I'm a sucker for the neatness of the square.

annb1997 - Yes, that is part of the reason I'm doing this project. The entire area will be lowered, re-graded and some drains installed (the garden edge is kind of temporarily in place for now, got a great deal on the plants so they had to go in). It's a bigger job than anticipated as it also means the air conditioners (x3) need to be de-commossioned and re-installed at the new levels. John, I like the idea with regard to the tank, but we get allot of bitey critters and I don't really want to give them anymore areas to hide out in.

Hi mluh You've obviously done your research on these products, so it's most likely going to come down to personal preference. As you've mentioned, a natural stone is going to come with an amount of maintenance but the beauty of Travertine is within its variation. Once sealed with a good quality sealer (I recommend Guard Industry), the maintenance is really quite low and most spills are lost within those natural variations. 99% of spills can be cleaned up without too much trouble. Porcelain, on the other hand, can be quite difficult to clean once it's been marked. That said, the external porcelains have a great non-slip texture and are very hardy when used as paving/tiles. I'm personally not a fan of using them as pool coping, but many people love it. Again, both have their advantages and disadvantages so I would recommend using the product that you're happy looking at for the next 10-20 years. - Jordan

We have purchased limestone pavers (30mm depth) for the coping and surround around our saltwater pool. In readiness for their laying and sealing, our research on line shows that limestone is an excellent paver for around salt water pools. However, a couple of tile cleaner professionals said the pavers will need to be pretreated with a densifier solution to 'Harden up' the limestone and prevent corrosive salt water from eating away at the limestone over time. Then one coat of sealer. Just 2 coats of sealer will not be enough to counteract the salt water, they say. Why is nothing ever simple? Has anyone got any thoughts or experience on how limestone and saltwater interact? Appreciate any advice.