Paver Patio And Aluminum Bullnosed Coping

[skrause73]

Hello this is my first post...just had the concrete patio tore out around our vinyl lined inground pool with aluminum bullnosed coping. Had paver patio installed. Contractors laid approx. 10" concrete collar around the pool perimeter and laid pavers on bed of sand flush to the coping. Pavers are not mortared in, just polymeric sand in between joints. They attempted to squeeze thinned mortar in between the spaces between the pavers into the bullnosed coping and were not having much success. I have been reading conflicting opinions on whether there needs to be an expansion joint between coping and paver patio where the pavers around the edge are on top of concrete collar. Is this necessary? I didn't know if the water that may get in between the two would erode the sand under the pavers which I don't think was very thick on top of the concrete or if water would get in the coping and be susceptible to freeze thaw (live in central IL) or if water would be able to get in between the liner and the pool wall. I am still not certain exactly what purpose the coping serves. We would like to sand and paint the coping but didn't think we could remove with an open pool. We are replacing the liner this year around end of Aug. - beginning of Sept. Could anything be done then? If a joint is needed, could a person run a diamond blade flush to the coping through the pavers and fill with backer and tremco? The contactors that we hired did not have a lot of experience with laying paver patios around existing inground pools and we didn't have much to choose from in the boonies.

Thanks and I am not sure how to insert pictures, but I have some.

Susie