Cast Stone pool coping - Staining problems

[birddog]

We're having white colored cast stone coping installed and it stains really bad. Dirt, hand prints, shoe marks, it seems like anything that touches it will stain it.

I asked the contractor if they were going to seal it and they said no. Is this normal?

[haze_1956]

Sorry, but I need to ask.

If you know it all these negatives about it, Why are you using it?
.

[waste]

Birddog, welcome to the forum!!

Sounds like what you're getting is th "AQ" coping (precast, 2' white with a nice 2" lip on the front). It will stain, but the stains can usually be removed with bleach (you will be doing the BBB method advocated here ?!?) or comercial cleaners (just don't let the Comet(TM) mix with the pool water or you'll have foaming problems). When I worked for a company in Va, we used the "AQ" almost exclusively, and the staining wasn't bad - we never sealed it but a concrete sealent sounds like a good idea (however, I'm not sure that the sealer wouldn't make the coping VERY slippery- safety first!)
Haze has asked if you have another option, which may be the way to go, but if it isn't - bleach and a little 'elbow grease' should be enough to keep it looking good for years.
Again, welcome to the forum - Waste

[birddog]

Sorry, but I need to ask.

If you know it all these negatives about it, Why are you using it?
.

Not to sound flippant but that's a silly question. I didn't know how badly it stained until after it was installed. If I'd known beforehand how easily it stained I wouldn't have selected it.

Birddog, welcome to the forum!!

Sounds like what you're getting is th "AQ" coping (precast, 2' white with a nice 2" lip on the front). It will stain, but the stains can usually be removed with bleach (you will be doing the BBB method advocated here ?!?) or comercial cleaners (just don't let the Comet(TM) mix with the pool water or you'll have foaming problems). When I worked for a company in Va, we used the "AQ" almost exclusively, and the staining wasn't bad - we never sealed it but a concrete sealent sounds like a good idea (however, I'm not sure that the sealer wouldn't make the coping VERY slippery- safety first!)
Haze has asked if you have another option, which may be the way to go, but if it isn't - bleach and a little 'elbow grease' should be enough to keep it looking good for years.
Again, welcome to the forum - Waste

Hi waste,

Thanks for the constructive response.

My builder is considering sealing the coping with a stone sealer that's used with travertine and similar porous stone. I'm waiting to here back from him and am doing some research on my own so I'm hoping to have a solution to the problem before the final punch. So far the stone sealer is the only potential solution we've found.

[haze_1956]

Not to sound flippant but that's a silly question. I didn't know how badly it stained until after it was installed. If I'd known beforehand how easily it stained I wouldn't have selected it.

Might I recommend you reread your original post

Your original post says "We're having white colored cast stone coping installed and it stains really bad. Dirt, hand prints, shoe marks, it seems like anything that touches it will stain it.

That is clearly you stating the coping had not yet been installed and you were already aware of its negative aspects.

So bearing that in mind I will dismiss any flippancy on your part.

Hope it all works out, enjoy your pool !!

[Big_D]

Yes you can seal it, several things to consider.
If it is the precast that is similar to what is used on new home construction then you should get out the yellow pages and call some stone casters or supply companies in your area. I have Noble cast and it also stained, but most of the stains will, for the most part eventually wear off. Rust is the worst to get off. You can use a light bleach solution, but not acid. Anything more than 10-15% Acid will eat the stone up. Experience talking here !. Also you should wash off the coping after you swim if you use a SWG (Chlorine Generator). The Salt does penetrate the stone. I did not seal my coping very well last year but plan to do so this spring when the temps get back up to normal. I have 248 Linear feet of precast coping since I used it on all my steps and decking as well. You should use the same sealer each time you treat it. The sealer is not cheap, I pay about $30.00 per gallon from a wholesale stone supply. Areas that were treated well do not stain deeply. Areas that were no treated do.