Pool coping is the frame around the edge or lip of your pool that a vinyl liner attaches to. It helps cover the aluminum coping track, which serves as the connection point for the actual vinyl liner to hang, securing it in place.
Beyond serving an important function, coping also provides a decorative border around the edge of your pool that transitions to your decking. Although coping and decking are often paired, coping can be both functionally and visually distinct from the rest of the deck.
Vinyl liner inground pools have several key advantages over concrete (gunite) pools. The smooth, antimicrobial surface of a vinyl liner is algae-resistant, requiring fewer chemicals to balance your water chemistry and pH. This makes them easier to care for and cost less in terms of upkeep over time. By contrast, concrete pools require costly resurfacing once every decade. Their rough, porous surface makes them less comfortable when swimming and more prone to algae clinging to their surface. This means more frequent water pH balancing and maintenance that adds up over the lifetime of a concrete pool.
By contrast, a vinyl liner pool has a durable, non-corrosive structure that lasts for decades, covered with a vinyl liner that enhances the comfort of the pool underfoot. A well-maintained vinyl liner can last for approximately 8-15 years. The cost to replace a vinyl liner is a fraction of the cost to resurface a concrete pool. Better yet, replacing a vinyl liner can be an inexpensive way to revamp the look and feel of your pool as your aesthetic preferences change through the years.
