Grout help for large patio - is this a no-no??

[964RS]

Hi, hope you can point me in the right direction....

We are in the process of having a large patio built (80+ sq metres) which is surrounded by a small brick wall.

SWMBO wants to lay these wood effect vitrified porcelain slabs.....

https://royalestones.co.uk/natur-w....ck.html

The builder who is doing the build has said he will use Geo-Fix compound to fill between the gaps and as his quote is very competitive I'm guessing this is part of the reason!

I've read a few threads on here and everyone seems to be against it and I'm sure there are some horror stories. The contractor has laid patios before but is a bricklayer really by trade (and a very very good one - 20+ years).

Should this Geo-Fix be avoided and what would you all recommend would be best for filling between these tiles???

I appreciate it is a large(ish) area but want to get it right first time, its going to be a very expensive mistake if not....

Appreciate your help in advance!

Thanks

[dig dug dan]

Oh dear

Geofix should be avoided at all costs.
Does he know what he is doing? What does he say on the spec?
I think before you go ahead, ask him the process of what exactly he will be doing, how he will be laying and what materials.

[964RS]

It's going onto a compacted bed of roadstone, ballast, sand then a sand/cement mix for fitting.

The Geo Fix was what I had most concerns about having read reports on here and having spoken to another contractor who has had mixed results with it.

Is Marshalls Weatherpoint 365 an option?

[msh paving]

porcalain needs to be grouted with tile exteriour grout, such as fugabella or mapai or similar put in the same way as tilers do with a grout float and wash boy to clean up, weatherpoint is not idea for porcalain at all, geofix is no use at all,the last job i did i used standard exteriour grey grout 7mm joints

[dig dug dan]

It's going onto a compacted bed of roadstone, ballast, sand then a sand/cement mix for fitting.

The Geo Fix was what I had most concerns about having read reports on here and having spoken to another contractor who has had mixed results with it.

Is Marshalls Weatherpoint 365 an option?

What's the ballast for?
Is he using a bond bridge?

Take Mark's advice, he is spot on

[964RS]

Thanks for the replies, appreciated!

[Tony McC]

A shiver went down my spine reading the OP's message. So many worry words.... builder.....GeoFix....sand then mortar....it's almost a guarantee of failure!

Why is it so many non-professionals have this nonsense notion that it's a good idea to place the mortar bed over a layer of undefined sand rather than directly onto the sub-base as practically every paving professional does? Where has that crappy idea come from? Is there some gormless TV eejit telling folk this is how *he* does it? What possible advntage is there to placing an unbound layer of sand in between a sub-base and a mortar bed? What is it supposed to do? How does it improve.....anything? Mystifies me!

[msh paving]

garden makover has alot to answer to, and that other fool tommy....