There are many types of coping available for pools, such as flagstone, precast, brick, and poured in place copings and others.There are many types of coping available for pools, such as flagstone, precast, brick, and poured in place copings and others.
The most common is flagstone, followed closely by precast then brick and so on. All coping should be applied with the same principals as setting tile using a thinset or bonding agents to promote adhesion.
Any exposed edges on flagstone coping should be chiseled to give it a finished look and eliminate sharp edges. It is the most natural looking coping. Precast is custom casted to fit your pool, templates should be made to assure proper fit and finish. The edges of precast are typically smoother or less jagged than flagstone and will come in a variety of colors. Precast coping is typically more expensive than flagstone or brick. Brick coping is a more traditional or old school coping. These bricks are specifically designed for use as a pool coping with bullnose edges and smooth textures. Proper cutting of brick on corners or through any radius is a must for a nice, clean, custom fit & finish.
I recommend cutting every brick on radius exactly the same to make for a consistent brick size and grout joint sizes. So many times I have seen other companies that don't cut these bricks and the grout joints and bricks vary in size. This looks sloppy and unprofessional.