travertine pavers over concrete kool decking around pool

by Bob T
(Surprise, AZ)

I'm considering installing travertine pavers over my existing kool-deck concrete patio. I know your not a fan of that concept but three different companies have said there shouldn't be a problem in the Phoenix area because we don't get much frost or rain. As long as most of the pavers are dry set in sand, they say there should be adequate allowance for expansion and future settling -if any. I also thought about just installing tile over the concrete but I'm concerned there are too many expansion joints and areas that the existing deck may crack further, and I'm guessing I'd get tile cracks.

Another issue: the existing concrete is 4 inches thick and when I put pavers on it then I'll have about 5 1/2 inches of concrete / pavers showing around the edge of the pool above the pool tile. Should I bullnose the pavers around the edge of the pool and then put a row of 4 inch travertine tile on the concrete edge below the pavers or is there some better way to handle? I hate the thought of trying to remove concrete around the edge of the pool. I'll end up with two rows of tile above the water line but I think they would be different enough that it would not be a problem asthetically -- but then again I'm not a designer? I also thought of putting travertine tile around the surface of the pool and then switch to travertine pavers farther out but I think you'd see the color /texture transition and again I'd have to remove concrete to get the patio height to be the same.

ANSWER

Hi Bob,
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. If this were my project, I would remove the kool decking for a few reasons.

1. I am not comfortable with sand over concrete, where the water can seep down onto the concrete decking beneath the pavers and have no where to go. It cannot percolate down into stone and earth like it should.

It's not a matter of frost or settling. It's a matter of where the water travels to.

2. Regarding the difference in height between the pavers, which will now be higher than the existing pool coping...the coping is always going to be lower (no matter what you do) which is not how it is supposed to be.

3. By the time you pay for any bullnosing of pavers, adding tile, etc. (not to mention the labor involved, you might as well pay to have the concrete removed

You will be spending a fair amount of money on the travertine pavers, so do it right and you will not be sorry. You will not create any water issues and the level of the pool coping and the travertine pavers will be the same. I hate extra work and money as much as you do! However in this situation I would bite the bullet. Get some prices and maybe you will be pleasantly surprised.