A few quick takes based on my own limited knowledge - I am not a builder, just a homeowner who has been learning about my new-to-me pool for the last few years. I'm sure you don't want to get into a drawn out discussion as to WHY your preferences are your preferences or debate their validity - so I'm going to look at this as if I were trying to build a pool that had the least "modern" interference on the assumption that we have adulterated so many things in our environment with substances that have short track records for safety that you'd like to use methods that are as pure as you can make them. The shell of your pool can be constructed of many things - concrete (gunite or shotcrete are terms often used) covered with plaster is a common one here. Other finishes can be things like PebbleTec (plaster with pebble additives) or Quartz (plaster with quartz additives) which are added to the plaster for a more durable finish. Different colors are possible - you would need to research what the additive creates the colors and if you are comfortable with it. Other kinds of construction are steel walls or concrete walls with vermiculite bottom and vinyl finish. Or even fiberglass that is dropped into a hole in the ground! If I was aiming for a "less advanced, less man-manipulated" type of pool I would guess gunite with plaster is pretty simple and more natural than products like vinyl liners or fiberglass pools, but that's a gut feeling. I sanitize my pool with chlorine bleach (from the grocery store) and use borax and baking soda to control other aspects of the pool chemistry. There are lots of ways to sanitize a pool, including a Salt Water Chlorine Generator (a machine that uses salt and a salt cell to manufacture chlorine and add to the pool - supposed to be a lower maintenance option, putting the pool more on cruise control). Pool decks can be made of concrete, wood, stone, manufactured vinyl woods like Trex, and on and on. Again, I'd lean towards stone or concrete for environmental chemical concerns. I haven't heard of a pool cover that isn't made of some sort of plastic base, but I don't personally have a cover to tell you if it touches the water all the time. I think in cold-weather areas, the cover rests on the water during the winter, helping to buoy up snow loads.

See the threads here regarding TimberTech XLM. TimberTech DrySpace is a good product for waterproofing the underside of a deck as well. No, I'm not a TT rep, I'm a custom deck builder. I've built with many different materials and I like their products. They're a good company that stands behind their materials. Mac Here is a link that might be useful: Mac's website

We have an EP Henry Harvest Blend paver patio and love it! We get full sun all afternoon, and the pavers remain very cool underfoot. It is my top choice for our pool deck and coping (they have a 6" bullnose which looks very nice, and is smooth). Good Luck!

Can you tell me which colors are which ? Can you please list color names for each number ? Thanks!