Marble

Marble is the largest part of what we sell, and almost all of it goes outdoors around pools. That surprises people who think of marble as polished floor tile. The exterior material here is denser and more uniform than travertine, and it is finished leather or sandblasted rather than polished, which gives it a matte, slip-resistant face that holds up in full sun. For a direct comparison see the travertine collection and our guide on travertine versus marble around a pool.

Two finishes, one stone

Leather finish is brushed after cutting, leaving a soft, low-sheen texture that brings out veining and reads a shade darker. Sandblasted finish is blasted with abrasive to a uniform matte grain that reads lighter and hides variation. Both are slip-resistant when wet. Most colors here are offered in both, so the choice is mostly about how much of the stone's character you want to see. Order the same color in each finish as samples and compare them wet, since both darken a shade with water and the leather finish darkens a little more than the sandblasted.

Colors

The whites: Ibiza White is a bright, fine-grained white; Ice White is a crisp white with a faint gray cast; Bursa White is soft white with light veining. The creams: Corsica Cream is warm off-white and is the most-ordered color for pool decks that need to stay light without glare. The grays: Tundra Grey is a mid gray with white veining. Diane Royal and Royal Beige bring warmer beige tones. All of the whites and creams are grouped on the ivory color page, where they sit next to Ivory travertine.

Sizes and profiles in this collection

The 6x12, 12x24, 14x24 and 16x24 coping formats carry every color and both finishes. The 14x24 is a useful in-between when 12" is too narrow for the beam and 16" leaves too much overhang; see 14x24 pool coping. Remodel coping is cut with a drop face for resurfacing jobs and is grouped in the remodel coping collection.

Sealing, heat and winter

Marble is less porous than travertine but still benefits from a penetrating sealer to slow staining from sunscreen and leaves. Light colors stay noticeably cooler than dark stone under bare feet, and the sandblasted finish, being lighter, is marginally cooler than leather in the same color. In freeze-thaw climates use 2" pieces on a well-drained base and keep the joints sealed; the full care schedule is in our marble sealing and maintenance guide.