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Hi all

I have a client who is looking for a very precise look to the external paving, so that it looks as close as possible to the interior stone floors which will be honed stone with minimal joints. I am thinking of using a sawn sandstone, but wondering if there are ways of getting the joints really minimal without the risk of them deteriorating with the weather. Would a compound like Rompex be better for this than mortar? Or should I just try to 'manage expectations' a bit, as outdoor paving can never realistically look as slick as indoor?

Not expecting a flurry of replies as today is SUNNY and I'm sure you will all be making up for lost time out of doors! ;o)

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  • not sunny in belfast.

    Your only option is a slurry applied compound like rompox/gtfk. They will do joints down as small as 5mm as long as you keep it wet and are diligent. Mortar joints less than 8mm are doomed to fail.

  • shame you're not getting the sunshine Simon!

    I have heard that compounds like Rompox look dirty after a short while...?
     
    Simon Smith said:

    not sunny in belfast.

    Your only option is a slurry applied compound like rompox/gtfk. They will do joints down as small as 5mm as long as you keep it wet and are diligent. Mortar joints less than 8mm are doomed to fail.

  • Unfortunately you have little choice you need a slurry for tight joints like you require and that limits your choice to Rompox - GTFK - weatherpoint 365 or maybe flowpoint which is a more commonly used commercial product.

    Certainly the brush in rompox and gtfk do get a little grimey can;t speak for weatherpoint 365. This is largely due to the fact that they are highly water permeable.

    I have started using the rompox D1 which is a proper 2 part epoxy mortar as i doubt the longevity of the brush ins. It is also much less permeable so shouldn;t discolour the same way.

    Here is a link to a photo of a bradstone patio i used it on recently. As you can imagine the colour is a big draw for clients. The 2 part epoxy versions are dear but not when you consider the labour saving. This 45m patio was done by 2 men in about 2 hours. Pointing by hand i would say would have taken 2 and a half days.

    http://www.sjsmithhomeandgarden.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Br...

    http://www.sjsmithhomeandgarden.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Br...

  • The absolute minimum joint size on sawn sandstone is 5mm.  We always reccomend a 6-8mm joint as this satisfies the clients needs for a tight joint, while providing a durable joint.

    GTFK as already mentioned is good but I would be very careful about using it on sawn sandstone.  It sounds like the client has got thier heart set on a clean, modern finish and you may get resin stains from any of the sweep in compounds, which may upset the client.

    Even with 6-8mm joints it will still look contemporary.  Client education is the way forward

    All the best, Steve

  • Listen to this guy he knows his onions.

  • What stone is used. Internaly? Maybe you can get the same stone but thicker for external use. Then as everybody else has stated you will need to use a slurry jointing compound for a tight joint.
  • Thanks guys for all your replies, very helpful! I am thinking client education + a sample panel so we have an agreed benchmark to compare with. That way we can also check that the jointing material isn't going to stain. May also consider stone sealant to keep it looking good - have never specified before so any advice would be welcome!

  • Clients ask us reguarly if they can butt joint or have really small (2mm) joints for sawn paving.  Its a big no no.  Even sawn paving has dimensional tolerances of +/- 2mm.  If you try for joints less than 5mm you are running a serious risk of flags bumping in to eachother and the clean lines you are trying to achieve will be impossible.

    Its obviously also very difficult to point paving with tight joints and even if you used GTFK, a 2mm joint will have no stability.

    Have you thought about using easipoint?  Its much moren suited to high end sawn paving, because all the sweep in's will leave a residue.  

    Also regarding sealing beware of the cheap all purpose patio sealers that you find in the big sheds. 

    If you have any specififc questions on this dont hesitate to get in touch, I have a lot of experience in this area.  All the best

    Steve

  • The main players are Romex (Rompox) and GTFK. They both produce epoxy mortars which have no cement and therefore do not stain which is why they are so good with natural stone. 

    The brush in 1 parts are called polymeric such as rompox easy, gtfk vdw840, marshall's weatherpoint etc.

    The 1 parts are more prone to turning a bit grotty in my experience which is relatively limited might i add. I have only used rompox d1 4 times and rompox easy 4/5 times. None of them are more than 2 years old so cant offer a lot on their longevity but Steve (london stone) i'm sure has heard a lot about them.

    Personally i have switched to using the epoxy version as it seems a much higher quality product and the longevity i would hope is better.

  • Hi Simon

    Even though the 2 part epoxy mortars dont have any cement in they do have resin in.  This resin will leave a sheen on the surface of the stone.  This might be ok for a large commercial job, or a cheap and cheerful patio, but I';d be very careful about using on a sawn sandstone.  You may have a very unhappy client.

    Have you found this on your projects Simon?

    Steve

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