.  Whether it’s an elegant light-colored limestone perfect for a hot summer day, a natural fieldstone emulating the feel of a deep woods swimming hole, or reclaimed granite with its timeless weathered beauty, the following points will help in selecting the best stone for a pool deck or patio area.

The Four S’s to Consider

• Style – The overall appearance of a pool deck and patio may vary depending on style. It could be sophisticated versus a more rustic look and feel.  The sophisticated style generally has clean lines while a rustic style offers an earthy feel and look with more natural, rougher lines.
• Surface –  The texture of the stone has a big impact on the look as well as the feel of your patio surface.
  • A split face surface, like a reclaimed plank paver, gives a rustic look to the area.
  • A natural cleft surface comes from stones that are split by man along a natural seam in the stone.  This gives the surface an organic feel with a flatter surface compared to a rough split surface.
• Shapes and Patterns – Stone shapes, whether irregularly shaped or straight edge squares and rectangles, may completely change the design of a pool deck as different design patterns will also,
• Scale – It is important to think about the size of the stones. Deciding on small, medium, or large stones determine the look and feel of a pool deck area.

PRO TIP: If the deck space is large, consider using larger-sized pieces to give it a grand feeling. Smaller pieces may be used for more intricate patterns and offer a more sophisticated look.

• Color – Natural stone comes in a variety of colors in addition to color combinations. Deciding on the stone consider if the pool is in direct sunlight for large amounts of time, then a lighter-colored stone would be good to keep the temperature down. Choose a color or color theme that relates to your home, or office building, as well as other stones in the nearby area.

The Right Stone For The Right Condition

A complement to the surrounding landscape, natural stone pool coping is as practical as it is attractive. Natural stone is durable and resists freeze-thaw cycles.

• Heat Underfoot – Comfortable underfoot is important when choosing a stone for a pool deck and patio. Which type of stone will help to keep the surface cooler? The answer is a stone with less heat absorption. In general, lighter-colored stones have less heat absorption.
• Freeze-Thaw – If the pool will be located in a freeze-thaw weather zone, be sure to pick a stone with lower water absorption for the pool deck. Granites, basalts, and porphyry top the charts in this category and will hold up to all weather conditions. We have also hand-picked some freeze-thaw-resistant limestones and sandstones that will work well.
• Slip Resistance – The last thing you want is a slippery stone for a pool deck and patio. Luckily, adjustments to surface texture and joints can make a huge difference when it comes to creating a slip-resistant deck.

In addition to considering the appearance of the texture, consider the effect it has on the perceived slipperiness of a stone. Man-made surfaces provide excellent grip and some split surfaces tend to be less slippery. In general, stone surfaces with indentations and irregularities provide a better grip.

WIDE JOINTS VS MANY JOINTS

Wide joints between pavers or joints that have grass or other vegetation growing between them make the overall pool deck surface less slippery.

When there are many joints, your feet are always touching multiple joints which helps you naturally grip the surface and it is, therefore, more slip-resistant.

Pool Deck Materials We LOVE at Gappsi

Limestone – The luxurious feel and look of limestone make it a great choice for a pool deck.

Sandstone – A sedimentary rock composed of sand-size grains of mineral, rock, or organic material. Many sandstone materials are great for pool decks as their split surfaces are naturally slip-resistant. Colors range from beige to brown to gray-blue.

Granite – A coarse-grained igneous rock, granite has a high content of quartz and feldspar giving it a speckled appearance. One of the most durable quarried stones from around the world, granite is nearly always massive, hard, and tough.

Bluestone – Bluestone is actually a sandstone with a deep blue color but also appears with other hues such as shades of gray and brown. Bluestone is known for its advantageous price point. Natural cleft bluestone is quite slip-resistant.

Travertine – A form of limestone deposited by mineral springs, especially hot springs. Travertine often has a fibrous or concentric appearance and exists in white, tan, cream-colored, and even rusty varieties.

Marble – Marble can have beautiful pattern movement within the stone and comes in a wide variety of colors from white to salmon to gray, blue, green, and black.

Limestone Patio And Pool Long Island NY

Kidney-shaped gunite swimming pools remodeled in Center Island NY. We installed new stairs across the shallow area and porcelain tiles in the water line. The pool was totally remodeled with new plumbing and a new finish. We used super blue diamond bright and tile markers on the edge of the steps. The patio consists of G44 limestone in a french pattern and two inches of G044 Marble Limestone all selected from the Gappsi natural stone collection. Very beautiful property, a very beautiful setting. The latest gunite remodels by Gappsi.

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