The three essential roles of pool tile

By Emma Peterson.

Choosing the right tile can impact maintenance, durability, safety and the overall vision for your outdoor space.

When homeowners think of pools, the first thing they probably think about is the water going into the pool. But even before water can be thought about, professional pool designers and installers are focused on a different aspect – the tile. In this episode of OudoorTalk™, Karol Weyman sits down with Logan Barker and Jamie Jaramillo from Noble Tile, along with John Zaprala from Heritage Landscape Supply Group for a conversation about the role tile plays in designing a pool.

Tile's impact on a pool is really three-fold: it is a structural necessity, an aesthetic upgrade and a performance boost. Jamie started by talking about the structural necessity of tile, sharing, “Functionally, what tile protects the pool structure. Specifically, waterline tile keeps the area that's exposed to the water, the chemicals and the buildup strong.”

As for the aesthetic role of tile, John shared some insight:

From a hardscape perspective, pool tile is chosen really early on in the process and that choice can set the tone for an entire backyard project...Every decision made between the pool and the hardscape affects what's next to it, so picking a tile is really an aesthetic choice for not just the pool, but also the whole outdoor space.

And last, but far from least, is tile’s role as a performance booster. Logan shared some insight into this one, explaining, “When you’re picking tile, you need to think about performance characteristics like durability, slip-resistance and thermal insulation.” He went on, “A lot of the stuff that is really high performance isn’t as aesthetically pleasing, so it’s really important for contractors to help homeowners straddle the line between aesthetics and performance.”

This idea of helping clients balance different factors when choosing a title is something that John and Jamie echoed. As Jamie put it, “The key really is finding the right balance between the visual appeal, the durability, the maintenance and the long-term performance.” John continued, “It's our job as professionals to really educate the customer on the why we're doing it, but still meet all their needs and create their vision.”

Listen to the whole episode or Watch the recording to learn more.