Filling in gaps between patio slabs

[John Price]

Greetings

Just finished pressure-washing my patio, and most of the gaps between
slabs (which were moss filled) are now empty.

I understand I can mix some sand and cement and basically sweep that
around, filling the gaps as I go. Is that right? If so, builders or
sharp sand, and what ratio mix?

Should I then spray water over, or just wait for rain?

The gaps between slabs varies - does the gap size matter?

Thanks

JIP



--

[NoSpam]

I've been tempted by one of these but haven't taken the plunge yet:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/B003CT4D22/ref=cm_cr_dp_synop?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=0&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending#R5R703F8ZV8KB

[John Rumm]

On 08/03/2012 18:16, John Price wrote:

> Greetings
>
> Just finished pressure-washing my patio, and most of the gaps between
> slabs (which were moss filled) are now empty.
>
> I understand I can mix some sand and cement and basically sweep that
> around, filling the gaps as I go. Is that right? If so, builders or
> sharp sand, and what ratio mix?
>
> Should I then spray water over, or just wait for rain?

Depends on how you want to do it:

http://www.pavingexpert.com/pointing.htm#point

> The gaps between slabs varies - does the gap size matter?

Not expecially...


--
Cheers,

John.

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[Weatherlawyer]

On Mar 8, 6:22 pm, NoSpam <nom...@hursley.ibm.com> wrote:
> On 08/03/2012 18:16, John Price wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > Greetings
>
> > Just finished pressure-washing my patio, and most of the gaps between
> > slabs (which were moss filled) are now empty.
>
> > I understand I can mix some sand and cement and basically sweep that
> > around, filling the gaps as I go. Is that right? If so, builders or
> > sharp sand, and what ratio mix?
>
> > Should I then spray water over, or just wait for rain?
>
> > The gaps between slabs varies - does the gap size matter?
>
> > Thanks
>
> > JIP
>
> I've been tempted by one of these

Idiot snipped.

Brush in any old sand. Mix dry 5 to 1~ish.

[MuddyMike]

"NoSpam" <nom...@hursley.ibm.com> wrote in message
news:9rsbn1...@mid.individual.net...

That's interesting. I bought a couple of mastic guns from Lidl a while back
and they came with a piston for the plunger and a nozzle. I did use it for
filling the gaps between slabs with mortar last year and was a bit worried
it would not last as the mix had to be very wet. However whilst sweeping one
area last weekend it looks fine. A lot more needs doing (we have over 400
2x2 slabs here) and I will use the same method again. I have tried the dry
mix method before but it just doesn't last, perhaps I did it wrongly!

I agree with the fact that you must rinse the threads and nozzle on every re
fill, but can't remember if I used soft or sharp sand. Will make sure I use
soft next time.

Mike

[NoSpam]

It never ceases to surprise me that some people are prepared to be
offensive on forums for no reason, just because it is anonymous. Would
you like to add some value by explaining why you feel my suggestion was
not worthwhile?

[Moonraker]

On 08/03/2012 22:07, John Rumm wrote:
> On 08/03/2012 18:16, John Price wrote:
>> Greetings
>>
>> Just finished pressure-washing my patio, and most of the gaps between
>> slabs (which were moss filled) are now empty.
>>
>> I understand I can mix some sand and cement and basically sweep that
>> around, filling the gaps as I go. Is that right? If so, builders or
>> sharp sand, and what ratio mix?
>>
>> Should I then spray water over, or just wait for rain?
>
> Depends on how you want to do it:
>
> http://www.pavingexpert.com/pointing.htm#point
>
>
>> The gaps between slabs varies - does the gap size matter?
>
> Not expecially...
>
>

To have been down the dry mix road, as you say it does not last, also
there are still stains on the slabs. Bought one of the guns recently,
now all I need to do is use it. The makers have a very good web site
with videos showing the operation.

--
Residing on low ground in North Staffordshire

[stuart noble]

I had no luck with those guns. By the time I'd loaded it, unblocked it,
and cleaned it afterwards, I reckon I could work faster by hand.

Sweeping allows cement to penetrate the surface as it's finer than the
texture of most things. IME adding water by spray doesn't necessarily
mix the ingredients, and you tend to get pockets of dry powder.

With slabs I've found no better way than damping the mix just enough to
change the colour and tucking it down with a trowel. I watched a guy
making an excellent job of crazy paving recently (boy, what a labour of
love that is!), and it's the method he was using, so I was pleased about
that.

[NT]

Epoxy mortar is best
Cement/sand next best
Sand alone becomes populated with plant life

I read recently that lime stops mould growth, but if youre using lime
you'd be better using cement, or both together. Lime's veyr easy to
clean off the faces though.


