University Project: Pointing Solution

Thanks for the replies.

Pro Gard - Do you find you have any problems with the Point Master? I thought that there might be problems with the capacity and you would need to keep re-filling all the time. Is it comfortable to use? The main draw back that I can see with it is that you still need to go around after applying a finish, my aim is to encorporate this into the design so one movement fills and finishes the pointing gap, do you think this would be useful? Lastly, have you used this product in the rain? How does it perform?

Bird - This is the method that I have always used aswell. Athough I find that it is difficult to get a consistent texture for the mix, and more difficult to maintain it over a long period. The main drawback to the method is that it cannot easily be done in wet conditions, would you aggree?
Have you ever been tempted to use other tools or methods? If so, what has put you off?

Thank you both for your help.

Sorry for the late reply Euan

In 2003 I landscaped the former garden, Isington Mill, of Field Marshall Montgomery of El Alamein fame.

There was an existing feature, one of the mill stones, that Monty had placed as a door threshold to the front door and uses a tramway of Selborne brick stretchers on edge, with sand stone sandwiched between the two.

We decided to replicate this effect around the edge of the new drive using thin slithers of Indian sandstone (because we could not locate real sand stone) but because it was such a prominent feature, the pointing had to be a crisp weather struck joint.

Using a mixture (not sure of the exact ratio now) we mixed Kingsley yellow sand, cement and lime (for fluidity) into a fairly elastic and loose mix.

I bought two large jointing guns from screwfix which were similar to the Pointmaster guns.

For this job, with one constantly mixing and two landscapers jointing and pointing it worked well.

I must say, since the job, I have tried using them for different applications but I have not achived the same results every time.

Replies

Bird Garden Design November 6, 2008 at 12:42am

I tend to just use the old fashioned method... a semi-dry mortar mix, a trowel and a pointing iron to tightly pack the joint, it's pretty tedious but reliably fail-safe. Using a length of feather edge board is another option too.
Euan Fraser November 6, 2008 at 10:22am

Thanks for the replies.

Pro Gard - Do you find you have any problems with the Point Master? I thought that there might be problems with the capacity and you would need to keep re-filling all the time. Is it comfortable to use? The main draw back that I can see with it is that you still need to go around after applying a finish, my aim is to encorporate this into the design so one movement fills and finishes the pointing gap, do you think this would be useful? Lastly, have you used this product in the rain? How does it perform?

Bird - This is the method that I have always used aswell. Athough I find that it is difficult to get a consistent texture for the mix, and more difficult to maintain it over a long period. The main drawback to the method is that it cannot easily be done in wet conditions, would you aggree?
Have you ever been tempted to use other tools or methods? If so, what has put you off?

Thank you both for your help.
David Riches November 6, 2008 at 6:09pm

I use the marshals wide joint compound... Just brush it into the joints, wet the slabs downa and job done.
PRO

Phil Voice November 8, 2008 at 6:45pm

Sorry for the late reply Euan

In 2003 I landscaped the former garden, Isington Mill, of Field Marshall Montgomery of El Alamein fame.

There was an existing feature, one of the mill stones, that Monty had placed as a door threshold to the front door and uses a tramway of Selborne brick stretchers on edge, with sand stone sandwiched between the two.

We decided to replicate this effect around the edge of the new drive using thin slithers of Indian sandstone (because we could not locate real sand stone) but because it was such a prominent feature, the pointing had to be a crisp weather struck joint.

Using a mixture (not sure of the exact ratio now) we mixed Kingsley yellow sand, cement and lime (for fluidity) into a fairly elastic and loose mix.

I bought two large jointing guns from screwfix which were similar to the Pointmaster guns.

For this job, with one constantly mixing and two landscapers jointing and pointing it worked well.

I must say, since the job, I have tried using them for different applications but I have not achived the same results every time.
coxy84 February 5, 2009 at 9:00pm

geofix everytime comes in buff or grey colour just brush it into joints gently compact with pointing tool
and brush off excess sets rock hard in couple of hours, must be dry weather though only downside