Cleaning, pointing, sealing advice required

[CHF]

Hi guys

Fantastic site and a great forum you all make here. Spent far too may hours on here the last few days.

I’m currently tidying up a 12 year old patio. Based on what I've read here, I believe its concrete block as it was the cheapest available from your big DIY store at the time. It’s a pink/blue bumpy mix when clean and I still quite like it so looking to keep it and do a good job re-jointing it.

I’ve just finished the raking out and planned to clean with bleach then possibly some brand cleaner and then pressure wash where/if necessary.

My dilemma then and the reason for posting was whether to:

Seal once clean and wait few days before jointing?

Joint and then wait a few weeks before sealing?

I had planned on using the rompox easy or the easyjoint but open to suggestions. Same with the sealant.

Is this a good plan for Easter?

Cheers

A

[Tony McC]

Joint then seal.

Nowadays, I'd only ever recommend a two-part resin mortar: the one-part polymerics are 'old hat'. They just can't cope with the sort of aggressive cleaning regimes to which we subject contemporary patios.

Sealant Trials - you choose!

[CHF]

Cheers Tony.

So can I assume my 2 product ideas aren't 2 part resin?

They both seemed to be popular here.

And if I do joint, then seal, how long do i wait for it to go off?

Actually I know the answer - its don't be an eejit and follow the manufactures instructions isnt?!

cheers again. Really is a wealth of info you have here.

[CHF]

Left a 50:50 bleach:water mix on last night for half an hour then stiff brushed and hosed off. Hasnt seemed to remove too much this morning but im hoping any visible algae is now dead and will jet wash off no bother.

gonna give it another clean before that tho to see how it gets on.

[Tony McC]

Some contractors and DIYers frequenting the Brew Cabin are happy enough with the type of products you considered, but I'm a fussy bugger and, if I'm going to recommend something, put my name to it, I want it to be bulletproof, or, as is the case with resin-based jointing mortars, pressure-washer-proof, and I've yet to find a one-part (polymeric) product that can cope with repeated pressure washing.

Oh yes, some of them will survive a couple of goes, but the way we tend to be nowadays is that we've spent 100 quid on a pressure washer from the DIY shed so we're gonna get our money's worth and blast anything that doesn't move, along with next door's cat. The car gets cleaned on a Sunday and, while the yoke is out, might as well blast the patio, the paths, the driveway, the greenhouse, the kids' bikes....and it's this repeated assualt by high pressure water jets that, bit-by-bit, erode and evict the less-tightly bonded one-part mortars.

So, for me, even though I only clean the patio/driveway once a year (or less if I possible can!) I like to be sure that the jointing will still be in situ when I'm done.

[lutonlagerlout]

we have had great results with the vdw GFTK range of 2 part resin mortars
bullet proof doesnt cover it
LLL

[CHF]

That stuff looks ace and quite fun applying but Id need 2 tubs and I doubt the wife would agree to £200 on grout! Reckon I could jus about get her to go for £100ish on the Rompox/365/Easyjoint type stuff.

Anyway, I'm planning that for this iteration, that once sealed, I will maintain a rigorous sweeping regime which will totally remove the need for power washing. :rock:

Cleaning update for no-one's amusement but my own: Bleach has seemed to 'grey off' a lot of the algae and some of the pinks are coming back through. For good measure I've just put down some Patio cleaner (benzalkonium chloride). Will jet wash it all away on Saturday so probably a waste of time but kept me busy for half hour.

Do we do grout colour suggestions on this forum or is that just a bit too lame? Might have to upload a photo and canvass opinion.

[Tony McC]

Grout colour: you can have any colour you want, but it will be mucky brown in 3 months time.

It often comes down to personal taste but a dark mortar will work with almost any form of paving.

[lutonlagerlout]

and IMHO Light mortar will work with almost any paving
I like to see the stone not the joints
Re: vdw GFTK
you gets what you pay for ,if you go cheap you pay twice,in around 2 years if memory serves me right
LLL

[CHF]

My Dad - who fitted the original and grouted with sand/cement thinks im mental for even considering £100 on a polymeric and not just redoing the sand/cement - especially as he has a few bags in the garage so it would in effect be free.

I've read the article and can see the issues with frost, weeds, jet washing and gaps but seeing as his lasted at least 5 year without issue and ive only just raked it out 12 years on (even if its loked poor for the last several) Im now thinking I might just do this?

However, he was then on about some 'resin' thing you can pour over the grout mix (sand only) that hardens it and protects it. What is he talking about here or is he mistaken?

[CHF]

So further reading tells me its a 'joint stabilising compound/SBR' he is referring to.

WHat are peoples opinions on this method for 60x60 concrete slabs?

[Tony McC]

It's bollocks.

Joint stabilisation is intended for narrow (3mm or less) joints within areas of small paving units, so primarily block paving, occasionally sawn-six-sides setts, but NOT flagstones with wider joints.

[CHF]

It's bollocks.

Joint stabilisation is intended for narrow (3mm or less) joints within areas of small paving units, so primarily block paving, occasionally sawn-six-sides setts, but NOT flagstones with wider joints.

Im glad you said that. When asked again today, I said I thought it was for block paving (based on what i'd read here) but doubted myself for a second!

[CHF]

Update: Jetwash done. Algae gone and its now that you notice the lichen. Drawback of budget, 'low cement content' flags - top layer now seems worn away in places and i have the 'concrete' speckled look in places as described here.

Grouting with Easypoint tomorrow.