Looking for stacked stone tile for Pool Spa surround, help! See photos

5 years ago

Hi Everyone. We have a freeform gunite pool that's about halfway done. This whole time, I've had my mind made up that on the 18" raised areas like the spa and the sheer descents will have a stacked stone tile similar to the 2nd photo I'm attaching here. Problem however is that my contractor just clarified that this stone ledger style comes in a 6" x 24" sheet and does not do well on very rounded areas. It will work on the raised area for the sheer descents (because the curve there is minimal) but for the round spa, it won't work well. Do you have any suggestions on an alternative stacked stone look where the sheets have more of a bend that can work well on rounded surfaces? This is the look I've visualized in my head all this time and have saved for this pool for years. (1st photo is our actual pool in construction - I marked the area of the raised sheer descents and the area where the round spa will be to the left).

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Rachel Avila
Original Author

5 years ago

Thanks for the feedback. The stacked stone will be on areas where no one will go against, it'll only be only on the raised areas. I'm partial to the style because we have parts of our home (front columns and fireplace) that have it so it was a nice way to tie it together. Any alternative suggestions to keep a rock feel/look?

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Comments (10)

PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
5 years ago
I would not want my bare skin rubbing up againts that ever. BTW stacked is already dated and there are so many choices for this application .
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ptreckel
5 years ago
So, you are placing the stacked stone (or a comparable stone) on the exterior of your pool and spa?
Rachel Avila
Original Author
5 years ago
Only on the raised sheer descents and the raised exterior of spa. I marked on first photo.
PRO
Mystic Pools, LLC
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
We have used natural stone on raised portions of round spas. We don't use any of the pre-fab sheets as you mentioned. We use real, natural stone.

It's a bit tedious, but each stone would have to be cut to conform to the spa radius.

We have always run the stone down below the water line. Never stacked over the perimeter tile shown in the second pic. It's a better look.

Here's 2 projects we did about 15+ years ago that have the natural stone on the exterior.

Pics are way before cell phone cameras. So sorry for not being super clear. My client's moved out some time ago so I have no recent photos. This may give you some ideas.

First one is Pennsylvania Bluestone. Second one was a variegated bluestone, but with more browns and tans.
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Rachel Avila
Original Author
5 years ago
Thank you so much for your feedback and photos! This truly helps. Was trying to stay within budget and if change to individual rock work, it ups the labor cost but seems there may not be a way around it:-( But glad to see this option and will definitely look into this!
PRO
Mystic Pools, LLC
5 years ago
Great

The top pic, my customer decided on the stone after the pool was shot. We had cut a notch on the face of the spa with a demo saw, to allow the first coarse to have a support ledge , if you will, or a brick ledge/shelf, as masons would call it.

The gunite crew can create that shelf when shooting. The location of the first coarse would have to be determined beforehand. 1 1/2" width is fine. Just keep in mind the top of the spa wall will be thicker once the stone is applied. Plan accordingly for whatever coping stone to be used in reference to it's width.
Melissa Vernon
5 years ago
Patricia/others: if stacked stone is already dated on raised beam/spa areas in pools what are more current looks that go well with a free form pool That will have natural boulders over a grotto?
PRO
Mystic Pools, LLC
5 years ago
Natural stone in any form to me, is never dated. We always circle back to natural materials.
Melissa Vernon
4 years ago
Rachel did you finish your pool? I’m curious what you ended up doing? Our pool has looked like your original pic since midsummer and we are waiting on gunite at this time.