Marshalls heritage yorkstone flagstones pointing

Hi,

I had this marshalls paving laid for my patio 3 years ago and have had the guy back last year to re point and again it needs done as it is cracking again. when he first laid it he brushed in a dry mix, which after reading this suspect is not great. Second time he used a wet mix but some has cracked again and the bits that are coming out are really thin.

I have removed all pointing today and am going to have a go myself over the next few days. I have found ready mixed mortar and also quick set concrete (thought this will be easier than buying sand/cement) but am not sure if these will be any good?

Also I have borrowed a pointing gun and wondered if this would be the neatest and cleanest way to apply the mortar without getting it on the slabs?

Any suggestions would be appreciated on what to use/how to apply and how thick the mix should be as I would like to try and do it to last!!

Thanks

whats the patio bedded on?

Not sure about the base, but I know thet the slabs were "dabbed" at each corner. Some of the slabs have settled lower than others through time and a couple of the small ones have slight movement. To be honest if I had the money I would have the paving company that I used for my drive look at it and maybe lay them again because I don't think they were laid correct.The company I used for my drive did a great job and have a good reputation. Pity I didn't know about them at the time!

if thats the case then it doesnt matter what you point them with. Until you sort out the ones that move it will continue to break up. Take up the loose ones and re-bed them on a full wet mortar bed.

Once youve sorted that out then point them with a damp mix mortar mix (not a ready mix one theyre crap)

Hi guys, by coincedence, I'm about to lay and point some Marshalls Yorkstone flagstones (and I'm also in Fife), and Thermo has already put be straight about laying them on a bed of wet mortar...

I've got a question about what the consistency of the mortar should be (ie: how much water to add to the sand/cement, assuming a 6:1 ratio). Thermo - you mention that the bed should be "wet" mortar, but the pointing should be "damp" mortar. Is this just the same thing, or do you mean a difference in consistency in these two cases?

Either way, how can I judge the correct consistency for "wet" mortar? I appreciate that you can't measure it in units of water to add, as the water content of the sand will vary, so is there any rough rule of thumb for knowing when you've got it right? (I'm using a conrete mixer for mixing it, if that makes any difference)

yea there should be a difference. Pointing should be done with stiffer mortar so as not to stain the slabs. It should be the consistancy where you can pick it up in your hand and squeeze it gently and it should hold its shape firmly, just slacker than the point of being crumbly . As for laying I would say when you put it in a barrow take out a shovel and hit the barrow with a shovel it doesn't heave back into a shape to hide your shovel marks.

This is definately harder to describe than i thought when i started typing!