Pointing garden patio

[eastender3]

Hi All,

Just having our new patio laid, taking the old one out and laying new turf.

The builder is not putting a cement mix in the joints between the slabs but putting resin based grout in between, he thinks this is better. He is putting the tapered edges and filling the gaps with resin grout mixture. We're concerned about this as we expected him to fill the joints with cement but he re-assured us this is a better way.

He is also going to use the same method in the new path in the middle of the garden. In terms of maintenance and solidity, what do you guys think?

 

[stealthwolf]

http://www.pavingexpert.com/jointing13.htm

Looks like it's as good as cement if not superior.

 

[NewhouseOldhouse]

wots the difference between cement and resin??

 

[WabbitPoo]

its quicker to do the brush-in compounds, though only marginally, as they should still be iron with a pointing tool (or the rough texture fills with alga very quickly)

 

[eastender3]

Can someone tell me how long should it take for patio tiles to stick firmly with cement mixture, because after few hours some are a bit loose, whilst others are firm, the builder tells me it takes time to settle or I must have walked on it.

 

[eastender3]

He used 'Easy Joint' for the paving grout and used dry application, despite telling him that I saw on the internet wet application is advisable. He cut the pack open and used the brush to spread the grout around the joints. After the recent rain, I brushed the paving and now can see some gaps in few joints. Now how do I fill them in?

Here is the instruction from the company website on dry application.

Dry Application Method
Use this method with extreme caution

The Dry Application Method should be used with caution and wherever possible avoided. However, there are circumstances EASYJoint can only be used dry (or virtually dry).

For example using sweep in, all weather, jointing compound with porcelain tiles or for pointing domestic driveways where permeable bases are not possible due the requirements for a strong supportive base.


We had a crazy Paver who was grumpy and irate. I did deduct some money from his boss from final payment for poor quality of work and for his bad temper.

 

[r896neo]

Paving laid on mortar should be absolutely rigid wit no movement. It doesnt neccessarily need to be strongly stuck to the base but there should be no rocking type movement at all.

Paving should be free from walking for at least 12 hours after laying, preferably 24 hours. Perhaps longer if a weak lean mix was used or retarders etc.

If you walk on paving before its firm you will tip the corners of slabs and cause the slabs to rock. These will need to be relaid.

After 24 hours there should be no rocking. Any rocking need to be relaid.

Pointing will never solve rocking flags.

Easyjoint can be applied dry but needs to be thoroughly compacted with a jointing iron. When applied wet it self compacts to a degree.
Holes in the easyjoint need to be opened up to at least 20mm and patched. Simply pouring some new stuff into tiny low spots and holes will not last.

 

[eastender3]

Trust in builders or pavers, have been rock bottom for the last few months. Whoever you hire, cheap ones or 'British' builders are no better, in fact they're the biggest con, charging extra because they're white British, but do poor jobs, at least the cheap Indian and Eastern Europeans, usually charge less and expected to be poor quality, you get what you pay for, as we're told.

After a week, some slabs are rocking. These were the same tiles relaid before. He used Easyjoint grout on patio and then when he run of them, used traditional mix on the rest. On the turf laid, he used two different variety making the new lawn sunken appearance. I did take off few hundred pounds off the boss after some arguments and told him not to come back, but he expected that anyway and I suspect that's his usual strategy with customers:
agree on a high price, do a crap job, deduct some money off.

Where does that leave the customer? I did not give the job the local Romanians, but now they won't come to repair the job, as they're ****ed off I gave the job to somebody else.

 

[r896neo]

I'm genuinely Sorry to hear you've had a hard time with poor tradesman lately but your massive sweeping generalisations are neither helpful nor welcome.

If you have specific questions or comments to help other posters or if you need help please post but save the other stuff for the daily mail comments pages