pavers on mortar

[frank2]

may have made a booboo, looking for advice

doing a chap a fovour he wanted 3 concrete paver steps 3 foot tread 3 inch rise roughly converting into a ramp for his electric buggy they were laid on sand but thinking extra sand to make up the slope would be too much/unstable I bedded the pavers on sharp sand mortar mix, then grouted them with dry fine sand

Unfortunately 1 or 2 pavers are now loose, in hindsight I should have had wider gaps and mortar pointed them

whats my best option now ,Im thinking

1) mix neat cement slurry and wash into pavers to mix with existing sand and set

2) lift up all pavers remove mortar bed and relay on mortar with wider gaps 10mm

3) open to suggestions

many thanks

 

[wrathkeg]

Was the bedding mix dry? I would have had it wet to help the slabs stick: especially important on a slope. Some SBR would help too.

I don't think just repointing, even wider, will do anything to help. In my experience of loose slabs (my own) the bedding is the problem not the pointing. If you repoint it while the slabs still move, the pointing will fail.

I would point it with mortar, not sand which will wash away or become full of weeds - neither of which someone in a buggy would want to contend with.

 

[frank2]

Was the bedding mix dry? I would have had it wet to help the slabs stick: especially important on a slope. Some SBR would help too.

I don't think just repointing, even wider, will do anything to help. In my experience of loose slabs (my own) the bedding is the problem not the pointing. If you repoint it while the slabs still move, the pointing will fail.

I would point it with mortar, not sand which will wash away or become full of weeds - neither of which someone in a buggy would want to contend with.

yes I usually like wettish mortar however with bedding pavers the mortar needs to be reasonably stiff to avoid the pavers sinking and whilst laying you dont want mortar oozing between blocks

 

[wrathkeg]

so the mix was dry?

 

[frank2]

so the mix was dry?

no it was as wet as I could make it without slumping but dryer than I would lay bricks with

 

[wrathkeg]

If the bedding material isn't the issue, then it might be worth looking at bond bridges:

http://www.pavingexpert.com/bond_bridge_01.htm

You can get SBR at the likes of Toolstation and Screwfix.

 

[frank2]

If the bedding material isn't the issue, then it might be worth looking at bond bridges:

http://www.pavingexpert.com/bond_bridge_01.htm

You can get SBR at the likes of Toolstation and Screwfix.

looks like for about 3m2 itll be cheaper taking mortar bed up and rebedding on sand if thatll work with the slope

 

[r896neo]

what has gone wrong? In what way are they loose?

If they rock then you didn't bed them properly??

If they are loose as in they slumped down the slope then you perhaps need to lay them from the bottom up and put in some wedges or packers as it all goes off.

Pointing them with mortar is a much better job but nothing to do with them being loose.

 

[frank2]

what has gone wrong? In what way are they loose?

If they rock then you didn't bed them properly??

If they are loose as in they slumped down the slope then you perhaps need to lay them from the bottom up and put in some wedges or packers as it all goes off.

Pointing them with mortar is a much better job but nothing to do with them being loose.

well as previously mentioned the mortar has to be reasonably stiff to maintain a level finish otherwise the pavers will sink into the bed I think its partly the nature of the pavers theyre 40mm and the smoothish surface isnt the best medium for a good bond in the circumstances

hindsight slightly wetter mix /dampen pavers and wider pointing gaps with mortar