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How to set up copings ?
The role of copings
The copings also called wall tops plays several roles : guarantee the waterproofing of the wall while bringing an aesthetic aspect to your wall or acroterus.
If your wall is coated, the drip edge (line underneath the coping along the length) is a mandatory to deport the water from the coating and thus not to deteriorate it.
The possibilities in terms of copings are numerous : materials (natural stone, aluminum, concrete …), dimensions (thickness of 3 to 15 cm in Burgundy limestone), shapes (straight, 2 sides, curved …) but the purpose remains the same : waterproofing and aesthetics.
How to set up wall copings ?
It should be distinguished whether the wall is a stone wall or a cinder block/brick wall. The general principle will be the same but there are some differences.
As a preamble, if your wall needs to be coated, first lay the copings, this will allow you to have a more precise work (it is very difficult to stop the coating perfectly straight – the coating will also cover any drips of mortar).
The dry stone wall will rarely be straight on top, so it will be necessary to carry out a mortar leveling before the set up of the wall copings. For cinder blocks, normally no difficulty on flatness.
The main steps are as follows :
1- Prepare the support : make sure of its flatness (pass the sander on the wall to make sure of the flatness) – as part of a stone wall, make a leveling the day before the set up
2- Lay the glue mortar with a trowel on the support – made a double gluing (glue on the support and ont the copings).
3- Position the copings on the wall with a gap of 5 to 10 millimeters. To be perfectly straight, pull a cord beforehand. Let it dry before making the groutings.
4- Do the groutings with a piping bag or a trowel. Put an adhesive on the copings to clearly delineate the grouting. Remember to remove the excess grouting underneath (towards the drip edges). We recommend the ready-to-use Prolijoint grouting from Parexlanko.
As part of cuts (tab cutting for angles or returns), use a grinder with diamond disc or a water saw (which limit dust).
The set up of copings is accessible to any handyman without necessarily being trained. The only difficulty could be to make neat cuts for angle. Cut angles are not an imperative, you can set up angles with 2 rectangular coping stones (ditto pool coping stones set up)
Do not hesitate if you have any questions specific to your project.