NT

[Rick]

My natural stone patio laid and t eh gaps pointed up with 4:1 mix using
builders (soft) sand (no plasticer needed) .. mixed semi dry ...
troweled into joints and tamped down with a length of wood trip ..
(about 10mm thick), slightly rounded edge.
Excess simply brushed away with soft brush.


The problem with 'pointing guns' is that mix has to be wet, and you can
get staining of the slabs.

There is also a dry 'pour-in' point mix, which sets by contact with damp
ground .... but never used that.

[Rick]

what did you buy ... was it easipoint and using their mix ?

[Weatherlawyer]

On Mar 9, 8:46 am, NoSpam <nom...@hursley.ibm.com> wrote:
>
> It never ceases to surprise me that some people are prepared to be
> offensive on forums for no reason, just because it is anonymous. Would
> you like to add some value by explaining why you feel my suggestion was
> not worthwhile?

I beg your pardon. I just read as far as:
"I bought this mortar gun with s..."
and switched off.

It is a piece of cake amounting to about as much work as sweeping the
patio to repair the pointing with a dry mix of sand and cement.

I have no idea how much work your "one of these" would be but I
assumed it would be a daft sight more work.

I never considered how insulting I was being. Sorry.

[Weatherlawyer]

On Mar 8, 6:16 pm, "John Price" <johnpr...@warley.plus.com> wrote:

You can justr sweep a dry mix intot he joints till its full. a 6 to 1
mix is plenty.

It needs tamping a l;ittle or just letting it settle. Then do it again
-and again if need be.

Make the final pointing quite strong. Tamp the previous lot down by
dragging a stick or some sort of edged tool along the joints.

If you want a really firm finish, apply grout in a similar manner. A 2
to 1 mix with fine sand (brick sand) will suffice.

Wet cement will stain the paving, so you have to get on your hands and
knees with hands full of sawdust pdq and scrub them clean. (Not fun!)

Which means (depending on the weather) you can only do a certain
amount at a time. Try a couple or three square yard sections at a time
until you know how fast you can work.

The you just brush the sawdust crap off and bin it. Or put it in the
compost. Rinse you skin with plenty of water when you have finished
and don't use any soap on your skin fore a day or two.

Your skin will crack badly if you neglect it.

[John Rumm]

More work certainly, but if you are after nice shaped fillet pointing
to match slabs with wide gaps, then you really need to use mortar for
pointing and not a dry mix. That is when the application guns come into
their own.

[MuddyMike]

"John Rumm" <see.my.s...@nowhere.null> wrote in message
news:kP6dnTyzIJbNBsfS...@brightview.co.uk...

> On 09/03/2012 16:53, Weatherlawyer wrote:
>> On Mar 9, 8:46 am, NoSpam<nom...@hursley.ibm.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> It never ceases to surprise me that some people are prepared to be
>>> offensive on forums for no reason, just because it is anonymous. Would
>>> you like to add some value by explaining why you feel my suggestion was
>>> not worthwhile?
>>
>> I beg your pardon. I just read as far as:
>> "I bought this mortar gun with s..."
>> and switched off.
>>
>> It is a piece of cake amounting to about as much work as sweeping the
>> patio to repair the pointing with a dry mix of sand and cement.
>>
>> I have no idea how much work your "one of these" would be but I
>> assumed it would be a daft sight more work.
>
> More work certainly, but if you are after nice shaped fillet pointing to
> match slabs with wide gaps, then you really need to use mortar for
> pointing and not a dry mix. That is when the application guns come into
> their own.

I have just spent the last couple of hours pressure washing some of my paved
areas. I have noticed that the areas where the gaps were filled with dry
sand and cement (I did some like this myself about 4 years ago) most of it
needs doing again. The areas I filled with very wet mix using the mortar gun
then tooled off are all fine, those I didn't tool off are 30% in need of
doing again.

So I will use the mortar gun again but will make sure I tool it all off and
not just leave the natural bead.

Mike

[NoSpam]

On 09/03/2012 16:53, Weatherlawyer wrote:

Skilfully done, and pardon granted ;-)

[John Price]

Thanks for all the replies. Lots of different ideas and thoughts. In
the end I have swept a dry mix back and forth and will redo in a week
or two. Does a great job of finishing off cleaning the slabs too!

I had asked if the gap size matters because whoever put the slabs down
left hardly any gap between some of them, and the rest vary like crazy.
I would guess the narrow gaps would be very hard to do with a wet mix
or with a mortar gun?

Again many thanks
--