FAQ for Federal Stone® precast pool coping
Frequently asked questions
At Federal Stone® countless hours and care have gone into producing a clean stone. Please use extreme attention while handling, installing, and finishing the project to keep the coping stones in their “like new” condition. While in the construction phase, use plastic to cover the stones and do not use the stones as a “sidewalk.” When taping this material, do not use duct tape on the stones. Prevention is the best solution for keeping the coping clean. Moving forward though, the stones will require general maintenance and cleaning. For the majority of our stones and finishes, feel free to use the following procedures:
1. If large chunks or debris get stuck to the coping, use a plastic scrapper and 80 grit sandpaper to remove the blemish.
2. For dust/dirt, just sweep off the backs of the coping.
3. For tannic acid stains (leaf stains), use 3 gallons of water to 1 pack of pool shock along with a soft deck brush to scrub the area. Allow the sun to help fade the stain away.
4. For all other stains, use a mixture of mild household detergents (Ajax, TSP, Comet) with water to clean the stones.
5. Use muriatic acid as a last resort because it will start to remove the top surface of the stone. Please remember, the coping stones are porous and will retain various rates of moisture. During this time, graying will be expected until the stone is fully dried out.
*The suggested tips may not be applicable in all cases. Please test on sample pieces only.
Yes! While we don't use the word "match", because we aren't mixing paint, we do pride ourselves on getting very close to your inspiriation color. We ask that you please send us a chip or swatch of your color choice that you'd want us to mimic. For $120, we will create mulitple samples in your desired profile and mail them back to you for approval. This process can take up to 2 weeks, due to the receipe, mixing, and curing times.
Before installing the pool coping please check to ensure for proper ventilation, filtration, and pool water chemistry. The indoor pool environment is one of the harshest conditions for not just pool coping, but decks, tiles, furniture, and even the patrons.
A haze/smell may be associated with the indoor pool environment. The reason is from chlorine gas that is trapped in the air above the pool. It is caused by excessive chlorine residual. Chlorine is a gas dissolved in water, so there is always a release of the gas from the bulk water to the surrounding atmosphere. If the residual is too high in the pool, the air above the pool will also have high gas content. A second reason would be a high chlorine demand. Organic demands from the patrons and swimmers increases the concentration of ammonia in the pool water. Ammonia combines with chlorine and forms chloramines, and the chloramines are much less stable in water and will off-gas creating a haze above the pool.
The haze slowly dissipates and can be found all around the indoor pool setting. If these concerns are not addressed, they can be detrimental to the equipment and products inside the area. Discolored pool coping, discolored and “film” on top of tiles, and discoloration and even rust on pool furniture are just a few areas that will be directly affected and noticeable. The discoloration can range from gray to brown depending on the severity of the irritants and the pool air quality.
Often times it is too late after the fact to correct these concerns. The use of an "enzyme cleaner" is the only real effective solution to help erase the stains.
The stones will come from Federal Stone® without a sealer applied. Since the stones are porous and will be set in a wet mudbed, the mositure needs to be able to work it's way out of the stone. If the stones are still hydrating when a sealer is applied, the moisture could get trapped inside, causing a discoloration to the stone. Further, placing a sealer on top will in turn cause a maintenance issue due to re-application. If a sealer is imperative, then just make sure it is water based because an acrylic sealer will cause a slip concern.
Yes! In addition to our depth marker cutout stones, we supply the ceramic skid and non-skid tiles that can be grouted in on site. Please contact us for ordering needs.