How to Create Perfect Pool Paving

Getting your swimming pool up and running is usually a matter of signing a construction contract with a pool company to cover all the necessities, such as installation, coping and fitting the pump and filters. Of course, don’t forget to council plans and approval. Once the pool is installed, whether fiberglass or concrete, the optional extras need to be organized. ‘These include all swimming pool surrounds, such as hard areas, landscaping and safety fencing. In this article, we will show you how to create an attractive paved area around the pool using clay pavers.

Clay pavers have excellent durability and color retention. They make a long-lasting surface that’ll withstand the corrosive effects of both salt water and chlorine. Other materials use as pool surrounds include concrete (stenciled, stamped or exposed aggregate). concrete paving, limestone paving, sandstone and even tiles. Such a variety of products allows you to select a color and style to match the design elements of your home and to fit your budget.

A solid base
For paving to withstand the test of time, and countless liters of splash and run-off, you’ll require a solid and stable concrete base. The edge beam around the perimeter of the pool provides the solid base for the coping (bull nose pavers are typically). Coping is glued to the edge beam on fiberglass pools, or bedded in mortar around concrete pools. The concrete base of our paving was poured around the perimeter of the edge beam extending it to accept the pavers.

Preparation
Establish the area to be paved around the pool and the finished height of the paving. Poolside paving is easy, because you can work from the existing coping. Ensure that the paving falls away form the pools, so any run-off doesn’t flow into the water.
Excavate the area to a depth of 175mm from the finished height or 100mm from the top of the concrete edge beam. If fill has to be added, only use sand, then compact and screed it to the correct base level.

Next, construct the formwork of the outer, un-retained, perimeter of the concrete base. Use 100 x 50mm timber if the edges of the base are straight or 100 x 100mm Oregon off cuts to create curbed edging. Make sure you brace the formwork with sufficient timber pegs to withstand the pressure of the wet concrete.

Lay f72 steel reinforcing mesh around the pool, between the edge beam and the outer formwork. Always leave a 50mm gap between the steel and the formwork.
As the slab is laid against other solid structures, that is, the pool edge beam and brick retaining wall, lay expansion material to separate them.

Laying the base
Pour the concrete, then spread the correct depth and screed to the correct level. The finish on the slab will never be seen, so a rough float finish is all that’s’ needed. Concreting is heavy work, so organize to get some additional help. We had two people barrowing the sand bed. Screed the sand to create a level surface for the pavers. Screed rails can be made from galvanized water pipe, 25mm aluminum square channel, or even 25mm PVC conduit. Follow these steps to screed a level bed.

1. Set taut stringlines at the finished paving height in the same location as the screed rails. Bed the screed rails in the sand beneath the string lines at the correct depth.

2. Spread the bedding sand thoroughly the same height as the screed rails, then compact the sand by tamping it with the back of a rake and hosing it lightly.

3. While you are screeding, check regularly that the surface fall is adequate, and tin the correct direction.

4. After screeding, remove the rails and fill in the channels left in the bedding sand.

Laying the pavers
Set up string lines to form square grids. This will enable you to lay pavers accurately. Establish the grid size by loosely laying about 1m2 of pavers. Paving bricks should not be butted tightly together as they need room to expand. Space the pavers accurately, allowing 2-4mm joints, then measure the exact size of the sample grid set-out. . Use this set-out and the paving will always be straight and uniform. Our herringbone paving pattern worked a square size around swimming pools, it is often best to lay a header course at the perimeter as a starting point, then lay the selected pattern gradually towards the pool coping or perimeter brickwork, ensure it protrudes by 5-8mm, to allow for sinkage during compaction.

Cutting
When all the full pavers are laid, the remaining spaces require pavers to be cut. Mark pavers for cutting with a permanent marker and ruler. Cutting is best done using a brick saw with a diamond-tipped blade.

When a herringbone pattern is laid square to a header course, cutting is significantly reduced to half pavers every third row. On the diagonal, a cut paver would need to be laid every row. Think carefully about the pattern set-out to reduce cutting where possible.

Grouting
Fine –grained washed beach sand is ideal for grouting joint between pavers. Top-up the joints every six moths to replace and wind-blown or washed-out grout. Most landscapers use beach sand for grouting at a cost of around $10 for half a bobcat scoop. For a more stable grout, mix six parts sand to one part cement, spread over the paving surface and sweep into the joints. Sweep off the excess, then with the hose nozzle set on a fine spray, hose the surface of the pavers slowly and carefully to removed any cement residue. When the grout dries, it will set.

Compacting
Paving can be compacted by hand or machine. To do it by hand, use a straight length of 100-50mm timber and lump hammer. Position the timber on each row of pavers and strike it several times with a lump hammer along its length. Repeat on each row of pavers.

For the easiest and best result, hire a plate compactor hire a plate compactor. Run the machine over the entire paving surface, two or three times, in a sequential manner, for an even finish. Do not run the plate compactor over the pool coping or other mortared brickwork, as it may crack the mortar bed. Many landscapers fix a square of carpet under the base plate to soften the bounce of the machine.