The Most Stylish Materials for Your Poolside Pavers

Swimming pools are multi purpose investments. They cool you down on hot summer days, they offer a gathering point for social activity, they facilitate bonding, and they raise property value and aesthetic appeal. That’s why when you’re installing your pool, you need to pay attention to the finish.

Think about the size and depth of your pool. If you have little ones, put in a shallow end, kiddie pool, or easy-access steps. If the main purpose is exercise, choose a shape that is compatible with laps. If your teens are dive-training, ensure the depth will allow for fancy callisthenics.

On the styling front, choose an attractive colour for your pool tiling, since this will influence the colour of the pool. Pool glass mosaics are a good choice, because they have curved pieces for corners and joints, and they have a firm grip that resists humidity and temperature fluctuation. They are available in more than twenty colours and are compatible with pool regulations in multiple countries. They are beautiful, stylish, and best of all, affordable.

For the areas around the pool, you need a paving material that is attractive and slip resistant. It needs to be warm enough for poolside basking, but not so hot that it burns the feet, palms, and tummies of swimmers as they enter or exit the pool. Of course, it needs to be unaffected by water and chlorine.

Salt water pools are getting more and more popular, so extra points if it can withstand salt. The paving material shouldn’t crack easily because jagged bits can hurt the bare feet of swimmers. There are many options that fit these criteria, and a lot of them are natural stone. Some pool owners settle for concrete pavers, though natural stone is prettier and more versatile regarding styling.

Porphyry is a kind of volcanic rock that works beautifully on pool sides. It’s easy to extract, but its dimensions are naturally selected because of its vertical structure inside mountain quarries. In its raw form, porphyry is flat, which makes it perfect for creating level poolside paving. It comes in many earthen colours, and it has a textured surface that gives it strong anti-slip properties. It also withstands chemicals, so it works well with chlorine, and it doesn’t chip.

Basalt is another good choice. Better known as bluestone, this natural rock is tough and water resistant. It comes in speckled blue, grey, or black, and its intrinsic texture prevents slipping. As a poolside paver, basalt can be sandblasted, brushed, or both, to give it a stylishly practical finish.

If you’d like your pool pavers to exude a touch of elegance, marble is a great option. It’s usually cool to the touch, and while it can become pleasantly warm in the sunshine, it never scorches. It’s also an anti-slip stone available in a wide colour range from earthy browns to deep blues and stately greys. Outdoor marble pavers don’t have the high polish of interior marble tile, so they blend beautifully with outdoor décor. They are acid washed, making them unaffected by salt and chlorine.

Limestone has a way of evoking a beach ambience, and that makes it a good option for pool decks. It has a wide colour range, with slabs available in blue, pink, silver, cream, and even black. Depending on how your poolside pavers are finished, they can attain a slippage rating of either W or V. If your pavers are tumbled, the score W, which means ‘low risk when wet’. Sandblasted pavers score even better: V for ‘very low risk’.

Because limestone is mostly quarried in the ocean and seaside regions, is can withstand salt. It’s good with chlorine as well, and quite easy to maintain. If you’d like something simpler, sandstone tiles work well with salt, and they don’t wear out easily. Their texture makes them non-slip, and their neutral shade makes a good backdrop for colourful poolside décor.

Let’s close by looking at top travertine pavers. Unlike other pavers, they absorb water, which means there isn’t enough liquid on their surface to cause slips and falls. It also stays cool, partly because of the moisture from the pool. Travertine is unbothered by salt or chlorine, and it gives your pool a cool natural look.

Whichever finish you choose for your poolside, complement it with suitable landscaping and appropriate pool furnishings to give it a nice, relaxed, cohesive look. And don’t forget some shade to offer respite from the sun.