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Replies

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  David Beasley Garden Design August 17, 2009 at 1:21pm

  Normally I only do it 5:1 because that's how they did it at a former employer of mine and they had done a lot of paving over the 30 years or so they have been established.
  
  Gonna try 4:1 and stick to sharp. Soft sand was just an idea as I noticed how nice and 'buttery' it can get when I accidentally added too much water mixing a jointing mortar.
  
  I know what you mean by 'stiff' (i.e. the paver doesn't sink and splat mortar out like an eclair), but I don't want it too stiff that I have to bray the **** out of the paver to get it down (I've cracked a few in the past!).
  
  It's a delicate balance.
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  David Beasley Garden Design August 17, 2009 at 3:47pm

  Change of plan, been on Paving Expert,
  
  Think I'm gonna have a bash at laying them on a 50mm thick pre-compacted screed of 6:1 (daren't risk 10:1) sharp/cement, semi-dry mix.
  
  My mate Clive at the Handmade garden Co., told me ages ago that he has laid 20mm thick granite pavers on a screed before and had no installation/subsequent problems.
  
  What's the concensus out there please?
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  Helen Nock August 17, 2009 at 7:57pm

  Hi David,
  I'm neither landscaper nor builder and my knowledge is limited to my own specialsim but do mix a lot of mortar for sculpting and laying and insetting large sections of slate etc on flat surfaces and they have to be bullet proof. I use 3.1 sharp sand or stone dust stiff mix. I've found washing up liquid and commercail extenders for building weaken the mix. I use Bal flexi add-mix for plasticizing and further waterpoofing plus it's fantastic binding qualities. It's probably way too expensive for much larger building/scaping jobs. A litre tub about £30 but 20.1 mix with water. I've used Unibinond and buildflex but they can't touch Bal for quality. Even sneaking up the water ratio is just as good, if not better than cheaper versions.
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  Helen Nock August 19, 2009 at 6:22am

  Two trowels Antonio Banderras style :-))
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  Tim Haywood August 19, 2009 at 8:17am

  Pointing using the Pointmaster for me. Mix up in a plasterers (deep) bucket using a paddle in an electric drill and save all the grunting. It almost makes it a pleasure.
  
  http://www.pointmaster.co.uk/
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  David Beasley Garden Design August 19, 2009 at 10:23am

  Cool looking product, why doesn't everybody use them though?
  
  It reminds me of:
  
  http://www.brickytool.com/index_eng.html
  
  which I keep seeing on SKY informmercials.
  
  Is the Pointmaster as good as it looks?
  
  Has anyone used the brickytool?
  
  Tim Haywood said:

  Pointing using the Pointmaster for me. Mix up in a plasterers (deep) bucket using a paddle in an electric drill and save all the grunting. It almost makes it a pleasure.
  
  http://www.pointmaster.co.uk/
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  Jackson's Landscape Design August 19, 2009 at 8:23pm

  to lay paving you have to have an eye for a level, each unit varies in thickness and size from the last.
  
  once you mastered what ratio mix to use, water quantity (dont forget that the sand will hold water at the bottom of the bag or pile,and how to mix it consistantly so the same colour comes out of the mixer, and how to install your bed so that your not smashing the flag into place,
  
  you may wish to learn that with ALL paving units need to have a dilute pva mix brushed to the underside of all units, keep a clean bucket of water and brush close as the pva will splash on to the layed units
  
  the reason fro the pva application is to stop the cement compounds being drawn up through the paving and deeming your efforts unsightly in about 3-5 years after installation when its all stained on the surface,
  
  you may wish to point the paving as your laying by buttering the edges with a plyable brick mix, once inplace take the excess brick mix off with a clean trowel and iron the pointing with the appropriate tool, me i use a section of hose pipe as it leaves a clean bevel and its flexible
  
  Failing this if your happy to pay travel and my rates then i'll do it on price for you,
  
  keep your eye on the units as you lay them as some are flaky and you dont want the condensation then frost setting in, then youve got a major headache
  
  kerry
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  Jackson's Landscape Design August 19, 2009 at 11:54pm

  David try not using fairy as this seriously weakens the mix
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  Tim Horner August 20, 2009 at 10:05am

  Your on it mate !. Spot on advice. I have seen people lay paving so many different ways ( and tried most over the years as well) but this way is the best. SBR is magic stuff. If your laying Kota black limestone i would recommend you put a lil bit of waterproofer in the bedding mix, it has a tendancy to draw up moisture from the type 1 base and along with it salts which leaves a powdery white finish on top of the slab. (and no you cant jet wash it off)
  
  
  Pro Gard said:

  I lay on wet mix 3.5 -1 stone dust cement, 2" bed. I point with 1-3 soft sand cement plus SBR using a moist mix.
  
  Don't add soft sand, keep your bedding mix fairly course.
  
  I dont like the screed method, and will always individual bed, screeding equals rockers IMO particularly with stone were you have unneveness.
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  Susan August 20, 2009 at 7:14pm

  maybe you know this already but Black Limestone fades to a fairly light grey colour when exposed to the air. Just thought id mention it, in case you are expecting it to stay black.