Patio project - please check my plan

[MikeyMing]

Hi, would someone be able to check what I propose to do to see if it sounds sensible?

Three separate patios (5x3M, 2x2, 3x3). Each are bounded by timber sleepers, bedded on dry mix and pinned into the ground using sort of home made wooden road pins. The slabs are dark grey Indian sandstone. These were £16/m2, they are not great, perhaps a little too cheap.

https://infinitepaving.com/kota-bl....5m2-598


It says calibrated, but there does seem to be some variation in thickness.

I have laid 75-100 Type 1 (having since read the site I'm not sure this was required, but done now).

I now intend to bed these on a full bed of 25-40mm moist mix 8:1 to a 1:60 fall.

I am going to lay the bed 1 slab at a time. I am going to trowel on a home made slurry using cement and SBR as described on the site. The slurry will be omitted from the 5x3 patio, as this is likely to be taken up in the medium term to make way for an extension.

I am undecided on grouting at the moment, I am researching this.

[Tony McC]

All that sounds fine to me.

[MikeyMing]

Thanks Tony.

The site and your book are an enormous help by the way.

What should I use for jointing? The sleepers have been laid for me, to allow for a 10 mm gap between slabs.

This is all patio / light foot traffic. I would prefer a darker grey colour if possible.

Any guidance on which product and how much would be required for 30m2?

Thanks

[matt_north]

Just a point on pointing .

Resin all the way, whether it be 1-part (low foot traffic) or 2-part. I used Rompox Easy (1-part) and Rompox D1 (2-part). For a 5m x 6m patio it took me about 40 minutes to grout the lot!

Regards
Matt

[MikeyMing]

Thanks Matt. I looked at the Romex Easy and it says min 30mm joint depth. My slabs are 22mm.

Would I need to use the 2 part D1?

[Highworth paving]

Straight after you lay a slab use your trowel to remove bedding from joint down to 30mm
Regards
Craig

[AmazingGarden]

The only thing that I would add having built similar patios is be careful jointing right up to the sleeper. The wood will naturally expand and contract with the weather and this can crack the jointing. We have found that Easyjoint copes to a degree but I don't know of anything with the flexibility to cope with the movement.

A Garden Oasis in Manchester

[Tony McC]

One or two of the very latest 2-part resin mortars coming out of Germany have a degree of elasticity that would probably enable them to cope with the expansion and contraction of timber over the seasons.

I'm not sure the additional cost is warranted, though, as many installations where a timber baulk or sleeper is used as an edge course against paving are best having that interface joint filled with kiln dried sand or similar.

[MikeyMing]

Thanks for the help guys. Ill use kiln dried sand by the sleepers.

Any advice on grout? I need quite a dark colour as the slabs are near black?

[AmazingGarden]

try the Easyjoint Basalt if it is on the dark grey side or the Jet Black if its black. I have never used the Jet Black.